Research >> Economics
DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer Decreased by 0.1%
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For the week ending September 1, 2012, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer dropped slightly by 0.1 percent following a 0.1 percent pickup in the prior week. Decreases were seen in many of industries this week, except Electric Output and Box Office Receipts. Auto Production decreased sharply by 3.4 percent for the first time in eight weeks and Truck Production dropped by over 2 percent for the second consecutive week. Chain Store Sales decreased slightly after a pick up in the previous week. Steel Production and Lumber Production declined this week by 1.2 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively.
On a year-over-year basis, the barometer increased by +1.5 percent, 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 flatlining 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 percent), but not so impressive when compared to an -8.0 percent drop in 2009. The barometer increased by +2.2 percent in 2011 at a somewhat slower pace compared to 2010.
The smoothed version of the barometer, which attempts to account for weekly volatility, was flat this week, while its year-over-year growth rate increased by +1.6 percent.
Posted: September 13, 2012 Thursday 10:00 AM