Economy in Brief

The U.S. Treasury Department reported a federal budget deficit of $659.6 billion during March compared to a deficit of $119.0 billion one year earlier. For the first six months of this fiscal year the deficit rose to $1.706 trillion. [...]

February finds EU retail sales and motor vehicle registration rebounding after having logged even more severe drops in January. As a result, despite the substantial boost this month, retail sales and vehicle registrations are still [...]

• Lumber prices strengthen with the housing market. • Metals prices are mixed. The Industrial Materials Price Index, from the Foundation for International Business and Economic Research (FIBER), increased 0.9% during the four weeks [...]

• Wholesale inventory strength reflects higher oil prices. • Decline in sales helps to raise I/S ratio. Wholesale inventories increased 0.6% (2.0% y/y) during February following a 1.4% January jump, revised from 1.3%. A 0.5% gain had [...]

• Wholesale inventory strength reflects higher oil prices. • Decline in sales helps to raise I/S ratio. Wholesale inventories increased 0.6% (2.0% y/y) during February following a 1.4% January jump, revised from 1.3%. A 0.5% gain had [...]

• Core finished goods inflation picks up. • Energy prices surge. • Service price inflation strengthens. The Producer Price Index for final demand jumped 1.0% (4.2% y/y) during March following a 0.5% February improvement. The index has [...]

• Initial claims rise to highest level in three weeks. • Continuing claims ease. • Insured jobless rate remains steady. Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose to 744,000 during the week ended April 3 from 728,000 during the [...]

The PMI readings for March show improvement again with the JPMorgan Global reading rising to 54.8 in March from 53.2 in February. While the virus stuck over a year ago battering the global economy, creating a sink hole in growth, and [...]