Economy in Brief: July 2016

Regular gasoline prices eased to $2.23 per gallon last week (-20.4% y/y), down from $2.40 early last month, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Prices are down versus a 2014 high of $3.71 per gallon. Haver Analytics constructs [...]

Housing starts increased 4.8% during June to 1.189 million units (SAAR) from 1.135 million in May, revised from 1.164 million. It was the highest level since February, but still 2.0% lower than one year earlier. Expectations were for [...]

The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders-Wells Fargo eased to 59 in July from an unrevised 60 in June. The NAHB figures are seasonally adjusted. During the last ten years there has been an 72% [...]

The Empire State Factory Index of General Business Conditions declined during July to 0.55 and reversed much of its June improvement. Expectations had been for 5.0 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The data are reported by the [...]

Industrial output increased 0.6% (-0.7% y/y) during June following a 0.3% May fall, revised from -0.4%. A 0.2% rise in output had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Factory sector production improved 0.4% last [...]

Strengthening energy prices continue to be offset by moderate inflation elsewhere. The June Consumer Price Index increased 0.2% (1.0% y/y), the same as during the prior month. These gains follow of a 0.4% April rise. A 0.3% increase [...]

Total business inventories edged up 0.2% m/m (1.0% y/y) following an unrevised 0.1% m/m increase in April. Total business sales slowed to a 0.2% m/m rise (-1.4% y/y) in May after a 0.8% m/m jump in April (revised down slightly from [...]

Total retail sales & spending at restaurants increased 0.6% during June (2.7% y/y) following a 0.2% May gain, revised from 0.5%. The rise compared to expectations for 0.1% growth in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Healthy [...]