Economy in Brief: 2019

Initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased to 192,000 (-15.4% year-on-year) during the week ended April 13 from 197,000 the week before, which was revised up by 1,000. This is the lowest level of claims since October 4, 1969, [...]

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported manufacturing conditions weakened in April with its General Factory Sector Business Conditions Index falling to 8.5 from 13.7 in March. The Action Economics Forecast Survey median [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Applications Index fell 5.6% (+24.1% y/y) during the week ending April 5......... The survey covers over 75% of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications and [...]

The euro area trade surplus rose to 19.5 billion euros in February from 17.4 billion euros in January. The surplus is slightly smaller than its 20.2 billion euros surplus of 12-months ago. Month-to-month the balance of trade for [...]

Wholesale inventories increased 0.2% (6.9% y/y) during February following a 1.2% gain in January. The Informa Global Markets Survey expected a 0.5% rise. Durable goods inventories increased 0.1% (10.6% y/y) after a 0.8% gain. [...]

The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services declined to $49.38 billion during February. It was the narrowest shortfall since June of last year and compared to December's record of $59.90 billion. A deficit of $53.8 billion had been [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Applications Index decreased 3.5% (+14.9% year-on-year) during the week ending April 12. Applications to purchase a home increased 0.9% (7.0% y/y), while refinance [...]

The ZEW financial experts see largely weaker conditions prevailing in April 2019, but they have lifted expectations for all countries in the table except the United Kingdom. The queue (or rank) standings for current conditions are [...]