Economy in Brief: August 2017

The Composite Index of Nonmanufacturing Sector Activity from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) fell to 53.9 during July from 57.4 in June. It was the lowest level for the index since August of last year. The Action Economics [...]

Initial filings for unemployment insurance fell to 240,000 (-9.7% y/y) during the week ended July 29 from 245,000 in the prior week, revised from 244,000. The figure matched expectations in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The [...]

The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that its total Mortgage Applications Volume Index declined 2.8% (-22.8% y/y) in the week ended July 28 following a 0.4% rise in the prior week. Applications to refinance declined 3.8% (-41.2% [...]

The year-on-year inflation rate has been pushed up in recent months for all three main PPI components as well as for the headline. Yet, year-over-year inflation for most countries peaked in the early months of 2017. From one year and [...]

The ADP/Moody's National Employment Report indicated that private nonfarm payrolls increased 178,000 during July (1.9% y/y) following a 191,000 June gain, revised from 158,000. May's increase was revised to 233,000 from 230,000. [...]

Total sales of light vehicles rose 0.4% during July (-5.9% y/y) to 16.77 million units (SAAR) from 16.70 million in June, according to the Autodata Corporation. Earlier data were revised. Passenger car sales increased 3.9% (-12.5% [...]

Total sales of light vehicles rose 0.5% during July (-6.0% y/y) to 16.73 million units (SAAR) from 16.64 million in June, according to the Autodata Corporation. Data for 2016 were revised slightly. Passenger car sales increased 3.9% [...]

Regular gasoline prices rose to $2.35 per gallon last week (8.9% y/y) from $2.31 in the prior week. They remained down, however, from the high of $2.45 per gallon in late-April. Haver Analytics constructs factors adjusting for the [...]