Economy in Brief: 2021

• Index suggests modest pickup in economic growth. • Production & income strengthen. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's National Activity Index increased to 0.52 during December from November's 0.31, revised from 0.27. Despite the [...]

• Existing home sales rebound 72.9% since May low. • Inventory of unsold homes continues to fall sharply. • Sales are mixed m/m across regions. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that sales of existing homes rose 0.7% [...]

PMI data now rank observations on their range of values since December 2016. On that basis, the U.S. composite is on its high with the queue standing telling us that U.S. indicators are lower 98% of the time (this high or higher only [...]

• Existing home sales rebound 72.9% since May low. • Inventory of unsold homes continues to fall sharply. • Sales are mixed m/m across regions. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that sales of existing homes rose 0.7% [...]

• • • PREVIOUS>>>>The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index has fallen to 11.1 in December from 26.3 in November. The survey panel consists of 150 manufacturing [...]

The spread of the virus in Franc is still untamed. The incidence of infection is at its highest since mid-November. The trend may still be rising. But France also has one significant positive virus-related event and that is that the [...]

• State initial claims fall but PUA claims climb. • Continuing claims reverse prior week’s increase. • Insured jobless rate revised down a bit; now hovering at 3.5%-3.6%. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 900,000 in [...]

• Total starts reach highest level since September 2006. • Single-family housing starts continue to surge. • Building permits strengthen. Record low interest rates continue to strengthen new home building. Housing starts increased [...]