Economy in Brief

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index improved to 36.7 during February from January's 17.0. It was the highest level in three years. An index of 10.2 had been [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its Mortgage Loan Application Index fell 6.4% w/w in the week ending on February 14. This was the first decline in four weeks. Compared to a year ago, applications were up 76.7%. Purchase [...]

U.K. CPIH inflation is moving higher in January, posting a sharp 0.5% gain in both the headline and the core. Over three months, the inflation rate is up. The year-over-year core rate is at 1.7% where it last was in November; it was [...]

Retail gasoline prices rose to $2.43 per gallon (4.8% y/y) in the week ended February 17 from $2.42 per gallon in the previous week. This followed five consecutive weeks of decline and the price compared to an early-May peak of $2.90 [...]

The U.S. Commerce Department reported that during the fourth quarter of last year, retail sales via the internet (E-Commerce) increased 2.6% (SA) from Q3. The gain followed a 4.6% Q3 rise, and was the weakest increase since Q4'18. [...]

The Producer Price Index for final demand increased 0.5% (2.1% y/y) during January following a 0.2% rise, revised from 0.1%. A 0.1% gain had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Producer prices excluding food & [...]

Housing starts fell 3.6% m/m (+21.4% y/y) in January to 1.567 million units at an annual rate, giving back some of the outsized weather-aided 17.7% m/m jump in December (1.626 million units), which was revised up from a 16.9% m/m gain [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its Mortgage Loan Application Index fell 6.4% w/w in the week ending on February 14. This was the first decline in four weeks. Compared to a year ago, applications were up 76.7%. Purchase [...]