Economy in Brief: October 2012

The University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment for mid-October jumped to 83.1 from an unrevised 78.3 in September. The latest number was the highest since September 2007 and easily surpassed expectations for 77.7. During the [...]

The producer price index for finished goods jumped again last month. The 1.1% increase (2.2% y/y) followed a 1.7% August rise and beat expectations for a 0.7% gain. Conversely, the unchanged level (2.3% y/y) of prices excluding food & [...]

Initial claims for jobless insurance fell sharply to 339,000 during the week ended October 6 versus a revised 369,000 during the prior week, initially reported as 367,000. Consensus expectations were for 368,000. The four-week moving [...]

U.S. import prices jumped another 1.1% last month following an upwardly revised 1.1% August increase. Again, the gain was driven by petroleum prices which posted a 4.6% surge (-0.1% y/y). The latest overall increase outpaced the 0.7% [...]

The U.S. August foreign trade deficit rose to an expected $44.2B from $42.5B in July. Exports fell 1.0% (+1.6% y/y) while imports slipped 0.1% (+1.0% y/y). In chained 2005 dollars, the deficit in goods deteriorated to $48.4B in [...]

Initial claims for jobless insurance fell sharply to 339,000 during the week ended October 6 versus a revised 369,000 during the prior week, initially reported as 367,000. Consensus expectations were for 368,000. The four-week moving [...]

Initial claims for jobless insurance fell sharply to 339,000 during the week ended October 6 versus a revised 369,000 during the prior week, initially reported as 367,000. Consensus expectations were for 368,000. The four-week moving [...]

Industrial output fell in August in Germany, Finland and in the UK. But for most EMU members listed in this table IP advanced. Over three months IP is up very strongly in Portugal (31.8% pace) and Greece (24.7% pace). France and Spain [...]