Research >> Economics
DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer increased 0.2%
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For the week ending April 16, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer increased by +0.2 percent, which represents a fourth consecutive week of gains. In the latest week, more components posted declines than those that posted gains, but a healthy increase in inflation-adjusted chain store sales and a surge in mortgage activity beat all. The barometer has increased every week in the second quarter thus far. Perhaps the slowdown in the first quarter of the year will prove to be a one-off event.
On a year-over-year basis, the barometer slowed a tad to +2.7 percent in the week ending April 16, 2011, which compares to an average -3.3 percent decline over the Great Recession (determined to have ended in June 2009 according to the NBER). After flat lining in 2006, and declining from 2007 through 2009, the barometer bounced back in 2010 to rise by +3.4 percent, which was the strongest increase since 1994 (+4.0%), but not so impressive when you compare it to an -8.0 percent drop in 2009.
Posted: April 28, 2011 Thursday 10:00 AM