Dale Franks
Economic Statistics for 6 Jun 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
The Challenger Job-Cut Report shows that layoff announcements fell about 1,600 to 36,398 in May.
Initial jobless claims fell 11,000 to 346,000 last week. The 4-week average rose 5,250 to 352,500. Continuing claims fell 52,000 to 2.952 million.
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index held at its five and a half year high of -29.7.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 5 Jun 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
The ISM Non-Manufacturing Index rose 0.6 points to 53.7 in May.
The MBA reports mortgage applications fell -11.5% last week, with purchases down -2.0% and re-fis down -15.0%.
The ADP Employment Report shows an increase of 135,000 private payroll jobs in May, still a fairly weak number.
The Commerce Department’s final reading on 1st quarter productivity wqas revised down to 0.5% annualized, with unit labor costs down -4.3%.
Factory Orders for April rose a weaker-than-expected 1.0%, only a partial clawback from March’s drop of -4/0%.
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Dale Franks
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Conservatives ruin things, sometimes
Tonight was the big night for the big Muslim/Diversity seminar where the US Attorney for the Eastern district of Tennessee, Bill Killian, and FBI Knoxville SAC Kenneth Moore were gonna explain to us how we might be prosecuted for saying nasty things about Islam or Muslims on the interwebs.
Taking a play from the book of liberals who shout down speakers like Ann Coulter, however, some conservatives showed up and apparently ruined the event by constant heckling.
So, to all you hecklers who ruined the seminar by being disruptive: Now none of us know what Killian meant when he said Facebook postings might be criminal. We don’t know how he thought he could prosecute such postings. That would’ve been interesting to know. Now we don’t know, because you effed it up. So, the next time Coulter gets shouted down by Lefties, you can have nice big cup of STFU. You’re no better than they are.
Oh, and pro tip: When a US Attorney may be willing to go to a dark place when talking about free speech, the best thing you can do is LET HIM. If he’s gonna just hand you his own head on a plate, don’t stop him. Let him drone on about it as much as he wants, and record it. Now, he can do the whole "more in sadness than anger" shtick and whine about how he’s just a poor misunderstood boy.
Jeebus, some people on the Right are utter dolts.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 4 Jun 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
ICSC-Goldman reports retail store sales rose a sharp 1.9% last week, to a 4.3% year-on-year rate. Redbook shows a moderate 2.9% year-on-year sales growth rate.
Rising imports pushed the US international trade deficit higher, to $-40.3 billion in April.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 3 Jun 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
Auto sales rose in May, and the Big 3 Automakers all report sales increases: GM 3.1%, Ford 14%; Chrysler 11%. Total us auto sales rose 8% from last year, to an annual pace of 15.2 million vehicles.
The PMI Manufacturing Index for May rose 0.2 to 52.3.
ISM Manufacturing Index fell -1.7 to 49.0, with all major components showing weakness.
Construction spending rose a less-than-expected 0.4% in April, which is up 4.3% on a year-over-year basis.
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Dale Franks
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Observations: The QandO Podcast for 02 Jun 13
This week, Bruce, Michael, and Dale discuss Seminar a US Attorney is giving about how you might violate someone’s civil rights by posting to Facebook.
The direct link to the podcast can be found here.
As a reminder, if you are an iTunes user, don’t forget to subscribe to the QandO podcast, Observations, through iTunes. For those of you who don’t have iTunes, you can subscribe at Podcast Alley. And, of course, for you newsreader subscriber types, our podcast RSS Feed is here.
Economic Statistics
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy. And yesterday’s too, since a family emergency kept me from posting them.
1st Quarter GDP was revised downwards to a 2.4% annualized growth rate. The GDP Price index also dropped to a 1.1% annual rate.
Initial jobless claims rose 10,000 to 354,000. The 4-week average rose 6,750 to 347,250. Continuing claims rose 63,000 to 2.986 million.
Corporate profits in the first quarter fell -4.0% to $1.738 trillion annualized.
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index held at a near 5-year high at -29.7.
The Pending Home Sales Index rose a worse-than-expected 0.3% to 106.0 due to supply constraints.
The Fed reports the weekly M@ money supply fell -11.9 billion.
Personal income was unchanged in April, while spending fell -0.2%. The PCE price index fell -0.3% while the core rate was unchanged. On a year-over-year basis, income and spending were up 2.8%, while the PCE price index rose 0.7% at the headline level, and 1.1% at the core.
The Chicago Purchasing managers index rose sharply to 58.7 in May.
The Reuters/University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index improved to 84.5 in May.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 29 May 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
The MBA reports mortgage applications fell by -8.8%. Purchases rose 3.0%, but re-fis fell -12.0%.
In weekly retail sales, Redbook reports a slightly better 2.7% year-over-year sales growth rate. ICSC-Goldman’s sales report is bumpy, with a weak -0.9% sales drop for the week, but a better 2.8% annual rate.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 28 May 13
The following US economic statistics were announced today:
The Dallas Fed Manufacturing Survey was mixed, with Production jumping from -0.5 to 11.2, but the overall index up only 5 to a still-negative -10.5.
The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index rose 1.1% in March, up 10.9% over last year.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence index rose sharply from 68.1 to 76.2.
The Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index rose 4 points to -2 in May.
The State Street Investor Confidence Index rose 1.2 points to 94.8 in May.
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Dale Franks
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Economic Statistics for 24 May 13
Here are today’s statistics on the state of the economy:
Durable goods orders rose a better-than-expected 3.3% in April. Ex-transportation orders rose 1.3%. On a year-over-year basis, Orders were up 2.4% overall, while ex-transportation orders rose 0.9%.
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Dale Franks
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