Economy in Brief: 2012

The April National Activity Index (CFNAI) from the Chicago Federal Reserve improved to 0.11 from a revised -0.44 in March, last month reported as -0.29. However, the three-month moving deteriorated to -0.06, the first negative reading [...]

The graph on the left shows a good clear picture of the recent relationship between the German PPI and the CPI. It is not very impressive. The ex-energy gauges are not even very loosely correlated. However, their two trends have [...]

Consumer opinion regarding the economy deteriorated for most of this week versus the first full week of May, according to the Rasmussen Survey. On average, the Consumer Index slipped to 88.7 from 90.4 last week. That follows a [...]

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank's General Business Conditions Index fell sharply this month and into negative territory. The decline to -5.8 for May from an unrevised 8.5 compared to an expected gain to 10.3. The figure was the [...]

The Leading Economic Indicator index from the Conference Board slipped 0.1% last month after an unrevised 0.3% increase during March. A 0.1% increase had been expected. Just 50% of the component series rose in the last two months [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims held steady during the week of May 12 at 370,000. Consensus expectations were for 365,000 filings. The figure for two weeks ago was revised up from 367,000. The four-week moving average of initial [...]

EMU imports and exports fell across nearly every category in March. The trade account was in surplus for the fifth month in a row and the sixth in the last seven. Exports fell by 0.9% m/m as imports contracted by 1.1% m/m. Both of [...]

Overall industrial output posted a 1.0% increase last month following a 0.5% March decline, initially reported as no change. The gain doubled Consensus expectations for a 0.5% increase according to Action Economics. A 4.6% (1.2% y/y) [...]