The Chicago Purchasing Managers reported the CHICAGO BUSINESS BAROMETER indicated the breadth of expansion showed little change, and chalked up a ninth month of growth.

BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
EMPLOYMENT improved after May’s decline;
INVENTORIES shrank;
PRODUCTION continued strong. ...

New York City business activity fell in June from record territory in May , according to the survey taken by the Institute for Supply Management-New York (ISM-NY).

The Current Business Conditions index decreased to 69.3 in June from 89.9 in May. The 20.6-point drop is normal and to be expected because the May level of expansion was not sustainable. The two other times the Current Business Conditions index exceeded the 80 mark, it fell ...

According to today’s ADP National Employment Report®, private sector employment increased by 13,000 from May to June on a seasonally adjusted basis. The ADP National Employment Report, created by Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP®), in partnership with Macroeconomic Advisers, LLC, is derived from actual payroll data and measures the change ...

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 25, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 8.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 8.3 percent compared ...

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® which had been on the rise for three consecutive months, declined sharply in June. The Index now stands at 52.9 (1985=100), down from 62.7 in May. The Present Situation Index decreased to 25.5 from 29.8. The Expectations Index declined to 71.2 from 84.6 ...

Data through April 2010, released today by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show that annual growth rates of all 20 MSAs and the 10- and 20-City Composites improved in April compared to March 2010. The 10-City Composite is up 4.6% from where it was in April 2009, and ...

After two weeks when sales dipped, consumer spending heated up along with the seasonally hot weather. As a result, overall weekly chain store sales for the week ending June 26 increased by a hefty 2.1 percent, according to the ICSC and Goldman Sachs. In addition, year-over-year sales strengthened to 3.0 percent its best showing in three ...

The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index (CFMMI) increased 1.7% in May, to a seasonally adjusted level of 86.7 (2002 = 100). Revised data show the index rose 1.3% in April to 85.2. The Federal Reserve Board’s industrial production index for manufacturing (IPMFG) increased 0.8% in May. Regional output in May rose 13.2% from a year earlier, ...

Texas factory activity declined slightly in June, according to business executives responding to the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey. The production index, a key indicator of state manufacturing conditions, fell from 21 in May to –2 in June, abruptly ending a seven-month streak of positive ...

Personal income increased $53.7 billion, or 0.4 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) increased $49.0 billion, or 0.4 percent, in May, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $24.4 billion, or 0.2 percent. In April, personal income increased $59.4 billion, or 0.5 percent, ...

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index edged lower to +0.21 in May from +0.25 in April. Production indicators continued to make strong contributions to the index in May, while weaker contributions from employment- and housing-related indicators accounted for the slight decrease in the index ...

The slow rise in the Index of Consumer Sentiment during the past year has been due to how consumers view current conditions in the economy. The improvement was not because consumers now view the economy more favorably, but that any improvement, however small, was seen as a welcome development after the unprecedented economic recession. News ...

Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 2.7 percent in the first quarter of 2010, (that is, from the fourth quarter to the first quarter), according to the "third" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the ...

Growth in Tenth District manufacturing activity eased slightly in June, and producers were somewhat less optimistic than in previous months. Price indexes fell from the previous month, with considerable easement in current materials prices and some slowing in finished goods price ...

For the week ending June 12, 2010, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer declined by -0.2 percent, but its year-over-year rate of growth improved because the comparison captures the economy’s trough in June of last year. This week the Census Bureau reported that new home sales plunged to the lowest level on record in May as government ...

Employers took 1,412 mass layoff actions in May that resulted in the separation of 135,789 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single employer. The number of mass ...

New orders for manufactured durable goods in May decreased $2.2 billion or 1.1 percent to $192.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease followed five consecutive monthly increases including a 3.0 percent April increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.9 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased ...

In the week ending June 19, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 457,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 476,000. The 4-week moving average was 462,750, a decrease of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average of ...

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in April suggests that the economic recovery is proceeding and that the labor market is improving gradually. Household spending is increasing but remains constrained by high unemployment, modest income growth, lower housing wealth, and tight credit. Business spending on equipment ...

Sales of new single-family houses in May 2010 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 32.7 percent (±9.9%) below the revised April rate of 446,000 and is 18.3 percent (±13.0%) below the May ...

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 18, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 5.9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 6.0 percent compared ...

In June, the seasonally adjusted composite index of manufacturing activity — our broadest measure of manufacturing — declined three points to 23 from May's reading of 26. Among the index's components, shipments eased one point to 31, new orders dropped 11 points to finish at 25, while the jobs index picked up five points ...

Existing-home sales remained at elevated levels in May on buyer response to the tax credit, characterized by stabilizing home prices and historically low mortgage interest rates, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Gains in the West and South were offset by a decline in the Northeast; the Midwest ...

Despite the Father’s Day sales catalyst over the latest week, consumers were more cautious in their spending over this past week. For the week ending June 19 retailers saw their sales slip slightly for the second week by 0.5 percent, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs weekly sales index. On a year-over-year basis sales moderated to 2.5 ...

Results from the Business Outlook Survey suggest that regional manufacturing activity continues to expand in June, but at a slower pace than in May. Surveyed firms reported no expansion of overall employment and work hours compared with May. Fewer firms also reported increases in prices of inputs this month. The survey’s broad indicators of ...

