Economy in Brief

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the total job openings rate during July held steady m/m at a record 4.4%........ The Job Openings & Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) survey dates to December 2000 and the figures are available [...]

The scene Financial experts responding in the ZEW economic survey found current conditions weaker just about across the board (the U.S. an exception) with macroeconomic expectations cut everywhere with no exceptions. At the same time, [...]

The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders-Wells Fargo inched up during October to 68 from an unrevised 67 in September. Despite the gain, the index remained below its December 2017 high of 74. [...]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the total job openings rate rose to a record 4.6% in August; July was revised higher to 4.5%. The job openings rate is the job openings level as a percent of total employment plus the job [...]

The factory sector remains in good shape. Industrial production rose 0.3% (5.1% y/y) during September following an unrevised 0.4% August increase. A 0.2% improvement had been expected in the Action Economics Survey. Manufacturing [...]

Gasoline prices slipped to an average $2.88 per gallon last week (+15.7% y/y), down two cents from the prior week. Prices have meandered sideways since May. Haver Analytics constructs factors to adjust for the marked seasonal [...]

The U.S. Treasury Department reported that during FY'18, the federal government ran a $779.0 billion budget versus a $665.8 billion deficit in FY'17. It was the largest deficit since 2012 and amounted to 3.9% of GDP, up from 3.5% in [...]

Total business inventories increased 0.5% (4.2% y/y) during August following a 0.7% July rise, revised from 0.6%. Total business sales increased 0.5% (7.8% y/y), following a 0.2% gain. The inventory-to-sales ratio held steady at 1.34. [...]