New York City business activity expanded for the first time in three months, according to the survey taken by the Institute for Supply Management-New York (ISMNY). The Current Business Conditions index rose to 51.1 in December from 47.2 in November.

Future optimism pulled back from November’s six month high. The Six-Month Outlook index slipped to 63.7 in December from 71.0 in November. ...

Tenth District manufacturing activity eased slightly in December, but expectations for future months improved somewhat. Price indexes were mixed, with a rise in monthly prices but fewer increases expected in the months ahead.

The month-over-month composite index was -4 in December, down from 4 in November and 8 in October, and the first negative reading since December 2009. The composite index is an average of the production, new orders, employment, supplier delivery time, and raw materials ...

Pending home sales continued to gain in November and reached the highest level in 19 months, according to the National Association of Realtors®.

The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, increased 7.3 percent to 100.1 in November from an upwardly revised 93.3 in October and is 5.9 percent above November 2010 when it stood at 94.5. The October upward revision resulted in a ...

For the week ending December 17, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer leapt up by +1.7 percent led by a surge in last minute holiday shopping. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales soared by +3.3 percent in the latest week after declining two consecutive weeks. The average weekly increase of chain store sales during the first three weeks ...

The Chicago Purchasing Managers reported the December CHICAGO BUSINESS BAROMETER stabilized near November's 7-month high and marked a 27th month of expansion.

BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
PRICES PAID rebounded from November's 14-month low;
EMPLOYMENT erased November's deceleration;
ORDER BACKLOGS expanded to its highest level since April 2011;
PRODUCTION, NEW ORDERS edged off November's 7-and 8-month highs, respectively. ...

In the week ending December 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 381,000, an increase of 15,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 366,000. The 4-week moving average was 375,000, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average ...

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported that chain store sales rose 0.9% from the prior week and increased 4.5% over the prior-year period during the week ending Dec 24th. Sales were boosted by an extra shopping day this year which included Christmas eve compared to a holiday shortened week last year, and this calendar ...

Texas factory activity weakened slightly in December, according to business executives responding to the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey. The production index, a key measure of state manufacturing conditions, posted a second negative reading but moved up from –5.1 to –1.3. This suggests a slowing of the pace ...

Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region firmed somewhat after stabilizing in November, according to the Richmond Fed's latest survey. The index of overall activity edged higher as positive readings for shipments and new orders offset a slight decline in the reading for employment. Modest improvement was also evident in most ...

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had improved in November, increased further in December. The Index now stands at 64.5 (1985=100), up from 55.2 in November. The Present Situation Index increased to 46.7 from 38.3. The Expectations Index rose to 76.4 ...

Data through October 2011, released today by S&P Indices for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, showed decreases of 1.1% and 1.2% for the 10- and 20-City Composites in October vs. September. Nineteen of the 20 cities covered by the indices also saw home prices decrease over the month. The 10- ...

The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index (CFMMI) decreased 0.1% in November, to a seasonally adjusted level of 85.8 (2007 = 100). Revised data show the index increased 1.0% in October. The Federal Reserve Board’s industrial production index for manufacturing (IPMFG) decreased 0.3% in November. Regional output in November rose 7.1% from a ...

Sales of new single-family houses in November 2011 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 315,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 1.6 percent (±12.2%) above the revised October rate of 310,000 and is 9.8 percent (±19.5%) above the ...

Personal income increased $8.5 billion, or 0.1 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) decreased $5.0 billion, or less than 0.1 percent, in November, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $13.1 billion, or 0.1 percent in November. In October, personal income increased $47.2 ...

New orders for manufactured durable goods in November increased $7.5 billion or 3.8 percent to $207.0 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up four of the last five months, followed a slight October increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.3 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 3.7 ...

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.S. increased 0.5 percent in November to 118.0 (2004 = 100), following a 0.9 percent increase in October, and a 0.1 percent increase in September.

November’s increase in the LEI for the U.S. was widespread among the leading indicators and continues to suggest that the risk of an economic downturn in the near term has receded. Interest rate spread and housing permits made the largest contributions to the LEI this ...

Employers took 1,331 mass layoff actions in November involving 129,887 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 ...

For the week ending December 10, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer edged down -0.1 percent for two weeks in a row. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales declined -0.1 percent on top of -2.0 percent in the prior week after the strong post-Thanksgiving sales in the week ending November 26th. Mortgage applications also dropped in the ...

Consumer confidence continued to improve in December for the fourth consecutive month. The December gain primarily reflected more positive expectation for the economy in 2012. Importantly, consumers more frequently reported hearing news about employment gains in the December survey. Unfortunately, consumers did not assess their personal ...

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 third quarter of 2011 (that is, from the second quarter to the third quarter), according to the "third" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the ...

In the week ending December 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 364,000, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 368,000. The 4-week moving average was 380,250, a decrease of 8,000 from the previous week's revised average ...

Led by declines in production-related indicators, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index decreased to –0.37 in November from –0.11 in October. Two of the four broad categories of indicators that make up the index decreased from October, and only the employment, unemployment, and hours category was positive ...

Existing-home sales rose again in November and remain above a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Also released today were periodic benchmark revisions with downward adjustments to sales and inventory data since 2007, led by a decline ...

Mortgage applications decreased 2.6 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 16, 2011.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 2.6 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 2.8 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 1.6 ...

