Economy in Brief: February 2009

Italy’s exports fell in December but imports plunged helping to boost the trade account and to shift the balance of trade on goods into surplus in December. Italy’s current account deficit is still on a deteriorating trend, even with [...]

U.S. producer prices for finished goods rose 0.8% during January following five consecutive months of sharp decline. Despite the latest monthly increase, however, the year-to-year change of -1.3% was the softest since late 2002. A [...]

U.S. producer prices for finished goods rose 0.8% during January following five consecutive months of sharp decline. Despite the latest monthly increase, however, the year-to-year change of -1.3% was the softest since late 2002. A [...]

The U.S. factory sector remained severely depressed last month. Industrial production during January fell 1.8% after the 2.4% drop during December which was revised deeper from the initial report. Last month's decline about matched [...]

The worldwide recession continued to dampen pricing power last month. Overall U.S. import prices fell another 1.1% during January after a 5.0% December decline that was deeper than reported initially. The latest drop about matched [...]

The UK MFG sector weakened further in February. The total orders index is at its lowest since 2000 as is the export order reading. Stocks of finished goods have never had a higher reading. Looking ahead the expected outlook over the [...]

It now is more than clear that the pace of the downturn in the U.S. housing market has accelerated. The latest Commerce Department figures indicate that in January starts fell to 466,000 (AR), another record low in the series' history [...]

It now is more than clear that the pace of the downturn in the U.S. housing market has accelerated. The latest Commerce Department figures indicate that in January starts fell to 466,000 (AR), another record low in the series' history [...]