Economy in Brief: July 2015

Both Italy and France show that broad IP trends are improving based on year-over-year growth rates, as the chart clearly demonstrates. But their short-term trends show very different dynamics. Even the year-over-year trends show very [...]

Initial unemployment insurance claims increased to 297,000 (-5.9% y/y) during the week ended July 4 from 282,000 during the prior week, revised from 281,000. The four week moving average rose to 279,500, the highest level since early- [...]

While overall machinery orders are still falling for two consecutive months in Japan, the more reliable series of core orders that excludes large and lumpy projects is showing steady and strong growth. Core orders are rising at a 25% [...]

Consumer credit outstanding increased $16.1 billion during May following a $21.4 billion rise during April, initially reported as $20.5 billion. It was the smallest increase in three months. Expectations were for an $18.5 billion [...]

The U.S. is seeing its OECD LEI sink as it has been eroding since June 2014. China has been declining since June 2013. The EMU has been on an upswing and is higher year-over-year. Japan has been stuck with a sub-100 reading for 10 [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index increased 4.6% last week (22.4% y/y). Purchase applications improved 6.6% (31.6% y/y). Applications to refinance gained 2.7% (13.7% y/y). The [...]

The U.S. foreign trade deficit in goods and services during May grew to $41.9 billion from $40.7 billion in April, revised from $40.9 billion. A deficit of $42.0 billion had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. In [...]

The U.S. foreign trade deficit in goods and services during May grew to $41.9 billion from $40.7 billion in April, revised from $40.9 billion. A deficit of $42.0 billion had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. In [...]