Economy in Brief: October 2004

Retail sales in the UK bounced in September, surging by 1.0% in volume terms from August, and growing 6.8% from a year ago. The strength was in household goods, "other" non-food stores (which would include car dealers and a myriad of [...]

Mass layoffs in the US as reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics fell another 12.5% following the 61.4% in August to the lowest level since August 1999. These layoffs generated 68,972 (-16.5% y/y) initial claims for unemployment [...]

The Philadelphia Fed’s October index of general business conditions in the manufacturing sector rebounded more than expected to 28.5. The 15.1 point rise versus September exactly matched that month's drop. Consensus expectations had [...]

The 0.1% September decline in the Conference Board's Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators was expected and the fourth consecutive monthly drop. August's 0.3% decline was unrevised. Among the 10 components of the leading [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped 25,000 last week following a revised gain of 16,000 the week prior. The decline to 329,000 was to the lowest level in over a month and compared to the Consensus expectation for 345,000 [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance dropped 25,000 last week following a revised gain of 16,000 the week prior. The decline to 329,000 was to the lowest level in over a month and compared to the Consensus expectation for 345,000 [...]

The Canadian economy is strengthening or slowing according to divergent interpretations of today's September report on leading indicators. In releasing the report, Statistics Canada emphasized a progressive slowing in the indicator's [...]

Mortgage applications rebounded last week from the prior period's slump, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The 7.9% w/w rise did not, however, recoup all of the prior week's 9.2% fall and so far in October [...]