Economy in Brief

Wholesale inventories increased 0.8% in April (7.6% year-over-year), following no change in March (revised up from a 0.1% decline). The Informa Global Markets Survey anticipated a 0.7% rise. Wholesale inventory swings can have a [...]

The labor market weakened during May. Nonfarm payrolls increased 75,000 (1.5% y/y) following a 224,000 April rise, revised from 263,000. The March increase also was revised lower to 153,000 from 189,000. The May rise in payrolls fell [...]

The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services widened more than expected in May to $55.5 billion from an upwardly revised $51.2 billion in April (originally $50.8 billion). The consensus expectation from the Action Economics Survey was [...]

The labor market remains historically quite robust. Initial claims for unemployment insurance were unchanged at 218,000 in week ended June 1 (the previous week’s reading was revised up slightly from 215,000) and remain around their [...]

Output per hour in the nonfarm business sector grew 3.4% (SAAR) during Q1'19, revised from 3.6% reported last month. The increase followed an unrevised 1.3% gain in Q4'18. It remained the strongest increase since Q3'14. During the [...]

The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services eased during April to $50.8 billion from $51.9 in March, revised from $50.0 billion. Expectations had been for a $50.7 billion deficit in the Action Economics Survey. Exports declined 2.2% [...]

Germany's real new orders rose by 0.3% in April, marking the second monthly rise in a row as orders rose by 0.8% in March. Orders last rose two months in a row in September-October of 2018. A rebound- but still weak While this news is [...]

The labor market remains historically quite robust. Initial claims for unemployment insurance were unchanged at 218,000 in week ended June 1 (the previous week's reading was revised up slightly from 215,000) and remain around their [...]