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the United States increased 0.4 percent in May, following no change in April, and a 1.4 percent rise in March.

The index points to continued, though slower, U.S. growth for the rest of this year. Public debt and deficits weigh heavily on growth prospects on both sides of the Atlantic. We project a serious slowdown in European growth in 2011, which could further weaken the U.S. ...

For the week ending June 5, 2010, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer edged up by +0.1 percent building upon a +0.4 percent jump in the prior week. Strength in the latest week is misleading, however, as 70 percent of the barometer’s components declined. On the consumption side, a rebound in inflation-adjusted chain store sales helped temper ...

In the week ending June 12, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 472,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 460,000. The 4-week moving average was 463,500, a decrease of 500 from the previous week's revised average of ...

The U.S. current-account deficit—the combined balances on trade in goods and services, income, and net unilateral current transfers—increased to $109.0 billion (preliminary) in the first quarter of 2010, from $100.9 billion (revised) in the fourth quarter of 2009. The increase was the third consecutive quarterly increase since the deficit of ...

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) declined 0.2 percent in May on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the index increased 2.0 percent before seasonal adjustment.

For the second month in a row a decline in the energy index accounted for the ...

Real average hourly earnings for all employees rose 0.5 percent from April to May, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This increase stems from a 0.3 percent increase in average hourly earnings and a 0.2 percent decrease in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban ...

Industrial production advanced 1.2 percent in May after having risen 0.7 percent in April. Manufacturing output climbed 0.9 percent last month, its third consecutive monthly gain of about 1 percent, and was 7.9 percent above its year-earlier level. Outside of manufacturing, the output of mines edged down 0.2 percent, and the output of ...

BUILDING PERMITS
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 574,000. This is 5.9 percent (±2.2%) below the revised April rate of 610,000, but is 4.4 percent (±2.6%) above the May 2009 estimate of 550,000. Single-family authorizations in May were at a rate of 438,000; this is ...

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods moved down 0.3 percent in May, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This decline followed a 0.1-percent decrease in April and a 0.7-percent increase in March. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by producers of intermediate goods advanced 0.4 ...

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 11, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 17.7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 29.7 percent ...

Snapping a string of two consecutive monthly gains, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes fell back to February levels, before the beginning of the home buyer tax credit-related surge, according to results of the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. ...

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today released Treasury International Capital (TIC) data for April 2010. Net foreign purchases of long-term securities were $83.0 billion.

Net foreign purchases of long-term U.S. securities were $110.9 billion. Of this, net purchases by private foreign investors were $93.3 billion, and net purchases by foreign official institutions were $17.5 billion. U.S. residents purchased a net $27.8 billion of long-term ...

U.S. import prices declined 0.6 percent in May, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, after rising 1.1 percent in April and 0.4 percent in March. The decrease was led by falling fuel prices, which more than offset a rise in nonfuel prices. In contrast, the price index for U.S. exports increased 0.7 percent in May following ...

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicates that conditions for New York manufacturers improved in June. The general business conditions index edged up from its May level to 19.6, extending its string of positive readings to eleven months. The new orders and shipments indexes were also positive and higher than their May levels. The ...

After last week’s sales increase retailers saw their sales dipped as consumers took a slight break from shopping this past week. As a result, for the week ending June 12, weekly sales declined by 0.7 percent, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs weekly sales index. On a year-over-year basis sales grew by 2.9 percent, which was a marginally ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for April, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,100.9 billion, up 0.6 percent (±0.3%) from March 2010 and up 13.1 percent (±0.5%) from April ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for May, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $362.5 billion, a decrease of 1.2 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month, but 6.9 percent (±0.7%) above May 2009. Total sales for ...

In the week ending June 5, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 456,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 459,000. The 4-week moving average was 463,000, an increase of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average of ...

For the week ending May 29, 2010, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer jumped by +0.4 percent on top of +0.1 percent in the prior week. The unwinding of mortgage applications following the April 30 expiration date of the home buyer tax credits continued in the latest week with a total decline of -38.8 percent in May, but inflation-adjusted ...

The Nation’s international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $40.3 billion in April from $40.0 billion (revised) in March, as exports decreased more than imports.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that total April exports of $148.8 billion and imports of $189.1 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $40.3 billion, up from $40.0 billion in ...

Economic activity continued to improve since the last report across all twelve Federal Reserve Districts, although many Districts described the pace of growth as "modest." Consumer spending and tourism activity generally increased. Business spending also rose, on net, with employment and capital spending edging up but inventory investment ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that April 2010 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $351.1 billion, up 0.7 percent (+/-0.9%) from the revised March level and were up 16.3 percent (+/-1.6%) ...

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 4, 2010. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 12.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. This week's results include an adjustment to account for the ...

There were 3.1 million job openings on the last business day of April 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The job openings rate increased over the month to 2.3 percent. The hires rate (3.3 percent) and the separations rate (3.1 percent) were unchanged. This release includes estimates of the number and rate of job ...

Warm weather throughout the nation acted as a sales catalyst for consumers and gave retailers another week of positive sales results. For the first week of the fiscal month of June, weekly sales improved by 0.8 percent, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs weekly sales index. On a year-over-year basis sales remained positive and improved by ...