Chicago Business Barometer Rose 6 Points in August The MNI Chicago Business Barometer rose 6 points to 50.4 in August. The index has been in contractionary territory for two months prior to this month's gain. Only two of the business activity components saw a monthly decline. The survey still suggests a softer overall tone in [...]
Led by Declines in Production-Related Indicators, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index Fell in July Led by declines in production-related indicators, the Chicago Fed National Activity Index fell to -0.36 in July from +0.03 in June. All four broad categories of indicators that make up the index decreased from June, and all four categories made [...]
July Retail Sales Surpassed Expectations July retail sales surpassed expectations. Rising 0.7 %, gains were broad-based with ten of the thirteen categories seeing an increase in sales over the month. Wells Fargo US Drill Rigs Running Down From Previous Count There were 934 drill rigs operating in the US last week, down 8 rigs from [...]
US Raw Steel Production ACUR 81.5 Percent Last Week US raw steel production ACUR of 81.5% produced 1,897,000 tons in the week ending August 3, 2019. Thus far this year mills have produced prox 57,945,000 tons compared to the prox 55,279,000 tons produced in the like period last year. US Drill Rigs Running Down From [...]
Consumer Sentiment Remains Elevated At 98.4, consumer sentiment remains elevated. Confidence has been resilient in the face of trade uncertainty and could be a concern going forward. Personal finances were a bright spot in this month's report. Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey Reports Factory Activity Continued to Expand in July The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas [...]
2019 Q1 Real GDP Increased 3.1% In 2019 Q1 real GDP increased 3.1 percent. Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.1 percent in the second quarter of 2019, according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The CFNAI Ticked up in June The Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) ticked [...]
Real Personal Consumption Rose Solidly in Q2 Real personal consumption rose solidly in Q2, suggested by control group sales which rose 0.7%. Retail sales rose a solid 0.4% in June, despite a huge 2.8% drop in sales at gasoline stations. Wells Fargo Industrial Production Flat in June Industrial production was flat in June as a droop [...]
Iron Ore Prices Soared 67% This Year "Iron ore prices soared 67% this year, a resurgence driven by falling supplies that has led to challenging times for steel mills that use the material. As steel's main ingredient, iron ore is one of the world's most traded commodities and can influence prices for materials used in [...]
Construction Spending Fell 0.8% During May Construction spending fell 0.8% during May and broad-based declines overshadow upward revisions to prior months' spending. Residential remains weak while public spending continues to boost nonresidential. Wells Fargo The Institute for Supply Management June 2019 Report on Business The report shows economic activity expanded in June and the overall [...]
Consumer Confidence Hit Lowest Level Since September 2017 After two consecutive months of improvement, in June Consumer Confidence hit lowest level since September 2017." Said Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at the Conference Board The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined in June, following a May increase. The Present Situation Index, based on consumers' [...]
