Economy in Brief: February 2005

Preliminary estimates of the growth of Gross Domestic Product in the Euro-Zone reveal a disappointing rise of 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2004, about one-half of what the consensus was looking for. Not all of the twelve countries [...]

The Empire State Index of General Business Conditions in New York's manufacturing industries added another point in February to the seven point decline in January and fell to 19.19. The index has fallen twenty points from its level [...]

Total business inventories rose another 0.2% after the 1.1% surge in November. The full year increase of 7.8% was the strongest since 1988. Retail inventories rose 0.3% in December following a 1.1% increase the prior month. [...]

Chain store sales inched up another 0.1% last week following the 2.2% spike the prior week according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey. The rise lifted sales in early February 0.7% ahead of the January [...]

Retail sales in value terms in Japan are beginning to show some signs of life. While total retail sale in Japan declined almost 1% in December from November, spending on (1) fabrics, accessories and apparel, (2) motor vehicles, and [...]

The Leading Index of the Big 7 OECD economies nudged 0.1% higher in December after a revised 0.3% gain in November. The gains were the first after eight months of sideways movement. Perhaps more important, however, was that the six [...]

The Leading Index of the Big 7 OECD economies nudged 0.1% higher in December after a revised 0.3% gain in November. The gains were the first after eight months of sideways movement. Perhaps more important, however, was that the six [...]

New Zealand's unemployment rate fell in Q4 to 3.6%, an all-time low, as reported in the quarterly labor force survey released Friday morning in New Zealand. These data began in 1986 and, prior to the last two quarters, the [...]