Archive for August, 2012
Monday, August 27th, 2012
- New orders for manufactured durable goods increased 4.2% in July, following a 1.6% increase in the previous month. Shipments increased 2.6% in July, while inventories increased 0.7%.
- July existing home sales increased 2.3% to an annualized rate of 4,470 thousand units. The July figure was 10.4% above the July 2011 figure. The median sales price of existing houses sold was $187.3 thousand, 9.4% above July 2011.
- July new home sales increased 3.6% to an annualized rate of 372 thousand units. The July figure was 25.3% above the July 2011 figure. The median sales price of new houses sold was $224.2 thousand, 2.5% below the July 2011 figure.
- The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.66% for the week ending August 23, up from the previous week when it averaged 3.62%.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance increased 4 thousand to 372 thousand in the week ending August 18.
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Monday, August 20th, 2012
- Advance estimates of retail and food services sales for July were up 0.8% from June, and were up 4.1% from July 2011.
- Total manufacturing and trade sales for June decreased 1.1% from while inventories increased 0.1%.
- Total Industrial production increased 0.6% in July, following a 0.1% increase in the previous month.
- Housing starts decreased 1.1% in July, following a 6.8% increase in the previous month.
- The housing market index of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo rose to 37 in August, from 35 in July.
- The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.62% for the week ending August 16, up from the previous week when it averaged 3.59%.
- Treasury International Capital reported net foreign purchases of long-term securities of $5.5 billion in June, compared with net purchases of $50.9 billion in the previous month.
- The producer price index for finished goods increased 0.3% in July, while the core index increased 0.4%.
- The consumer price index held steady in July, while the core index increased 0.1%.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance increased 2 thousand to 366 thousand in the week ending August 11.
- The August Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicated that manufacturing activity in New York State deteriorated over the month.
- The Philadelphia FED business outlook survey for August indicated weaker business conditions.
- The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment increased in August.
- The Conference Board index of leading economic indicators increased 0.4% in July, while the coincident index increased 0.3%.
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Monday, August 13th, 2012
- In June international trade deficit was $42.9 billion, $5.1 billion less than the revised May figure.
- The import price index decreased 0.6% in July, while the export price index increased 0.5%.
- Sales of merchant wholesalers in June were down 1.4% , while inventories were down 0.2%.
- Second quarter productivity increased 1.6% (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the non-farm business sector, following a 0.5% decrease in the previous quarter. Productivity in the non-farm business sector increased 1.1% from the second quarter of 2011.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased 6 thousand to 361 thousand in the week ending August 4.
- The federal government budget ran a deficit of $69.6 billion in July, after a deficit of $59.7 billion in the previous month. The cumulative deficit for the first ten months of the fiscal year was $973.8 billion, $126.1 billion less than the cumulative deficit during the first ten months of the previous fiscal year.
- June consumer credit outstanding increased at an annual rate of 3.0% to $2,577.4 billion.
- The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.59% for the week ending August 9, up from the previous week when it averaged 3.55%.
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Monday, August 6th, 2012
- Total non-farm payroll employment rose 163 thousand to 133.245 million in July, following an increase of 64 thousand in the previous month. Private-sector payrolls increased 172 thousand in the month, while government employment decreased 9 thousand.
- The rate of unemployment increased to 8.3%.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance increased 8 thousand to 365 thousand in the week ending July 28.
- Sales of domestic cars decreased 2.1% in July, while total light vehicle (cars and light trucks) sales decreased 2.0%. Total sales were 14.048 million units in July, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, compared to 12.368 million in July of 2011, and 11.675 million in July of 2010.
- New orders for manufactured goods (excluding semiconductors) decreased 0.5% in June, while shipments decreased 1.1%.
- June construction spending increased 0.4%, following a 1.6% increase in the previous month. Private construction increased 0.7%, while public construction increased less than 0.1%. June construction put in place was 7.0% above such construction in June 2011.
- The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.55% for the week ending August 2, up from the previous week when it averaged 3.49%.
- The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing survey indicated that the manufacturing sector contracted in July for the second time since July 2009; however, the overall economy grew for the 38th consecutive month.
- In July, the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) non-manufacturing survey results indicated growth in the non-manufacturing business activity (exceeded 50.0%) for the 31st consecutive month.
- The Federal Open Market Committee decided to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 0 to 0.25%, and indicated that it is anticipated that economic conditions, including low rates of resource utilization, and a subdued outlook for inflation are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through late 2014.
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