Research >> Economics
DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer down -0.4%
For the week ending March 28, 2009, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer reversed the prior week’s gain by falling -0.4 percent. The barometer closed out the first quarter of 2009 this week, revealing a severe pullback in production as businesses continued to struggle with excess inventories. Car and truck production alone represented a -3.0 percentage point drag on the barometer in Q1, while lumber and steel made up another -1.3 percentage points. In sharp contrast, the consumer sector showed signs of stabilization in Q1, contributing +0.4 percentage points compared to a drag of -0.7 percentage points in the prior quarter.
Posted: April 9, 2009 Thursday 10:00 AM