Economy in Brief: 2015

The National Association for Business Economics forecast of 2.9% growth in U.S. real economic activity in 2016 was unrevised from expectations posted three months ago. Expected growth of 2.4% this year was, however, lowered from 3.1%. [...]

German capital goods sector turns sharply higher as the rest of IP continues to struggle. Industrial output rose by 0.9% in April after a 0.4% decline in March. Overall IP growth is advancing on all horizons with growth in a 3.4% to [...]

Consumer credit outstanding increased $20.5 billion in April following a $21.3 billion rise during March, initially reported as $20.5 billion. These increases remained the strongest since last July. Expectations were for a $16.0 [...]

Nonfarm payroll employment during May increased 280,000 (2.2% y/y) following a downwardly revised 221,000 April rise. The latest increase outpaced expectations for 220,000 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Improvement in [...]

Nonfarm payroll employment during May increased 280,000 (2.2% y/y) following a downwardly revised 221,000 April rise. The latest increase outpaced expectations for 220,000 in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Improvement in [...]

German orders rose for the second consecutive month for the first time since October 2014. The rise was driven by foreign orders which gained 5.5% in April as domestic orders tanked, falling by 3.8% on the month, but that was after a [...]

Nonfarm productivity fell at a 3.1% annual rate during Q1 2015, revised from the initial report of a 1.9% fall. The decline followed a 2.1% retreat during the prior quarter. Harsh winter weather and the strike at West coast ports [...]

The outplacement firm of Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that job cut announcements during May fell to 41,034 (-22.5% y/y) and reversed part of April's unrevised increase to 61,582. Layoffs declined in the energy, [...]