BUILDING PERMITS
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 681,000. This is 5.7 percent (±1.6%) above the revised October rate of 644,000 and is 20.7 percent (±1.8%) above the November 2010 estimate of 564,000. Single-family authorizations in November were at a rate ...

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported that chain store sales rose by the most in nearly 11 years, increasing 3.4% from the prior week, and increased 4.6% over the prior-year period during the week ending Dec 17th, the most since the week ending July 9th. Some of the increase was likely a catch up following the ...

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes edged up two points from a downwardly revised number to 21 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for December, released today. This marks a third consecutive month in which builder confidence has improved, and brings the index to ...

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 3.4 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The energy index declined for the second month in a row and offset increases in ...

Real average hourly earnings for all employees fell 0.1 percent from October to November, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This decrease stems from a 0.1 percent decrease in average hourly earnings, while in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) ...

Responses to the Business Outlook Survey this month suggest that regional manufacturing continued to improve in December. All of the broad indicators remained positive and suggest a modest expansion of activity. Increases in input prices were more widespread this month, and there was an uptick in the number of firms reporting increased prices ...

For the week ending December 3, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer was down -0.1 percent, after increasing +0.3 percent in the prior week. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales declined after the explosion of post-Thanksgiving sales, dragging the business barometer index down by -0.4 percentage points. Increased mortgage activity ...

Industrial production decreased 0.2 percent in November after having advanced 0.7 percent in October. Factory output moved down 0.4 percent in November; excluding a drop of 3.4 percent in the output of motor vehicles and parts, manufacturing production declined 0.2 percent. Mining production edged up 0.1 percent, while the output of utilities ...

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today released Treasury International Capital (TIC) data for October 2011. Foreign residents increased their holdings of long-term U.S. securities in October — net purchases were $2.6 billion.

Net purchases by private foreign investors were $10.1 billion, and net sales by foreign official institutions were $7.5 billion. At the same time, U.S. residents decreased their holdings of long-term foreign securities, with net sales of $2.2 billion. ...

In the week ending December 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 366,000, a decrease of 19,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 385,000. The 4-week moving average was 387,750, a decrease of 6,500 from the previous week's revised average ...

The U.S. current-account deficit—the combined balances on trade in goods and services, income, and net unilateral current transfers decreased to $110.3 billion (preliminary) in the third quarter of 2011, from $124.7 billion (revised) in the second quarter. More than half of the decrease reflected a decrease in the deficit on goods. A decrease ...

The Producer Price Index for finished goods advanced 0.3 percent in November, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Finished goods prices fell 0.3 percent in October and moved up 0.8 percent in September. At the earlier stages of processing, the index for intermediate goods rose 0.2 percent and crude goods ...

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicates that manufacturing activity improved in New York State in December. The general business conditions index rose nine points to 9.5, its highest level since May. The new orders index climbed above zero, to 5.1, and the shipments index advanced eleven points to 20.9. Input price increases ...

Following declines in each of the previous three months, U.S. import prices rose 0.7 percent in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today; an upturn in fuel prices more than offset decreasing prices for nonfuel imports. Export prices ticked up 0.1 percent in November, after a 2.1 percent drop ...

Mortgage applications increased 4.1 percent from one week earlier, driven by a surge in refinance applications, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 9, 2011.

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 4.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index increased 4.2 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 9.3 ...

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in November suggests that the economy has been expanding moderately, notwithstanding some apparent slowing in global growth. While indicators point to some improvement in overall labor market conditions, the unemployment rate remains elevated. Household spending has continued ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for October, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,217.9 billion, up 0.7 percent (±0.3%) from September 2011 and up 10.9 percent (±0.3%) from ...

There were 3.3 million job openings on the last business day of October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The hires rate (3.1 percent) and separations rate (3.0 percent) were little changed over the month. The job openings rate has trended upward since the end of the recession in June 2009. (Recession dates are determined by ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for November, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $399.3 billion, an increase of 0.2 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month and 6.7 percent (±0.7%) above November 2010. ...

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) reported that chain store sales fell for the third time in the last 4 weeks, declining a slight 0.1% from the prior week, but increased 2.9% over the prior-year period during the week ending Dec 10th. ”Consumers seemingly have slowed their holiday gift completion pace over the last week ...

The Index of Small Business Optimism gained 1.8 points – it felt like spring! The numbers have been depressing for so long, any little progress looks good. The new reading is still well below the average (prior to 2008) by 8 huge points and below the comparable level in the recovery that started in 2001 by 14 points. But there was more ...

The Nation’s international trade deficit in goods and services decreased to $43.5 billion in October from $44.2 billion (revised) in September, as imports decreased 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 October exports of $179.2 billion and imports of $222.6 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $43.5 billion, down from $44.2 billion ...

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that October 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 $406.0 billion, up 0.9 percent (+/-0.7) from the revised September level and were up 13.1 percent ...

For the week ending November 26, 2011, the DJ-BTMU U.S. Business Barometer rose +0.3 percent, after declining -0.2 percent in the prior week. Inflation-adjusted chain store sales jumped +1.8% thanks to the Black Friday, and lifted the barometer index by +0.3 percent. On the production side, auto and truck production increased, while ...

In the week ending December 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 381,000, a decrease of 23,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 404,000. The 4-week moving average was 393,250, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average ...

Consumer credit increased at an annual rate of 3-3/4 percent in October. Revolving credit increased at an annual rate of 1/2 percent, and nonrevolving credit increased at an annual rate of 5-1/4 percent.

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