Economy in Brief: January 2011

Severe snow storms just after Christmas dealt another setback to new housing activity last month Total housing starts fell 4.3% in December to 529,000 (AR) units from 553,000 during November, initially reported at 555,000. The latest [...]

The National Association of Home Builders reported that their index of housing market activity held at 16 for the third consecutive month; the average for all of 2010. The latest figure remained above the all-time low of 8 reached in [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that its Empire State Factory Index of General Business Conditions improved to 11.92 following its sharp December recovery to a revised 9.89. The figure roughly equaled Consensus [...]

The German financial experts that respond to the Zew survey are a bit more upbeat this month. The expectations reading jumped quite a number of notches from a December value of 4.3 to a January reading of 15.4. Still, expectations [...]

After several months of strong gain, the rate of business inventory accumulation slowed to 0.2% in November after a 0.8% October increase, initially reported at 0.7%. During the last three months inventories rose at a 9.5% annual rate [...]

After several months of strong gain, the rate of business inventory accumulation slowed to 0.2% in November after a 0.8% October increase, initially reported at 0.7%. During the last three months inventories rose at a 9.5% annual rate [...]

Holiday glee toned down in the new year. The mid-January reading on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan slipped to 72.7 following gains during the prior two months. Nevertheless, the figure remained near its highest [...]

U.S. industrial production rose 0.8% in December, following 0.3% in November, which was revised from 0.4%. September and October were both revised upward modestly. The December result compares to a consensus forecast of 0.5%. Year-on- [...]