Economy in Brief: September 2006

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) indicated that the September Composite Housing Market Index fell to 30 from a slightly revised 33 in August. The latest level is down by more than one half from last year. During the [...]

The US current account deficit in 2Q'06 deepened to $218.4B versus a revised and deepened deficit of $213.2B during 1Q. The deficit last quarter equaled 6.6% of GDP, greater than the 6.35% during all of last year . Consensus [...]

The US current account deficit in 2Q'06 deepened to $218.4B versus a revised and deepened deficit of $213.2B during 1Q. The deficit last quarter equaled 6.6% of GDP, greater than the 6.35% during all of last year . Consensus [...]

Earlier this week, Louise Curley highlighted the fragility of recent gains in the Japanese economy. She described new weakness in manufacturing orders and some deterioration in consumer confidence. Today, data on flow of funds in the [...]

Consumer sentiment in early September added to the gains of late August, according to the University of Michigan. The mid-month reading rose 2.9% to 84.4 on top of the late-August rise which limited that month's decline to 3.2%. [...]

Total U.S. industrial output slipped 0.2% last month and that disappointed Consensus expectations for a 0.2% gain. The decline followed an unrevised 0.4% rise during July. As hot summer temperatures moderated, utility output reversed [...]

In August, the consumer price index (CPI-U) rose an expected 0.2%, half the prior month's gain. Less food & energy, prices also rose an expected 0.2% for the second month and the gain equaled the average rate of increase during 2006. [...]

In August, the consumer price index (CPI-U) rose an expected 0.2%, half the prior month's gain. Less food & energy, prices also rose an expected 0.2% for the second month and the gain equaled the average rate of increase during 2006. [...]