Economy in Brief: December 2017

EMU growth rates are now 'finalized' for Q3 2017. There are no negative growth rates among these 'first' EMU members over the last three quarters and the last year-over-year negative growth rate among the group was in Q4 2016 for [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims slipped to 236,000 (-7.3% y/y) in the week ended December 2 from an unrevised 238,000 in the prior week. Expectations had been for 240,000 claims in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The four- [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Applications Volume Index increased 4.7% last week (-1.4% y/y) and made up the prior week's decline. Purchase loan applications gain 2.4% (6.9% y/y) following a 1.8% [...]

Output per hour in the nonfarm business sector grew at an unrevised 3.0% annual rate (1.5% y/y) in the third quarter following a 1.5% Q2 gain. It was the quickest productivity increase in three years. A 3.3% rise had been expected in [...]

Germany now has a real string of order increases in train. There are increases in orders in October after gains in September and August. In addition, both foreign and domestic orders have a string of gains for three consecutive [...]

The ADP/Moody's National Employment Report indicated that private nonfarm payrolls increased 190,000 (2.0% y/y) during November following an unrevised 235,000 October gain. A 188,000 rise had been expected in the Action Economics [...]

EMU retail sales volumes are up in October by 0.3% after falling by 0.5% in September. The sequential growth rates from 12-months to six-months to three-months do not show any sign of pick up. Nonfood purchase volume has been stronger [...]

The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services increased to $48.7 billion in October from $44.9 billion in September, revised from $43.5 billion. A $46.6 billion deficit had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. Total [...]