Economy in Brief: 2018

Import prices fell 1.6% (+0.7% y/y) during November following an unrevised 0.5% October rise. A 0.1% uptick had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. These figures are not seasonally adjusted. The decline in import [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell to 206,000 (-7.6% y/y) during the week ended December 8 from 233,000 during the prior week, revised from 231,000. Initial claims were near the lowest level since 1969. The Action [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Applications Index rose 1.6% (-13.2% y/y) during the week ended December 7, the third consecutive monthly gain. Applications to purchase a home jumped 2.5% (3.3% y/y) [...]

The Consumer Price Index held steady during November (2.2% y/y) following a 0.3% October rise. The result matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The CPI excluding food & energy improved an expected 0.2% (2.2% [...]

EMU IP (total excluding construction) gained 0.2% in October after a 0.6% decrease in September. However, IP had gained strongly in August and that has helped to drive the three-month rate of growth to a 3.5% annual pace and to [...]

The 'text' table below summarizes the shifts in the ZEW assessments for December. Presented in this from with the magnitudes stripped out the month-to-month change in the assessments is starkly clear. • The economic situation has [...]

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) reported that its Small Business Optimism Index declined to 104.8 during November. It was down for the third straight month and lower than August's record high of 108.8. The index [...]

The headline Final Demand Producer Price Index using new methodology ticked 0.1% higher (2.5 % y/y) during November following a 0.6% October increase. No change in the index had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]