Economy in Brief: January 2018

In December, the HICP headline rate gained only 0.1% and the core gained only 0.1%, both very modest increases. The year-on-year pace of the headline fell to 1.4% from 1.5% previously, obviously not pressuring the ECB to move any [...]

Manufacturers' orders gained 1.3% in November (8.6% y/y) following a 0.4% rise in October; this earlier number was revised from a 0.1% decrease initially reported. Durable goods orders were also up 1.3% (8.2% y/y); they had fallen [...]

The monthly snap-shot The ISM nonmanufacturing index receded to 55.9 in December from 57.4 in November. It is at its weakest level since August. Activity cooled in the overall index in terms of activity, new orders, order backlogs, [...]

The labor market exhibited tepid growth last month. Nonfarm payrolls increased 148,000 (1.5% y/y) during December following a 252,000 November rise and a 211,000 October gain. Together these two figures were revised down by 9,000. A [...]

The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services widened to $50.5 billion in November from a slightly upwardly revised $48.9 billion in October. The November deficit was meaningfully larger than the consensus expectation of $49.1 billion [...]

The labor market exhibited tepid performance last month. Nonfarm payrolls increased 148,000 (1.5% y/y) during December following a 252,000 November rise and a 211,000 October gain. Together these two figures were revised down by [...]

Sales of light vehicles edged up 0.3% (0.7% y/y) in December to 17.55 million units (SAAR), which was the highest level in twelve months. For the full year 2018, light vehicle sales totaled 17.21 million units, topping 17 million for [...]

Sales of light vehicles edged up 0.3% (0.7% y/y) in December to 17.55 million units (SAAR), which was the highest level in twelve months. For the full year 2018, light vehicle sales totaled 17.21 million units, topping 17 million for [...]