Economy in Brief

Economic growth eased during Q3'19 to 1.9% from 2.0% in the second quarter. A 1.5% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The slowdown lowered growth over the last four quarters to 2.0%, its weakest since the [...]

The ADP National Employment Report count of private nonfarm payrolls increased a slightly-greater-than-expected 125,000 in October (1.5% year-on-year) following a downwardly-revised 93,000 gain in September (was 135,000). The August [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its Mortgage Loan Index rebounded in the week ending October 25, rising 0.6% w/w (57.6% y/y) after declining 11.9% w/w in the previous week. Purchase applications rose 2.3% w/w (+9.9% [...]

One question that the central banks like the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan could ask is: what is the job of a central bank in a world where inflation has been tame and has been too tame for too long? [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that U.S. pending home sales rose 1.5% (3.9% y/y) during September following a 1.4% August increase. The index level of sales increased to 108.7, the highest level since December [...]

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for October fell 0.3% (-8.7% y/y) to 125.9 after declines in three of the prior four months. A rise to 127.5 had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. It was the lowest [...]

In the week ended October 28, U.S. gasoline prices at the pump fell to $2.60 per gallon (-7.6% y/y) compared to $2.64 during the previous week. It was the lowest price in six weeks. Weaker seasonal demand accounted for most of last [...]

The Confederation of British Industry distributive trades retail survey in November continues to show weakness. Weakness is built into the very bones of this survey from the basic line items of the month to the look-ahead survey [...]