Economy in Brief: September 2015

Sales of existing homes declined 4.8% (-5.4% y/y) during August to 5.310 million (AR) from 5.580 million in July, revised from 5.590 million. July sales were the strongest since February 2007. The latest figure fell short of [...]

The chart displays the three key frequencies of growth I regularly calculate for the German PPI. It plots them and clearly reveals the last four cycles in German PPI pressure. The three-month percentage change leads the parade of [...]

Total borrowing in the U.S. resumed a more normal pace in Q2, according to the Federal Reserve's Financial Accounts of the U.S., following a much smaller amount in Q1. Indeed, Q1 net paydowns by the federal government and the [...]

Italy's current account surplus shrank in July as exports and imports both fell. Declining trade flows may get greater scrutiny now that the U.S. Federal Reserve has put its rate hike plans on hold. Judging from market reactions, [...]

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index improved 0.1% during August following no change in July, revised from -0.2%. June's 0.6% increase was unrevised. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had anticipated a 0.2% rise. Three-month [...]

At today's meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed indicated that, "Recent global economic and financial developments may restrain economic activity and are likely to put further downward pressure on inflation in the [...]

The current account deficit of $109.7 billion in Q2 eased from $118.3 billion in Q1 and compared to $92.0 billion in Q2'14. The data are seasonally adjusted. The deficit in goods trade eased and the services surplus grew The surplus [...]

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index for September deteriorated to -6.0 following an unrevised improvement to 8.3 in August. It was the first negative reading since [...]