Economy in Brief: January 2006

Initial claims for unemployment insurance increased 17,000 to 309,000 last week following a little revised 34,000 decline the week prior. Consensus expectations had been for 315,000 claims. During the last ten years there has been a [...]

The import prices fell 0.2% last month following the little revised 1.8% drop during November and contrasted with Consensus expectations for a 0.2% increase. Nonpetroleum again were weak and posted no change versus November. The [...]

The U.S. foreign trade deficit in November narrowed to $64.2B from the record $68.1B the prior month which was revised slightly shallower from the initial estimate. Consensus expectations had been for a narrowing to $66.1B. Imports of [...]

The U.S. foreign trade deficit in November narrowed to $64.2B from the record $68.1B the prior month which was revised slightly shallower from the initial estimate. Consensus expectations had been for a narrowing to $66.1B. Imports of [...]

Five moderate-sized European countries reported industrial production today for November. That simple statement is about the only general statement we might make about their reports. It looks that one cannot make a simple, broad [...]

The total number of mortgage applications recovered 9.9% during the opening week of 2006 following four consecutive weeks of decline. The rise, however, was to a level up just 1.0% from the December average. Following four consecutive [...]

The total number of mortgage applications recovered 9.9% during the opening week of 2006 following four consecutive weeks of decline. The rise, however, was to a level up just 1.0% from the December average. Following four consecutive [...]

After a sharp rise in confidence among institutional investors and analysts in Germany last month, confidence increased meaningfully again in January. The excess of optimists over pessimists expecting improved conditions over the next [...]