Economy in Brief

The German PPI rose month-to-month for the second month in a row. However, its year-on-year change fell for the sixth month in a row. The monthly upward pressure is still modest with prices rising by only 0.2% in July after tacking [...]

• Component gains are somewhat mixed. • Coincident indicators rise further. • Lagging indicators indicate less economic stress. The Conference Board reported that its Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators increased 1.4% [...]

• Component movement was mixed. • Expectations remain depressed. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index fell in August to 17.2% from 24.1% during July. It was the [...]

• State initial jobless claims increased to 1.1 million in the week ending August 15, reversing most of the previous week's decline below 1 million. • Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance new filers increased to 542,797. • [...]

• Component movement was mixed. • Expectations remain depressed. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index fell in August to 17.2% from 24.1% during July. It was the [...]

The table below pools the data from four different reports to create a picture of how Japan is doing. The pictures all are painted in the same dark colors. The orders data are fresh today even though they lag the data in other surveys [...]

• Crude oil prices show further strength. • Metals and lumber prices jump. The upturn in factory sector activity continues to support industrial materials prices. A 3.3% jump in July industrial output helped lift the Industrial [...]

• Mortgage demand wavers. • Applications to refinance an existing loan decline while purchase applications rise. The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Applications Index fell 3.3% (+34.3% y/y) during the [...]