 Texas Fed Manufacturing Activity Continued to Expand in September Posted: September 30, 2019 at 10:30 AM (Monday)Texas factory activity continued to expand in September, according to business executives responding to the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey. The production index, a key measure of state manufacturing conditions, fell four points to 13.9, suggesting output growth continued but at a slightly slower pace than ... |
 Chicago Purchasing Managers Index fell 3.3 points to 47.1 in September Posted: September 30, 2019 at 09:45 AM (Monday)The Chicago Business BarometerTM, produced with MNI, fell 3.3 points to 47.1 in September, following August’s rebound to 50.4.
Business confidence dropped below the 50-mark to 47.3 in Q3, leaving the index at the lowest level on a quarterly basis since Q3 2009. The index fell 4.9 points compared to the previous quarter. ... |
 University of Michigan Consumer Confidence increased in September to 93.8 Posted: September 27, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Friday)Consumer sentiment improved in September from its depressed August reading due to more favorable income trends, especially among middle income households, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers.
The overall trends in confidence remain favorable, but have begun to slowly erode, said U-M economist Richard Curtin, director of the surveys. The Sentiment Index for the 3rd quarter of 2019 (93.8) was only slightly below the averages for the first half of 2019 (96.5) as ... |
 Personal Income increased 0.4%, Spending increased 0.1% Posted: September 27, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Friday)Personal income increased $73.5 billion (0.4 percent) in August according to estimates released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Disposable personal income (DPI) increased $77.7 billion (0.5 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $20.1 billion ... |
 August New Orders for Durable Goods increased 0.2%, Ex-Trans up 0.5% Posted: September 27, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Friday)New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in August increased $0.5 billion or 0.2 percent to $250.7 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up three consecutive months, followed a 2.0 percent July increase. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.5 percent. Excluding defense, new orders decreased ... |
 Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Activity edged down in September Posted: September 26, 2019 at 11:00 AM (Thursday)Tenth District manufacturing activity edged down in September, and expectations for future activity moderated but remained positive. The month-over-month price index for raw materials continued to fall, while the price index for finished products inched higher. Firms continued to expect prices to rise over the next 6 months, but at a ... |
 Pending Home Sales Index climbed 1.6% in August Posted: September 26, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Thursday)Pending home sales increased in August, a welcome rebound after a prior month of declines, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Each of the four major regions reported both month-over-month growth and year-over-year gains in contract activity.
The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, climbed 1.6% to 107.3 in August, reversing the prior month’s decrease. Year-over-year contract signings jumped 2.5%. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract ... |
 2Q2019 GDP final estimate increased 2.0% Posted: September 26, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.0 percent in the second quarter of 2019 (table 1), according to the "third" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 3.1 percent.
The GDP estimate released today is based on more complete source data than were available for the "second" estimate issued last month. In the second estimate, the increase in real GDP was also 2.0 percent. Downward revisions to personal consumption expenditures (PCE) and ... |
 Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Increase 3,000 to 213,000 Posted: September 26, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)In the week ending September 21, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 213,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 208,000 to 210,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,000, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average. ... |
 New Home Sales in August at annual rate of 713,000 Posted: September 25, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Wednesday)New Home Sales
Sales of new single‐family houses in August 2019 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 713,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 7.1 percent (±20.3 percent)* above the revised July rate of 666,000 and is 18.0 percent ... |
 Purchase Apps down, Refi's down in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Posted: September 25, 2019 at 07:00 AM (Wednesday)Mortgage applications decreased 10.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 20, 2019.
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased 10.1 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 11 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index decreased 15 ... |
 Consumer Confidence decreased in September to 125.1 Posted: September 24, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Tuesday)The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® decreased in September, following a slight decline in August. The Index now stands at 125.1 (1985=100), down from 134.2 in August. The Present Situation Index – based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions – decreased from 176.0 to 169.0. The Expectations Index ... |
 Richmond Fed's Current Activity Index dropped from 1 to −9 in September Posted: September 24, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Tuesday)Fifth District manufacturing activity softened in September, according to the most recent survey from the Richmond Fed. The composite index dropped from 1 in August to −9 in September, as both shipments and new orders fell. However, the third component, employment, rose. Firms also reported a drop in backlog of orders and weakening local ... |
 S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Indices Increased 0.4% in July Posted: September 24, 2019 at 09:00 AM (Tuesday)S&P Dow Jones Indices today released the latest results for the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices. Data released today for July 2019 shows that the rate of home price increases across the U.S. continues to slow.
