Economy in Brief: October 2019

The EMU PMI preliminary reading ticked up in October from the actual PMI level in September. But at 50.2, the space between the actual level of activity on the PMI and the 'no growth' line of demarcation (50.0) is exceptionally thin. [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance in the week ending October 19 fell 6,000 to 212,000 (-2.8% y/y) from 218,000 in the previous week, which was revised from 214,000. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected 215,000. The [...]

Sales of new single-family homes fell 0.7% (+15.5% y/y) during September to 701,000 (SAAR) from 706,000 in August, revised from 713,000. Sales of 700,000 had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. These sales are [...]

Manufacturers' orders for durable goods declined 1.1% (-5.4% y/y) during September following a 0.3% August rise, revised from 0.2%. A 0.9% decline had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Orders for nondefense [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance in the week ending October 19 fell 6,000 to 212,000 (-2.8% y/y) from 218,000 in the previous week, which was revised from 214,000. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected 215,000. The [...]

The climate gauge for French industry fell to 99.4 in October from 101.6 in September, marking its lowest point since March 2015. French manufacturing claimed for a plateau of readings in early-2015 to a peak at 113.5 in January 2018. [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its Mortgage Loan Index declined 11.9% (+53.6% y/y) during the week ending October 18, following a 0.5% improvement in the previous week. Applications to refinance a loan plunged 17.1% [...]

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Price Index increased 0.2% in August, following an unrevised 0.4% increase in July. During the last twelve months, home prices improved 4.6%, the weakest growth since late 2014. That growth [...]