Economy in Brief: February 2009

The University of Michigan reported that its mid-February reading of consumer sentiment fell sharply. The 8.2% month-to-month decline to a level of 56.2 nearly reversed all of the gains of the prior two months and returned the index [...]

The University of Michigan reported that its mid-February reading of consumer sentiment fell sharply. The 8.2% month-to-month decline to a level of 56.2 nearly reversed all of the gains of the prior two months and returned the index [...]

Total business inventories fell 1.3% during December after a downwardly revised November decline. The latest drop was the fourth in as many months and the rise of 0.9% year-to-year was the weakest since early-2004. The recent cutback [...]

U.S. labor market conditions continued dismal as the Labor Department indicated that initial claims for unemployment insurance slipped just 8,000 to 623,000 after an upwardly revised 40,000 increase during the prior week. The latest [...]

Industrial production fell by a sharp 3% in December and is having its sharpest fall since the Euro Area data series began. The progressive growth rates show that GDP is getting weaker and weaker over shorter periods. In the fourth [...]

January retail sales unexpectedly rose 1.0%. However, the increase recovered only part of the little-revised 3.0% decline during December which capped a six-month slide in sales. The meekness of the rebound left the 9.7% year-to-year [...]

January retail sales unexpectedly rose 1.0%. However, the increase recovered only part of the little-revised 3.0% decline during December which capped a six-month slide in sales. The meekness of the rebound left the 9.7% year-to-year [...]

The U.S. government's January budget deficit continued to reflect the combined effects of a U.S. recession and two wars.The monthly deficit rose to $83.8 billion. Like December's figure, however, the relatively moderate deficit [...]