YEAR-OVER-YEAR
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported a 3.2% annual gain in July, remaining the same from the previous month. The 10-City Composite annual increase came in at 1.6%, down from 1.9% ... |
 Philadelphia Fed NonManufacturing Survey Suggest Activity Continued Growth in September Posted: September 24, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Tuesday)Responses to the September Nonmanufacturing Business Outlook Survey suggest an expansion of nonmanufacturing activity in the region. The index for general activity at the firm level and the index for sales/revenues both moderated slightly, while the new orders index held steady. The index for full-time employment remained stable. The ... |
 Chicago Fed National Activity points to a pickup in economic growth in August Posted: September 23, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Monday)Led by improvements in production-related indicators, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) rose to +0.10 in August from –0.41 in July. All four broad categories of indicators that make up the index increased from July, but three of the four categories made negative contributions to the index in August. The index’s three-month ... |
 U.S. Leading Economic Index was unchanged in August Posted: September 19, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Thursday)The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI)for theU.S. was unchanged in August, remaining at 112.1 (2016 = 100), following a 0.4 percent increase in July, and no change in June.
“The US LEI remained unchanged in August, following a large increase in July. Housing permits and the Leading Credit Index offset the weakness in the index from the manufacturing sector and the interest rate spread,” said Ataman Ozyildirim, Senior Director of Economic ... |
 Existing-Home Sales rose 1.3% in August Posted: September 19, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Thursday)Existing-home sales inched up in August, marking two consecutive months of growth, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Three of the four major regions reported a rise in sales, while the West recorded a decline last month.
Total existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 1.3% from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.49 million in August. Overall sales are up 2.6% from a year ago (5.35 million in August ... |
 Philadelphia Fed Outlook Reported Activity continued to expand in September Posted: September 19, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)Manufacturing activity in the region continued to expand this month, according to results from the September Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey. The survey's broad indicators remained positive, although their movements were mixed: The indexes for general activity and new orders fell, while the indexes for shipments and employment increased. ... |
 2Q2019 Current Account Deficit Decreased Posted: September 19, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)The U.S. current account deficit narrowed by $8.0 billion, or 5.9 percent, to $128.2 billion in the second quarter of 2019, according to statistics from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The revised first quarter deficit was $136.2 billion. The second quarter deficit was 2.4 percent of current dollar gross domestic product, down from 2.6 percent ... |
 Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Increase 2,000 to 208,000 Posted: September 19, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)In the week ending September 14, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 208,000, an increase of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 204,000 to 206,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,250, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average. ... |
 FOMC target funds rate lowered to 1.75% - 2.00% Posted: September 18, 2019 at 02:00 PM (Wednesday)Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in July indicates that the labor market remains strong and that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. Job gains have been solid, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Although household spending has been rising at a strong ... |
 August Housing Starts increased 12.3%, Permits up 7.7% Posted: September 18, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Wednesday)Building Permits
Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,419,000. This is 7.7 percent (±1.2 percent) above the revised July rate of 1,317,000 and is 12.0 percent (±1.6 percent) above the August 2018 rate of 1,267,000. Single‐family authorizations in August were at a ... |
 Purchase Apps down, Refi's down in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Posted: September 18, 2019 at 07:00 AM (Wednesday)Mortgage applications decreased 0.1 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 13, 2019. Last week's results included an adjustment for the Labor ... |
 Treasury International Capital Data for July 2019 Posted: September 17, 2019 at 04:00 PM (Tuesday)The U.S. Department of the Treasury today released Treasury International Capital (TIC) data for July 2019. The sum total in July of all net foreign acquisitions of long-term securities, short-term U.S. securities, and banking flows was a net TIC inflow of $43.8 billion. Of this, net foreign private inflows were $59.8 billion, and net ... |
 NAHB Builder Confidence rose one point to 68 in September Posted: September 17, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Tuesday)Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose one point to 68 in September from an upwardly revised August reading of 67, according to the latest NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. Sentiment levels have held in the mid- to upper 60s since May and September’s reading matches the highest ... |
