Economy in Brief: 2021

• • PREVIOUS>>>>>>>The advance estimate of the U.S. trade deficit in goods widened to $84.8 billion in November..... • Narrowing larger than expected. • Still, net exports were a meaningful drag on overall GDP growth in Q4. • Export [...]

• • • Leading index rises 0.3% in December as slowdown from the 0.7% gain in November. • Seven components increase, led by ISM manufacturing new orders. • Three decrease, most notably jobless claims. The Conference Board’s Composite [...]

• December sales increase in 2 regions, decrease in 2 regions. • Median price rises 3.5% to new all-time high. Sales of new single-family homes edged upward in December to 842,000 (SAAR), +1.6% m/m and 15.2% y/y. from 829,000 in [...]

The European Commission Index for the EMU area fell to 91.5 in January from 92.4 in December. It ranks in the lower 18.3% of all indexes released since 1988 (its queue or rank standing). The EMU index fell by 1% month-to-month. Among [...]

• Growth continues at quickest rate since November 2018. • Component improvement is broad-based. • Expectations for six months ahead increases. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported that its manufacturing sector business [...]

• Slower GDP growth reflects broad-based component weakening. • Decline in activity during 2020 is largest of post-WWII period. • Price gain eases in Q4. Recovery from the Q2'20 downturn in economic activity is continuing at a [...]

• State initial claims fall 67,000; PUA claims ease 20,472. • Continuing claims ease, with prior week revised a bit lower. • Insured jobless rate ticks down to 3.4%. Initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased to 847,000 in [...]

• Leading index rises 0.3% in December as slowdown from the 0.7% gain in November. • Seven components increase, led by ISM manufacturing new orders. • Three decrease, most notably the contribution from jobless claims. The Conference [...]