Economy in Brief: April 2009

Regular gasoline prices last week held firm at $2.06 per gallon, the highest level since last November. The latest was up 42 cents from the December low. On news of a weakening U.S. economy, however, the spot market price for regular [...]

European orders are still on bad trends. But France is showing some life in February. As life signs go it’s still a weak vital sign despite its apparent vigor. Orders did jump by 5.2% in nominal terms in February, just one month after [...]

The March National Activity Index (CFNAI) from the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank remained negative last month. At -2.96 the figure was roughly stable with February but both figures were up marginally from the low reading of -4.03 [...]

The Conference Board reported that the March composite index of leading economic indicators fell 0.3% to the lowest level since early-2003. The decline in the February index was revised to a shortfall of 0.2%. Foreshadowing the [...]

The Conference Board reported that the March composite index of leading economic indicators fell 0.3% to the lowest level since early-2003. The decline in the February index was revised to a shortfall of 0.2%. Foreshadowing the [...]

Trends are getting worse. The EMU trade deficit improved in February on a tiny rise in exports as imports continued to drop. Even though both exports and imports put in an ‘improved performance’ in February compared to January the [...]

The manufacturing sector will remain distressed. That is the message reported yesterday in the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI survey of the factory sector. Their composite index of activity fell to a record low level as it dropped to 21 [...]

Despite higher unemployment, the University of Michigan indicated that its mid-April reading of consumer sentiment rose for a second consecutive month. In fact, the index level of 61.9 was its highest since September of last year. The [...]