Texas factory activity increased in May, according to business executives responding to the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey. The production index, a key measure of state manufacturing conditions, rose from 8 to 13 with 27 percent of respondents noting output increased ...

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had improved in April, decreased in May. The Index now stands at 60.8 (1985=100), down from 66.0 in April. The Present Situation Index decreased to 39.3 from 40.2. The Expectations Index declined to 75.2 from 83.2 ...

The Chicago Purchasing Managers reported the CHICAGO BUSINESS BAROMETER dropped toward neutral, indicating decelerating expanding economic activity, but posted a twentieth month of growth.

BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
NEW ORDERS and PRODUCTION posted their largest declines in several years, but remained positive;
INVENTORIES accelerated buildup;
Breadth of EMPLOYMENT expansion softened but remained strong. ...

Data through March 2011, 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 the U.S. National Home Price Index declined by 4.2% in the first quarter of 2011, after having fallen 3.6% in the fourth quarter of 2010. The National Index hit a new recession low with ...

The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index (CFMMI) decreased 0.9% in April, to a seasonally adjusted level of 83.6 (2007 = 100). Revised data show the index increased 1.5% in March to 84.4. The Federal Reserve Board’s industrial production index for manufacturing (IPMFG) decreased 0.5% in April. Regional output in April rose 8.6% from a ...

New York City business activity expanded at the fastest pace in three months, according to the survey taken by the Institute for Supply Management-New York (ISM-NY). The Current Business Conditions index revved up to 67.9 in May from 56.9 in April.

Future optimism also was the best in three months. The Six-Month Outlook index came in at 73.6 in May from 65.6 in April. ...

Pending home sales fell in April with regional variations following increases in February and March, with unusual weather and economic softness adding to ongoing problems that are hobbling a recovery, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, dropped 11.6 percent to 81.9 in April from a downwardly revised 92.6 in March. The index is 26.5 percent below a cyclical peak of 111.5 in April 2010 when buyers were rushing to beat the ...

Confidence improved in May as news about job gains more than offset concerns about higher prices. While more optimistic about future changes in employment, the current finances of consumers remain quite bleak. Stagnant incomes and higher prices have meant that consumers judged their inflation adjusted income expectations worse than anytime ...

Personal income increased $46.1 billion, or 0.4 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) increased $35.1 billion, or 0.3 percent, in April, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $41.5 billion, or 0.4 percent. In March, personal income increased $54.6 billion, or 0.4 percent, ...

Tenth District manufacturing activity was largely unchanged in May, following rapid growth in recent months. Producers’ expectations diminished slightly, but were still solid overall. Price indexes eased this month, with fewer firms raising selling prices and some slowdown in materials ...

For the week ending May 14, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer was down -0.1% following a positive reading in the prior week. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales decreased by -2.2% in the latest week after prior week’s +0.5% gain. This was largely offset by Electric output gain and strong comeback of Truck production, which increased ...

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 1.8 percent in the first quarter of 2011, (that is, from the fourth quarter to the first quarter), according to the "second" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In ...

In the week ending May 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 424,000, an increase of 10,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 414,000. The 4-week moving average was 438,500, a decrease of 1,750 from the previous week's revised average ...

New orders for manufactured durable goods in April decreased $7.1 billion or 3.6 percent to $189.9 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This decrease, down two of the last three months, followed a 4.4 percent March increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 1.5 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased 3.6 ...

Mortgage applications increased 1.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 20, 2011.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 1.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 0.9 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 0.9 ...

Sales of new one-family houses in April 2011 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 323,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 7.3 percent (±16.6%) above the revised March rate of 301,000, but is 23.1 percent (±9.7%) below the April ...

Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region paused in May, after expanding during the previous seven months, according to the Richmond Fed's latest survey. The index of overall activity was pushed into negative territory by weak readings for shipments and new orders, while employment growth held steady. Other indicators ...

Adverse national weather and higher gasoline prices continue to hold down weekly retail sales as consumers pull back on seasonal and discretionary spending once again. As a result, for the week ending May 21, retailers saw weekly retail sales slip by 1.0 percent, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs Weekly Chain Store Sales Index. On ...

Led by declines in production-related indicators, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index fell to –0.45 in April from +0.32 in March. April marked the lowest reading of the index since August 2010. Three of the four broad categories of indicators that make up the index deteriorated from March, but two of those three categories made ...

Employers took 1,564 mass layoff actions in April involving 143,927 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 mass layoff involved at least 50 workers from a single employer. The number of mass layoff events in ...

Responses to the Business Outlook Survey suggest that regional manufacturing activity grew slightly in May. Nearly all of the survey’s broadest indicators remained positive but fell from their readings in the previous month. The current employment index, however, showed resilience and improved this month. Indicators for prices fell back ...

Existing-home sales slipped in April, although the market has managed six gains in the past nine months, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

Existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, eased 0.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.05 million in April from a downwardly revised 5.09 million in March, and are 12.9 percent below ...

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.S. declined 0.3 percent in April to 114.0 (2004 = 100), following a 0.7 percent increase in March, and a 0.9 percent increase in February.

The U.S. LEI has been rising since March 2009, with only a brief one-month interruption in June 2010, and now, in April 2011. The U.S. CEI, a monthly measure of current economic conditions, continued to increase, supported by improving employment figures. Overall, the ...

