Category: Economy

The trade deficit in goods and services came in at $70.7 billion in July, slightly larger than the consensus expected […]

The ISM Non-Manufacturing index increased to 56.9 in August, easily beating the consensus expected 55.3.  (Levels above 50 signal expansion; […]

Nonfarm payrolls increased 315,000 in August, narrowly beating the consensus expected 298,000. Payroll gains for June and July were revised […]

The ISM Manufacturing Index remained unchanged at 52.8 in August, beating the consensus expected 51.9. (Levels higher than 50 signal […]

View from the Observation Deck 1. We get asked from time to time what our take is on the U.S. […]

Personal income rose 0.2% in July versus a consensus expected +0.6%.  Personal consumption rose 0.1% in July, versus a consensus […]

Real GDP growth in Q2 was revised higher to a -0.6% annual rate from a prior estimate of -0.9%, narrowly […]

New orders for durable goods were unchanged in July (+0.2% including revisions to prior months), lagging the consensus expected rise […]

New single-family home sales declined 12.6% in July to a 0.511 million annual rate, well below the consensus expected 0.575 […]

One thing we must remember when looking at economic data, is that everything is distorted.  The US (in fact, much […]

Existing home sales declined 5.9% in July to a 4.810 million annual rate, below the consensus expected 4.860 million.  Sales […]

Retail sales were unchanged in July (+0.3% including revisions to prior months).  The consensus expected a gain of 0.1%.  Retail […]

Industrial production increased 0.6% in July (+0.4% including revisions to prior months), beating the consensus expected gain of 0.3%.  Utilities […]

Housing starts declined 9.6% in July to a 1.446 million annual rate, well below the consensus expected 1.527 million.  Starts […]