Economy in Brief: April 2018

The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders-Wells Fargo slipped to 69 during April from an unrevised 70 in March. It was the lowest figure since November. The reading compared to expectations for [...]

Total retail sales increased 0.6% (4.5% y/y) during March following an unrevised 0.1% slip in February. The gain was the first in four months. A 0.4% increase had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Excluding motor [...]

The euro area trade surplus grew again in February as trade flows contracted and imports fell faster than exports. The trade surplus rose to 20.988 billion euros in February from 20.214 billion euros in January. The EMU trade balance [...]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the total job openings rate declined to 3.9% in February. January's 4.0% rate was revised down from the record 4.1% reported last month. (The job openings rate is the job openings level as [...]

EMU industrial production has now fallen for three months in a row. Weakness is widespread and broad-based; it is severe in February, substantial over three months, and significant over six months. Output is falling on the quarter-to- [...]

Initial claims for jobless insurance fell to 233,000 (-1.3% y/y) during the week ended April 7 from an unrevised 242,000 in the prior week. Expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey had been for 230,000 claims. The four- [...]

Import prices held steady (3.6% y/y) during March following a 0.3% February increase, revised from 0.4%. A 0.2% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. These figures are not seasonally adjusted. Petroleum [...]

The U.S. Treasury Department reported that the federal government ran a $208.7 billion budget deficit during March 2018. A deficit of $187.0 billion had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. During the first six [...]