Economy in Brief: March 2015

The job openings rate during January held at 3.4%, up from the recession low of 1.6%. The job openings rate is the number of job openings on the last business day of the month as a percent of total employment plus job openings. The [...]

The National Federation of Independent Business reported a February reading of 98.0 for its Small Business Optimism Index versus an unrevised 97.9 during January. The figure remained near its highest level since February 2007. [...]

The OECD LEIs display values above 100 for most countries, indicating that growth is still on the docket for most of them. Japan, China, Austria and Germany are exceptions. But even the exceptions have numerical

Gasoline prices bumped up another 2 cents last week to $2.49 cents per gallon. The rise now totals 44 cents (21.7%) from the low 6 weeks ago. Despite the gains, prices remained well below the $3.70 per gallon peak reached last June. [...]

Economic growth in Japan was revised lower in Q4, unsettling markets. But the more topical economy watchers index rose in February, poking its head up above the 50 level to stand at 50.1, signaling expansion. The employment gauge [...]

The Labor Market Conditions Index from the Federal Reserve Board includes 19 indicators of labor market activity, covering the broad categories of unemployment and underemployment, employment, workweeks, wages, vacancies, hiring, [...]

Consumer credit outstanding gained $11.6 billion during January after a $17.9 billion rise in December, initially reported as $14.8 billion. Expectations were for a $15.0 billion increase, according to the Action Economics Forecast [...]

Improvement in the labor market continues firm. Nonfarm payroll employment during February increased 295,000 (2.3% y/y) following a 239,000 January rise, revised from 257,000. The latest advance compared to expectations for 240,000 in [...]