Economy in Brief: August 2019

Total business inventories rose 0.3% (5.3% y/y) during May following an unrevised 0.5% April gain. Total business sales rose 0.2% (1.5% y/y)........ The manufacturing and trade data are in Haver's USECON database. Manufacturing & [...]

Despite the risks, U.K. retail sales continue to expand Despite ongoing concerns over Brexit, a plunging pound sterling, and inflation that has risen above the BOE target, U.K. retail spending is holding up. There has even been some [...]

Industrial production declined 0.2% during July (+0.5% year-on-year) following an offsetting revisions to May and June – now both 0.2% gains revised from 0.4% and unchanged respectively. The Action Economics Survey forecast a 0.1% [...]

Productivity in the nonfarm business sector grew at a greater-than-expected 2.3% seasonally adjusted annual rate during Q2’19 (1.8% year-on-year), following a slightly upwardly-revised 3.5% gain in Q1’19 (was 3.4%). The Action [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index declined to 16.8 in August after rising to 21.8 in July. A reading of 10.0 had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast [...]

Industrial production declined 0.2% during July (+0.5% year-on-year) following offsetting revisions to May and June -- now both 0.2% gains revised from 0.4% and unchanged respectively. The Action Economics Survey forecast a 0.1% [...]

Total business inventories were unchanged m/m (+5.2% y/y) in June versus an unrevised 0.3% m/m increase in June and a 0.5% m/m gain in April. Total business sales edged up 0.1% m/m (1.3% y/y) in June following a downwardly revised [...]

Productivity in the nonfarm business sector grew at a greater-than-expected 2.3% seasonally adjusted annual rate during Q2'19 (1.8% year-on-year), following a slightly upwardly-revised 3.5% gain in Q1'19 (was 3.4%). The Action [...]