Key Economic Indicators – October 12, 2015

  • Sales of domestic cars increased 2.6% in September, while total light vehicle (cars and light trucks) sales increased 1.9%. Total vehicle sales were 18.1 million units in September, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, compared to 17.7 million in the previous month, and 16.4 million in September of 2014.
  • Sales of merchant wholesalers in August were down 1.0% from the previous month, and were down 4.7% from August 2014.  Inventories were up 0.1% from the previous month, and were up 4.1% from a year ago.  The August inventories/sales ratio was 1.31, compared with 1.20 a year ago.
  • In August, international trade deficit was $48.3 billion, $6.5 billion more than the July figure. The cumulative trade deficit for the first eight months of 2015 was $354.4 billion, compared with a cumulative deficit of $336.8 billion during the first eight months of 2014.
  • The import price index decreased 0.1% in September, following a 1.6% decrease in the previous month. Export prices decreased 0.7%, following a 1.4% decrease in the previous month. The import price index decreased 10.7% from September 2014, while the price index for exports decreased 7.4%.
  • The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased 13 thousand to 263 thousand in the week ending October 3rd. The 4-week moving average was 267.5 thousand, a decrease of 3 thousand from the previous week’s revised average.
  • August consumer credit outstanding increased at an annual rate of 5.6%. Revolving credits increased 5.3%, while non-revolving credits increased 5.7%.
  • The results of Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey of October 8th showed average fixed mortgage rates decreasing following a disappointing jobs report. 30-year fixed-mortgage average 3.76% for the week ending October 8th, down from last week when it averaged 3.85%. A year ago at this time, 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.19%. 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 2.99% for the week ending October 8th, down from 3.07%. A year ago at this time, 15-year fixed-rate mortgage was 3.36%.
  • Mortgage applications increased 25.5% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending October 2nd.
  • The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) non-manufacturing survey indicated that economic activity expanded in September for the 68th consecutive month.

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