Economy in Brief: April 2019

Total business inventories increased 0.8% (5.3% year-on-year) during January.... Total business sales rose 0.3% (2.8% y/y), following a 0.9% decrease in December. The inventory-to-sales (I/S) ratio ticked up to 1.39, the fourth [...]

The EMU PMI composite index stalled April, at a still growth-indicating 51.3, the same level as in March. In April, the manufacturing sector rebounded slightly, trimming its speed of decline with a 47.8 reading compared to March’s [...]

The Conference Board's Composite Index of Leading Economic Indicators increased 0.4% (3.1% y/y) during March following a 0.1% uptick in February, revised from 0.2%. A 0.4% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast [...]

Total business inventories increased 0.3% (4.9% year-on-year) during February, after a slightly upwardly-revised 0.9% gain in January. Total business sales edged up 0.1% (2.4% y/y) following a 0.3% rise. The inventory-to-sales (I/S) [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased to 192,000 (-15.4% year-on-year) during the week ended April 13 from 197,000 the week before, which was revised up by 1,000. This is the lowest level of claims since October 4, 1969, [...]

Total retail sales increased 1.6% during March following a 0.2% February dip. It was the largest monthly increase since September 2017. The 3.6% y/y sales pace, however, remained down from growth during 2018 and 2017. A 0.9% March [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased to 192,000 (-15.4% year-on-year) during the week ended April 13 from 197,000 the week before, which was revised up by 1,000. This is the lowest level of claims since October 4, 1969, [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported manufacturing conditions weakened in April with its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index falling to 8.5 from 13.7 in March. The Action Economics Forecast Survey median [...]