Economy in Brief: October 2009

Continuing to show a loss of forward momentum was the housing sector. Housing starts ticked up slightly last month to 590,000 (AR) units versus 587,000 during August which was revised down slightly. The latest level, however, showed [...]

Housing continues to turn the corner toward recovery, but of late that recovery stuttered. The National Association of Home Builders reported that its October Composite Housing Market Index fell to 18 from 19 in September. Though the [...]

While purchasing power parity (PPP) is not a major factor in determining a country's actual exchange rate, it can be used as a rough guide in deciding whether a particular currency is under or over valued. Most developing countries [...]

Japan’s Tertiary index (service sector index) rose in August for the third month in a row. The chart above puts these increases in perspective. While a nice, stable uptrend is emerging, the pace of the rise is relatively moderate; yet [...]

The U.S. government ran a budget deficit of $1.417 trillion during Fiscal Year 2009. The figure was by far a record and more than tripled the 2008 deficit of $454.8 billion. While somewhat below the Congressional Budget Office's [...]

The U.S. government ran a budget deficit of $1.417 trillion during Fiscal Year 2009. The figure was by far a record and more than tripled the 2008 deficit of $454.8 billion. While somewhat below the Congressional Budget Office's [...]

Italy’s exports and imports both dropped on the month with exports dropping faster. As a result, the trade gap widened. But the gap has improved from its worst level at end of 2008. True, the deficit has expanded again from it best [...]

Consumer sentiment sagged this month but retraced just half of the rise during September. The University of Michigan's mid-month October reading of consumer sentiment fell to 69.4 from a September reading of 73.5. Despite the decline [...]