Research >> Economics
DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer increased 0.5%
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For the week ending June 4, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer rose +0.5 percent following a flat reading in prior week. The consumption side of the barometer showed mixed results. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales increased two weeks in a row, while seasonally-adjusted box office receipts and mortgage applications declined. On the production side, however, auto and truck production jumped by more than +10 percent, showing a sign of recovery from the weak activities in previous weeks, impacted by supply chain disruptions from the Japan disasters. Railroad freight carloadings rebounded nicely as well.
On a year-over-year basis, the barometer was +1.9 percent in the week ending June 4, 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: June 16, 2011 Thursday 10:00 AM