Key Economic Indicators – December 2, 2019

  • New orders for manufactured durable goods in October increased 0.6%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  This increase, up four of the last five months, followed a 1.4% September decrease.  Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.6%.  Excluding defense, new orders increased 0.1%.  Shipments of manufactured durable goods in October, up following three consecutive monthly decreases, increased less than $0.1 billion.  This followed a 0.7% September decrease.
  • The international trade deficit was $66.5 billion in October, down $4.0 billion from $70.5 billion in September, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  Exports of goods for October were $135.3 billion, $0.9 billion less than September exports. Imports of goods for October were $201.8 billion, $5.0 billion less than September imports.
  • Retail inventories for October were up 0.3% from September and were up 3.1% from October 2018.
  • Wholesale inventories for October were up 0.2% from September and were up 3.9% from October 2018.
  • The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased 15 thousand to 213 thousand in the week ending November 23. The 4-week moving average was 219.75 thousand, a decrease of 1.5 thousand from the previous week’s unrevised average. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment (ongoing) during the week ending November 16 was 1,640 thousand, a decrease of 57 thousand from the previous week’s revised level. This is the lowest level for insured unemployment since August 4, 1973 when it was 1,633 thousand. The 4-week moving average was 1,680.5 thousand, a decrease of 13 thousand from the previous week’s revised average.

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