Economy in Brief: August 2016

Import prices edged 0.1% higher (-3.7% y/y) during July following a 0.6% June gain, revised from 0.2%. The rise compared to expectations for a 0.4% fall in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. These figures are not seasonally [...]

So far in FY'16, the federal government's budget deficit totaled $513.7 billion, up 10.4% versus $465.5 billion in the first ten months of FY'15. That result was highlighted in today's U.S. Treasury Department report of a $112.8 [...]

The National Association of Realtors reported that the Composite Index of Home Affordability declined 3.8% during June to 153.3, the lowest level since November 2008. The index was 28.5% below its peak in January 2013. During the last [...]

Fresh observations (recently released data) on Japan's machinery orders and tertiary sector index (services) in June give off somewhat positive but still mixed signals, referring to an economy that is still under the pressure of the [...]

The total job openings rate nudged higher to 3.8% during June following a May decline to 3.7%. The record high of 3.9% had been reached in April. The private sector job openings rate also improved to 4.0% from 3.9%, but remained below [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index increased 7.1% (41.9% y/y) last week following three consecutive weeks of decline. Refinancing applications gained 9.6% and increased by two-thirds [...]

Regular gasoline prices averaged $2.15 per gallon last week (-18.2% y/y), down a penny from the week earlier. Prices were 25 cents lower than early last month, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Prices were down versus a 2014 [...]

The National Federation of Independent Business reported that its Small Business Optimism Index increased 0.1% during July to 94.6 following an unrevised 0.7% June rise. Despite the gain, optimism remained down 1.1% versus last July. [...]