Economy in Brief: 2016

New orders in the manufacturing sector increased 1.6% (-3.3% y/y) during January following an unrevised 2.9% December decline. The rise compared to expectations for a 1.5% increase in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The [...]

The Composite Index of Nonmanufacturing Sector Business from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) was little-changed at 53.4 during February versus an unrevised 53.5 in January. It was the lowest reading since February 2014. [...]

Nonfarm output per hour declined 2.2% at an annual rate (+0.5% y/y) during Q4'15, revised from a -3.0% estimated last month. The shortfall followed a 2.0% Q3 increase. A 3.1% decline had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance claims increased to 278,000 during the week ended February 27 following an unrevised increase to 272,000 during the prior week. The four-week moving average slipped to 270,250 and remained [...]

Total sales of light vehicles during February eased 0.2% m/m to 17.54 million units (SAAR) from 17.58 million in January. The sizable 7.0% y/y increase continued to reflect the decline in gasoline prices, strong consumer confidence [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Market Volume Index fell 4.8% last week (+18.1% y/y), about as it did during the prior week. Nevertheless, applications rose nearly one-quarter last month versus [...]

EMU PPI trends continue to feature price declines. The headline PPI series (PPI excluding construction) shows declines in January and December. In fact, the month-to-month declines go all the way back uninterrupted to March 2015. [...]

The ADP/Moody's National Employment Report indicated that nonfarm private sector payrolls rose 214,000 during February versus 193,000 in January, revised from 205,000. The latest gain was firmer than expectations for a 195,000 rise in [...]