Is Two Months the End of the Cycle?

The ISM Manufacturing reports for January and February 2013 looked to be showing a noticeable rebound in manufacturing activity after some rather dicey months in the second half of 2012. I posited that this rebound was largely inconsistent with broader data (notably durable goods and factory orders) and explained them in the context of a .. read more

Friday’s Most Important Number Was Not Jobs

The employment report, as it always does, captured the most attention, but it was the wholesale inventory/sales report that deserved the widest audience. There will be plenty to say about the real employment situation currently (I will have a subsequent post devoted to earned income and job bean counting), but any discussion of jobs has .. read more

3rd Quarter ISM-Services Report Disappoints

By John L. Chapman, Ph.D.                                                                                                                              Washington, D.C.                                                                                                                                                                      November 3, 2011 This morning the Institute for Supply Management’s October 2011 Non-Manufacturing ISM Report On Business (scroll down for summary table we are unable to copy here), a monthly report on service sector activity, was released by ISM: the index fell in October to 52.9, from 53.0 in .. read more

Weekly Economic and Market Review

I spend a lot of time reading the economic tea leaves. Given my well known distrust of politicians and government, it is a bit of ironic that I spend so much time poring over the details of government produced reports but there really is little choice. I also look at privately produced reports such as .. read more

Weekly Economic and Market Review

Phew! Thank goodness that’s resolved. The President’s fiscal commission released its recommendations for solving the budget deficit and the plan was promptly embraced by a majority of the panel that crafted it. The plan will now be enacted forthwith, eliminating all manner of tax breaks, while simultaneously lowering marginal tax rates, cutting government spending across .. read more

Weekly Chart Review

Economic Report: ISM Services Index

The services sector in the US continued to contract in June, but at a slower pace than what was expected, according to the Institute of Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index. This month’s reading is good news for the services sector, as the economy seems to be bottoming out. The NMI came in at 47.0%, above May’s 44.0% reading, and is still confortably above the record-low (37.3%) .. read more

US Economic Calendar – April 27 – May 1

Weekly calendar of latest economic events and indicators, complete with full reports, charts, graphs, and in-depth analysis. Monday None Tuesday S&P/Case-Schiller Home Price Index – Full Report, Charts/Analysis Wednesday Gross Domestic Product – Full Report, Charts/Analysis FOMC Announcement - Full Report, Charts/Analysis Thursday Initial Jobless Claims – Full Report, Charts/Analysis Personal Income and Outlays - Full Report, .. read more