Economy in Brief: 2020

• Payroll hiring turns positive following declines induced by the coronavirus. • Jobless rate slips as employment increases. • Earnings falter after strong gains. The labor market showed signs of life in May following extreme duress [...]

• Cautious spending breeds less credit usage. Consumer credit outstanding fell $68.8 billion (+1.6 y/y) during April following an $11.6 billion decline during March, revised from $-12.0 billion. A decline of $45.0 billion had been [...]

• Payroll hiring turns positive following declines induced by the coronavirus. • Jobless rate slips as employment increases. • Earnings falter after strong gains. The labor market showed signs of life in May following extreme duress [...]

Germany's orders plunged in April, falling by 25.8% m/m after a 15.0% drop in March. The two-month decline for overall orders, for foreign orders, and for domestic orders each are the largest two-month drops seen on German data back [...]

• Payroll hiring turns positive. • Jobless rate slips as employment increases. • Earnings falter after strong gains. The labor market showed signs of life in May following extreme duress in April. Nonfarm payroll employment improved [...]

• • PREVIOUS>>>>>Productivity in the nonfarm business sector during Q1'20 fell 2.5% (SAAR) ......... The productivity & cost figures are available in Haver's USECON database. Productivity & Costs (SAAR, %) Q1'20 Q4'19 Q3'19 Q1 Y/Y [...]

• Initial jobless claims decreased to a still extremely-elevated 1.877 million in the week ending May 30. • Federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance new filers declined to 623,073. • Continuing claim for state programs increased to [...]

• The foreign trade deficit in goods & services added to its March deterioration. • Exports declined sharply as recessions abroad continued. • Imports fell precipitously with lower oil prices & developing U.S. recession. The U.S. [...]