Economy in Brief: 2018

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve reported that its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index fell to 22.3 during March and reversed February's rise. Expectations had been for a reading of 23.0 in the Action Economics Forecast [...]

The Composite Housing Market Index from the National Association of Home Builders-Wells Fargo eased to 70 during March from 71 in February, revised from 72. It was the lowest figure since November. The reading compared to expectations [...]

The Empire State Manufacturing Index of General Business Conditions jumped 9.4 points in March to 22.5 from 13.1 in February. This reading was well above the median expectation of 15.0 from the in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. [...]

Import prices rose 0.4% (3.5% y/y) during February following a 0.8% January gain, revised from 1.0%. A 0.3% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. These figures are not seasonally adjusted Petroleum import [...]

Auto sales are a very cyclical economic variable. They are usually very good at pegging the business cycle. However, registrations in Europe are now following a path that is a bit hard to place. Forecasting and making economic [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance claims fell to 226,000 during the week ended March 10 from 230,000 in the prior week, revised from 231,000. Claims remain near the lowest level since December 1969. Expectations had been for [...]

EMU industrial output fell by 1% in January. IP trends are relatively steady over 12 months and six months, but output is down to a 1.9% rate of growth over three months. Manufacturing output trends are in the 4.5% to 6% range over [...]

Total business inventories increased 0.6% (3.7% y/y) during January, the same as in December, revised from 0.4%. Total business sales fell 0.2% (+5.7% y/y), the first decline since last March. The changes in inventories and sales [...]