Economy in Brief: September 2006

Prime Minister Blair gave away a key piece of UK labor market data Tuesday at a speech to the Trades Union Congress, letting people know that the so-called "claimant count" would see a "welcome" fall. Indeed, as the ONS reported [...]

For the second consecutive week, a firm rise in the number of mortgage applications for purchase led overall mortgage apps higher, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Purchase applications added 5.3% to the prior week's [...]

For the second consecutive week, a firm rise in the number of mortgage applications for purchase led overall mortgage apps higher, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Purchase applications added 5.3% to the prior week's [...]

Yesterday we reported a fall in Japanese machine orders in July. Today's releases of a rise in corporate goods prices (formerly wholesale prices) and a slight deterioration in consumer confidence in August are two more indicators that [...]

Small business optimism in August reversed all of the prior month's uptick and fell 2.2%, according to the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). At 95.9 the index was at its lowest level since March of 2003. During the [...]

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)-UBS survey reported that chain store sales slipped 0.3% last week and reversed the prior period's gain. Despite the backpedal, the average level of sales in September is up 0.5% [...]

Higher oil prices helped boost the U.S. foreign trade deficit to a new record in July of $68.0B from an unrevised $64.8 B in June. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $65.5B. Imports of goods & services [...]

Higher oil prices helped boost the U.S. foreign trade deficit to a new record in July of $68.0B from an unrevised $64.8 B in June. Consensus expectations had been for a somewhat shallower deficit of $65.5B. Imports of goods & services [...]