Economy in Brief: 2010

Small business optimism fell last month after two months of improvement. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported their June small business optimism index declined m/m to 89.0 from the recent high of 92.2. The [...]

Consumer confidence in Japan edged higher in June to 43.6 from 43.0, as Japan's index of industrial output also made a surprise advance. Expected income growth and employment and the willingness to buy durable goods each improved on [...]

A stronger U.S. economy continued its effect of deepening the U.S. foreign trade deficit during May. The deficit of $42.3B followed an unrevised April figure of $40.3B. The latest figure was the deepest since December 2008 and [...]

CEOs from around the U.S. grew more optimistic about the U.S. economy last quarter, but the degree of improvement was the least of the current recovery. Although the Vistage CEO confidence index rose just 0.7% from 1Q (+36.8% y/y), [...]

Commodity price figures probably are the most sensitive, high frequency economic indicators. What they show is that U.S. economic growth has lost forward momentum. The Commodity Research Bureau (CRB) index of spot prices is off [...]

The revision in UK GDP left few changes on overall growth. But the trade picture is deteriorated as a sharply wider deficit was reported for Q1. Exports in Q1 are now dropping at a 6.6% annual rate and imports are up at a 6.7% pace [...]

Happy central bankers - The ECB can be happy. The Bundesbank can be happy. Inflation is beating a retreat in the wake of the financial crisis and as we get about one-year into economic rebound. Over three months the HICP is actually [...]

The American Bankers Association reported yesterday that the percentage of most types of closed-end loans behind on payments declined in March. Leading the decline was the drop in delinquent auto loan payments. Just 1.79% of loans [...]