Research >> Economics
DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer up 0.2%
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For the week ending September 11, 2010, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer declined slightly by -0.1 percent, but was revised up to a +0.3 percent increase in the prior week (originally reported as +0.2%). Sixty percent of the barometer’s components lost ground in the latest week, but a surge in inflation-adjusted chain store sales and auto production helped hold the barometer’s overall decline to a minimum. Probably the most encouraging sign of the recovery thus far is the fact that while the production side of the barometer accounted for all the strength in Q2 activity, the role has reversed in Q3 with all of the strength coming from the consumption side of the barometer. Much of this can probably be explained by the fact that mortgage applications have recovered of late after dropping off drastically in Q2 and the beginning of Q3 following the expiration of government stimulus for the housing market. Chain store sales and box office receipts are also running at higher levels compared to the second quarter.
Posted: September 23, 2010 Thursday 10:00 AM