Research >> Economics
DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer decreased 0.2%
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For the week ending July 16, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer fell -0.2 percent after it jumped +1.2% in the prior week. Seasonally adjusted auto and truck production gained consecutively but lumber production of Western region fell, giving back most of its gain of the prior week. On the consumption side, inflation adjusted chain store sales increased slightly but steadily, extending their gaining streak for four weeks in week ending July 16th, 2011. Box office receipts rose thanks to the last episode of Harry Potter, while mortgage activities and railroad freight carloadings declined.
On a year-over-year basis, the barometer increased by +2.6 percent in the week ending July 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.
The smoothed version of the barometer, which attempts to account for weekly volatility, increased +0.3 percent in the latest week ending July 16th, while its year-over-year growth rate accelerated to +2.3 percent.
Posted: July 28, 2011 Thursday 10:00 AM