Economy in Brief: September 2017

Regular gasoline prices at the pump fell to $2.63 per gallon last week (+18.4% y/y) following two weeks at a higher level. Haver Analytics constructs factors adjusting for the seasonal variation in gasoline pump prices. The seasonally [...]

The ZEW survey of macroeconomic conditions shows little change between August and September. Four regions are slightly weaker and three are slightly stronger. However, the queue standings of the readings are uniformly firm to high [...]

Import prices increased 0.6% during August (2.1% y/y) following slight declines in four of the prior five months. The August increase compared to a 0.3% rise expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. These figures are not [...]

In the month before housing starts & permits were meaningfully affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, stability in these housing data was evident. Total starts eased 0.8% (+0.5 y/y) to 1.180 million units (AR) in August from 1.190 [...]

U.S. PCE and EMU HICP track similar trends Inflation continues to bedevil central banks. In the EMU, the latest harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) runs at 1.5%, still below its target of a 'little less than 2%.' The core HICP [...]

The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders-Wells Fargo fell 4.5% to 64 during September and reversed its 4.7% August increase, which was lessened after revision. As a result of this month's [...]

Total retail sales and spending at restaurants declined 0.2% (+3.5% y/y) during August. The July estimate was revised lower to 0.3% from 0.6% and June's figure was reduced to -0.1% from 0.3%. A 0.1% increase had been expected in the [...]

Total business inventories increased 0.5% in June (2.8% y/y)............. Business sales increased 0.3% (4.3% y/y)............. The business sector inventory-to-sales ratio rose to 1.38.......... The manufacturing and trade data are [...]