For the week ending May 7, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer was up +0.1% following a negative reading in prior week. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales reversed the course in the latest week, increasing by +0.5% after the prior week’s -0.8% loss. Electric output decreased two weeks in a row, and Box office receipts fell by -4.0%, ...

In the week ending May 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 409,000, a decrease of 29,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 438,000. The 4-week moving average was 439,000, an increase of 1,250 from the previous week's revised average ...

Mortgage applications increased 7.8 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 13, 2011.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 7.8 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 7.1 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 13.2 ...

Industrial production was unchanged in April after having increased 0.7 percent in March. Output in February is now estimated to have declined 0.3 percent; previously it was reported to have edged up 0.1 percent. In April, manufacturing production fell 0.4 percent after rising for nine consecutive months. Total motor vehicle assemblies ...

BUILDING PERMITS
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 551,000. This is 4.0 percent (±1.1%) below the revised March rate of 574,000 and is 12.8 percent (±1.2%) below the revised April 2010 estimate of 632,000. Single-family authorizations in April were at a rate ...

Sales volatility made a comeback this past week as a confluence of sales influences — weather and the continuation of higher gasoline prices — affected the consumers ability and willingness to spend. As a result, for the week ending May 14, retailers saw weekly retail sales declined by 2.0 percent, according to the ICSC-Goldman Sachs Weekly ...

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes held unchanged at the low level of 16 in May, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The index has now remained at this level for six out of the past seven ...

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today released Treasury International Capital (TIC) data for March 2011. Net foreign purchases of long-term securities were $24.0 billion.

Net foreign purchases of long-term U.S. securities were $54.7 billion. Of this, net purchases by private foreign investors were $44.9 billion, and net purchases by foreign official institutions were $9.9 billion. U.S. residents purchased a net $30.7 billion of long-term ...

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicates that conditions for New York manufacturers improved in May, but at a slower pace than in April. The general business conditions index fell ten points to 11.9. The new orders index declined five points to 17.2, and the shipments index slipped three points to 25.8. The inventories index climbed ...

Growth in the U.S. economy looks a little slower now than it did three months ago, according to 44 forecasters surveyed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. Our panelists expect real GDP to grow at an annual rate of 3.2 percent this quarter, down from the previous estimate of 3.5 percent. On an annual-average over annual-average basis, ...

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.4 percent in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.2 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The energy index posted another increase in April as the gasoline index continued to rise, the latter accounting for almost half of the seasonally adjusted all items increase. The household energy index also rose, with all of its major components posting increases. Thefood ...

Real average hourly earnings for all employees declined 0.3 percent from March to April, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This decrease stemmed from a 0.1 percent increase in average hourly earnings, which was more than offset by a 0.4 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for March, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,200.1 billion, up 2.2 percent (±0.2%) from February 2011 and up 11.0 percent (±0.4%) from March ...

For the week ending April 30, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer was down -0.5% following a flat reading in prior week. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales decreased in the latest week, more than reversing the prior week’s gain. Electric output decreased as well dragged down by a weak demand against a backdrop of moderate ...

In the week ending May 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 434,000, a decrease of 44,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 478,000. The 4-week moving average was 436,750, an increase of 4,500 from the previous week's revised average ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for April, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $389.4 billion, an increase of 0.5 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month, and 7.6 percent (±0.7%) above April 2010. Total ...

The Producer Price Index for finished goods rose 0.8 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This advance followed increases of 0.7 percent in March and 1.6 percent in February. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods climbed 1.3 percent ...

There were 3.1 million job openings on the last business day of March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The job openings rate (2.3 percent) was unchanged over the month, following a gain in February. The hires rate (3.1 percent) and the separations rate (2.9 percent) also were unchanged in March. This release includes ...

The Nation’s international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $48.2 billion in March from $45.4 billion (revised) in February, as imports increased more than exports.

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that total March exports of $172.7 billion ...

Mortgage applications increased 8.2 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 6, 2011.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 8.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that March 2011 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 $392.0 billion, up 2.9 percent (+/-0.5%) from the revised February level and were up 15.4 percent (+/-1.2%) ...

U.S. import prices increased 2.2 percent in April, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, after rising 2.6 percent the previous month. Higher fuel and nonfuel prices contributed to the advances in each month. Prices for U.S. exports increased 1.1 percent in April following a 1.5 percent advance the ...

The Small Business Optimism Index fell 0.7 points in April to 91.2, not much but still a disappointing outcome following the March decline. After last month’s larger decline, this month is more akin to an “after shock”. Thankfully, the labor market components did not decline further, although net job creation weakened. Also, fewer reported ...

With the arrival of May and Mother’s Day consumers had another reason to shop. Although department stores likely benefitted from Mother’s Day, the ICSC-Goldman Sachs weekly consumer tracking survey also found that wholesale clubs, office supply, furniture and electronics stores saw customer traffic improve over the last week. However, ...

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index™ (ETI) declined 0.6 percent in April to 100.5, down from March’s revised figure of 101.1. This is the largest monthly decline since April 2009. The April figure is up 6 percent from a year ago.

While employment is growing at the fastest rate in years, the leading indicators for employment ...

Consumer credit increased at an annual rate of 3 percent in March, with revolving and nonrevolving credit increasing at a similar rate. In the first quarter, consumer credit also increased at an annual rate of 3 percent.

...

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 244,000 in April, and the unemployment rate edged up to 9.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in several service-providing industries, manufacturing, and mining.

The number of unemployed persons, at 13.7 million, changed little in April. The unemployment rate ...