Economy in Brief

Import prices fell a greater-than-expected 0.5% during January (-1.7% year-on-year) following a 1.0% drop in December. Prices were down 1.7% in November. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected a flat reading for January. These [...]

The Empire State Manufacturing Index of General Business Conditions rose to 8.8 during February, but remained near the lowest level since the middle of 2017. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected a reading of 8.0 for February. [...]

The Federal Reserve reported that industrial production eased 0.1% (+3.5% y/y) during May following a 0.9% April rise, revised from 0.7%. A 0.2% increase had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Factory sector [...]

The headline Final Demand Producer Price Index using new methodology fell 0.2% during December.......... The PPI data are contained in Haver's USECON database with further detail in PPI and PPIR. The expectations figures are available [...]

Total business inventories slipped 0.1% (+4.6% y/y) during November following an unrevised 0.6% October gain. Total business sales fell 0.3% (+4.2% y/y). The inventory-to-sales ratio held steady at 1.35 and remained below its 1.43 [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance were 239,000 in the week ended February 9, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's 235,000, which was revised up by 1,000. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected 225,000 claims [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance were 239,000 in the week ended February 9, an increase of 4,000 from the previous week's 235,000, which was revised up by 1,000. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expected 225,000 claims [...]

Consumers cut back on spending late in 2018, to the greatest degree since 2009. Total retail sales declined 1.2% (+2.3% y/y) during December following a 0.1% November uptick, revised from 0.2%. A 0.2% rise had been expected in the [...]