Economy in Brief: October 2015

The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index declined 0.2% during September following two months of remaining unchanged. The August figure was revised from 0.1%. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had anticipated no change in [...]

U.S. FHFA home prices slowed in August, rising by just 0.3% after a 0.5% July increase, data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency showed. Also year-over-year prices slowed, rising by 5.5% in August after a 5.8% July rise. The July [...]

Sales of existing homes increased 4.7% (8.0% y/y) during September to 5.550 million and recouped the August decline to 5.300 million, revised from 5.310 million. The latest figure beat expectations for 5.35 million sales in the Action [...]

Sales of existing homes increased 4.7% (8.0% y/y) during September to 5.550 million and recouped the August decline to 5.300 million, revised from 5.310 million. The latest figure beat expectations for 5.35 million sales in the Action [...]

The Chicago Federal Reserve reported that its National Activity Index (CFNAI) during September remained fairly constant at -0.37. The last two months were down sharply, however, from July. For Q3 as a whole, the index remained steady [...]

U.K. retail sales surged in September, rising by 1.4% after a 0.8% August decline. Clothing and footwear sales remained weak in August as they fell by 1.8%, their second fall in three months. Food and beverage spending rose by 2.3% in [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance notched higher during the week ended October 15 to 259,000 from 256,000 during the prior week, revised from 255,000. The figure remained near the November 1973 low. The Action Economics [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index rose 11.8% (-5.9%) following two weeks of extreme volatility. During those weeks, applications first rose by one-quarter then fell by a like amount. [...]