Economy in Brief: January 2016

The Conference Board's Index of Leading Economic Indicators fell 0.2% m/m in December, following revised 0.5% m/m increases in November (initially +0.4%) and October (initially +0.6%). The Action Economics Forecast Survey had looked [...]

The Chicago Federal Reserve reported that its National Activity Index (CFNAI) during December remained negative at -0.22 following -0.36 in November, revised from -0.30. The 3-month moving average declined to -0.24, its weakest [...]

Current readings from the Federal Reserve districts are painting different pictures of factory sector activity. The Philadelphia Federal Reserve reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index for January improved [...]

France's INSEE business indicator is stuck at a reading of 102 in January for the third month running. These values represent a tick lower than the October reading of 103. At 102, the indicator sits in the 61st percentile of its [...]

Job market strength appears to be waning. Initial claims for unemployment insurance rose to 293,000 during the week ended January 16 (-1.5% y/y) from 283,000 during the prior week, revised from 284,000. The four-week moving average [...]

The pump price for a gallon of regular gasoline averaged $1.91 last week (-7.4% y/y), down from $2.00 in the prior week, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Haver Analytics constructs factors adjusting for the seasonal [...]

During all of last year, housing starts increased 10.8% to 1.107 million units. The level was the highest since 2007 and double the 2009 low. During December, starts eased 2.5% to 1.149 million (AR) from 1.179 million, revised from [...]

The Consumer Price Index eased 0.1% during December following no change in November. The 0.7% twelve-month increase compared to 0.8% during 2014 as inflation during both years was held in check by lower energy costs. Prices excluding [...]