Economy in Brief: January 2017

The Labor Market Conditions Index (LMCI) from the Federal Reserve Board includes 19 indicators of labor market activity, covering the broad categories of unemployment and underemployment. These include jobs, workweeks, wages, [...]

Manufacturing sector orders declined 2.4% during November (+1.2 % y/y) following October's 2.8% surge. Durable goods bookings declined 4.5% (-0.2% y/y), revised from the advance estimate of a 4.6% fall. Transportation orders declined [...]

Nonfarm payroll employment increased 156,000 during December (1.4% y/y) following a 204,000 November increase and a 135,000 October rise. Revisions added 19,000 jobs to these two latter results combined. A 175,000 increase in December [...]

The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services increased further in November to $45.2 billion from $42.4 billion in October, revised slightly from $42.6 billion; the deficit was $36.2 billion in September. The Action Economics Forecast [...]

German orders fell sharply in November but only after an even larger gain in October, one that in percentage terms was twice the size of the November drop. On balance, orders still carry upward momentum from their October spurt. [...]

Nonfarm payroll employment increased 156,000 during December (1.4% y/y) following a 204,000 November increase and a 135,000 October rise. Revisions added 19,000 jobs to these two results combined. A 175,000 increase in December [...]

PPI, CPI, 'X'PI- you name the 'X' factor- just about any kind of price indexes is on the rise these days. Oil prices now have a nice head of steam and price increases over horizons from X to Y (again, you fill in the blanks) are on [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell sharply in the final week of December to 235,000 from 263,000 in the week ended December 24, revised from 265,000. The latest level was the lowest since November 1973. Expectations in the [...]