Economy in Brief: February 2010

Business conditions in the Northeast improved this month. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that its February Empire State Factory Index of General Business Conditions rose to 24.91, the highest level since October, and [...]

Japan's fourth quarter real Gross Domestic Product rose more than expected--4.6% at an annual rate. However, the third quarter was revised downward from 1.3% annual rate to no change. The biggest contributor to growth was foreign [...]

Japan's fourth quarter real Gross Domestic Product rose more than expected--4.6% at an annual rate. However, the third quarter was revised downward from 1.3% annual rate to no change. The biggest contributor to growth was foreign [...]

The Reuters/University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment for mid-February fell modestly to 73.7 from is two-year high of to 74.4 reached last month. The latest figure fell short of Consensus expectations for a higher reading of [...]

A developing trend towards accumulation of business inventories was cut short in December. The 0.2% yearend decline partially reversed gains during the prior two months which were the first in over a year. For the year business [...]

Don’t judge a book by its cover- Please pardon the bad grammar in the title. But I am hopelessly imprinted with Rod Stewart’s, “Every Picture tells, a story, don’t it?’ In this case… I wonder: does it or as SNL’s Seth Meyers might [...]

Shoppers are returning to stores after restraining spending at yearend. January retail sales increased 0.5% after a 0.1% decline during December which was less than reported initially. The latest figure was firmer than Consensus [...]

Shoppers are returning to stores after restraining spending at yearend. January retail sales increased 0.5% after a 0.1% decline during December which was less than reported initially. The latest figure was firmer than Consensus [...]