Economy in Brief: August 2020

• Wholesale inventory-to-sales ratio falls to 1.38 in June. • Inventories declined 1.4% while sales jumped 8.8%. • Inventory swings can have a meaningful impact on GDP. However, while large, the Q2 inventory contribution was small [...]

• Rise in jobs slows after recovering from coronavirus outbreak. • Earnings improve modestly. • Unemployment rate declines to four-month low. The labor market continues to improve. Nonfarm payroll employment increased 1.763 million in [...]

• Rise in jobs slows after recovering from coronavirus outbreak. • Earnings improve modestly. • Unemployment rate declines to four-month low. The labor market continues to improve. Nonfarm payroll employment increased 1.763 million in [...]

German orders made a spectacular comeback in June, rising by 27.9% on the back of a 10.4% gain in May. Orders had fallen in February (-1.2%), March (-15.0%) and April (-26.1%) as the coronavirus began to dog Europe. Sequential order [...]

• Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fall to four-month low. • Continuing claims for state programs also ease. • Insured unemployment rate declines to four-month low. Initial claims for unemployment insurance declined to [...]

• Service sector activity is at highest level since February 2019. • Component activity is mixed. • Pricing power improves. The Composite Index of Nonmanufacturing Business Activity from the Institute for Supply Management increased [...]

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• Service sector activity is at highest level since February 2019. • Component activity is mixed. • Pricing power improves. The Composite Index of Services Activity from the Institute for Supply Management increased to 58.1 during [...]