 Industrial Production rose 0.6%
Capacity Utilization increased to 77.9% Posted: September 17, 2019 at 09:15 AM (Tuesday)Industrial production rose 0.6 percent in August after declining 0.1 percent in July. Manufacturing production increased 0.5 percent, more than reversing its decrease in July. Factory output has increased 0.2 percent per month over the past four months after having decreased 0.5 percent per month during the first four months of the year. ... |
 Empire State Manufacturing Survey Conditions were little changed in September Posted: September 16, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Monday)Business activity was little changed in New York State, according to firms responding to the September 2019 Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The headline general business conditions index edged down three points to 2.0. New orders were marginally higher than last month, and shipments grew modestly. Delivery times were steady, and ... |
 Business Inventories up 0.4% in July Posted: September 13, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Friday)The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for July, adjusted for seasonal and trading day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,462.9 billion, up 0.3 percent (±0.1 percent) from June 2019 and was up 1.3 percent (±0.3 percent) from ... |
 University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Preliminary August Results rebound to 92.0 Posted: September 13, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Friday)Consumer sentiment posted a small rebound from the sharp August decline, marking the third lowest level since Trump's election. While the uptick was across both current and expected economic conditions, the early September rebound was not widespread across age or income subgroups as it only fell among consumers under age 45 and among ... |
 U.S. Import Price Index decreased 0.5% in August Posted: September 13, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Friday)U.S. import prices decreased 0.5 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, after rising 0.1 percent the previous month. The August decline was driven by a drop in fuel prices; prices for nonfuel goods were unchanged. Prices for U.S. exports fell 0.6 percent in August following a 0.2-percent increase ... |
 U.S. Retail Sales for August Increased 0.4%, Ex-Auto up 0.1% Posted: September 13, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Friday)Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for August 2019, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $526.1 billion, an increase of 0.4 percent (±0.5 percent)* from the previous month, and 4.1 percent (±0.7 percent) above August 2018. Total sales for the June ... |
 Consumer Price Index increased 0.1% in August, Ex Fd & Engy rose 0.3% Posted: September 12, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.1 percent in August on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.3 percent in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.7 percent before ... |
 Real Average Hourly Earnings increased 0.4% in August Posted: September 12, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)Real average hourly earnings for all employees increased 0.4 percent from July to August, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This result stems from a 0.4-percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with a 0.1-percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban ... |
 Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Decrease 15,000 to 204,000 Posted: September 12, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)In the week ending September 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 204,000, a decrease of 15,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 217,000 to 219,000. The 4-week moving average was 212,500, a decrease of 4,250 from the previous week's revised average. ... |
 Wholesale Inventories up 0.2% in July Posted: September 11, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Wednesday)July 2019 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 $499.6 billion, up 0.3 percent (±0.4 percent)* from the revised June level, but were virtually unchanged (±0.9 percent)* from the July 2018 level. The ... |
 Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Index rose in August to 103.6 Posted: September 11, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Wednesday)The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Index rose in August and now stands at 103.6 (July 2018=100), up from 103.2 in July. The Index declined 1.2 percent from the prior month but is up 3.5 percent from a year ago.
In the Midwest, Iowa increased 2.9 percent and Ohio increased 2.5 percent. In the Northeast, Maine grew 3.3 percent and Connecticut increased 2.3 percent. In the South, Kentucky grew 3.0 percent and Texas increased 1.1 percent. In the West, Wyoming grew 2.6 percent and ... |
 Producer Price Index rose 0.1% in August, ex Fd & Engy rose 0.4% Posted: September 11, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Wednesday)The Producer Price Index for final demand rose 0.1 percent in August, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Final demand prices moved up 0.2 percent in July and 0.1 percent in June. (See table A.) On an unadjusted basis, the final demand index rose 1.8 percent for the 12 months ended ... |
 Purchase Apps up, Refi's up in Latest MBA Weekly Survey Posted: September 11, 2019 at 07:00 AM (Wednesday)Mortgage applications increased 2.0 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending September 6, 2019. This week's results include an adjustment for the Labor Day holiday.
