Economy in Brief: April 2006

Consumer sentiment inched 0.3% higher early in April on the heels of the moderate 2.5% improvement during March. The University of Michigan's Sentiment Index rose to 89.2 and about matched Consensus expectations. During the last ten [...]

During March, total import prices fell a surprising 0.4% after an unrevised 0.5% drop the prior month. Consensus expectations had been for a 0.2% increase. Unexpected was a 0.7% decline in petroleum prices. Crude oil prices dropped [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance jumped 12,000 to 313,000 last week and reversed all of the decline in claims during the prior two weeks. Consensus expectations had been for 302,000 claims and the prior week's decline was [...]

US retail sales rebounded 0.6% last month from a 0.8% decline during February that was revised from the 1.3% drop reported initially. Consensus expectations has been for a for a 0.5% gain. Motor vehicle & parts dealers sales rebounded [...]

US retail sales rebounded 0.6% last month from a 0.8% decline during February that was revised from the 1.3% drop reported initially. Consensus expectations has been for a for a 0.5% gain. Motor vehicle & parts dealers sales rebounded [...]

Industrial production reports from Italy and Netherlands give encouraging views of activity in those countries in February, hinting at least at stabilization or potentially an upturn. Industrial activity in India, meanwhile, dipped [...]

The 5.5% decline last week in the total number of mortgage applications reversed most of the increases during the prior two periods. The decline left applications at the start of April about equal to the March average which fell 1.0% [...]

During February, the U.S. foreign trade deficit reversed most of the prior month's unrevised surge and fell to $65.7B. The decline exceeded Consensus expectations for a deficit of $67.5B. A 2.3% decline in imports during February was [...]