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 2.0 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the Index decreased 9 percent compared with the previous week. The Refinance Index increased 0.4 ... |
 Job Openings little changed at 7.2 million in July Posted: September 10, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Tuesday)The number of job openings was little changed at 7.2 million on the last business day of July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the month, hires edged up to 6.0 million and separations increased to 5.8 million. Within separations, the quits rate and the layoffs and discharges rate were little changed at 2.4 percent and ... |
 NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 1.6 points to 103.1 in August Posted: September 10, 2019 at 07:00 AM (Tuesday)The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 1.6 points to 103.1, remaining within the top 15 percent of readings. Overall, August was a good month for small business. However, optimism slipped because fewer owners said they expect better business conditions and real sales volumes in the coming months. Job creation accelerated, positive ... |
 Consumer Credit Increased at an annual rate of 6.75% in July Posted: September 9, 2019 at 03:00 PM (Monday)In July, consumer credit increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6-3/4 percent. Revolving credit increased at an annual rate of 11-1/4 percent, while nonrevoving credit increased at an annual rate of 5-1/4 percent.
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 Employment Trends Index declined slightly in August to 110.62 Posted: September 9, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Monday)The Conference Board Employment Trends Index™ (ETI) declined slightly in August, following an increase in July. The index now stands at 110.62, almost unchanged from 110.72 (a downward revision) in July. The decrease marks a 0.5 percent decline in the ETI over the past ... |
 August Employment increased by 130,000
Unemployment Rate unchanged at 3.7% Posted: September 6, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Friday)Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 130,000 in August, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment in federal government rose, largely reflecting the hiring of temporary workers for the 2020 Census. Notable job gains also occurred in health care and ... |
 New orders for manufactured goods increased 2.1% in July Posted: September 5, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Thursday)New Orders
New orders for manufactured durable goods in July increased $5.0 billion or 2.1 percent to $250.4 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau announced today. This increase, up two consecutive months, followed a 1.8 percent June increase. Excluding transportation, new orders decreased 0.4 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased ... |
 ISM Non-Manufacturing Index rose to 56.4% in August Posted: September 5, 2019 at 10:00 AM (Thursday)Economic activity in the non-manufacturing sector grew in August for the 115th consecutive month, say the nation’s purchasing and supply executives in the latest Non-Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®.
The report was issued today by Anthony Nieves, CPSM, C.P.M., A.P.P., CFPM, Chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) Non-Manufacturing Business Survey Committee: “The NMI® registered 56.4 percent, which is 2.7 percentage points higher than the July reading of ... |
 2Q2019 Productivity Growth Increased 2.3% Posted: September 5, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased 2.3 percent in the second quarter of 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, as output increased 1.9 percent and hours worked decreased 0.4 percent. (All quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally adjusted annual rates.) From the second quarter of 2018 to ... |
 Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Increase 1,000 to 217,000 Posted: September 5, 2019 at 08:30 AM (Thursday)In the week ending August 31, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 217,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 215,000 to 216,000. The 4-week moving average was 216,250, an increase of 1,500 from the previous week's revised average. ... |
 ADP National Employment Report increased by 195,000 jobs in August Posted: September 5, 2019 at 08:15 AM (Thursday)Private sector employment increased by 195,000 jobs from July to August according to the August ADP National Employment Report®.
“In August we saw a rebound in private-sector employment,” said Ahu Yildirmaz, vice president and co-head of the ADP Research Institute. “This is the first time in the last 12 months that we have seen balanced job growth across small, medium and large-sized companies.” ... |
 Challenger Layoffs announced 53,480 cuts in August Posted: September 5, 2019 at 07:30 AM (Thursday)U.S.-based employers ramped up the pace of downsizing in August, as companies announced plans to cut 53,480 jobs from their payrolls. This is up 37.7% from July’s total of 38,845, according to the latest report on job cuts released Thursday from global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & ... |