US Economic News

A report released by the Conference Board on Thursday showed a continued decrease by its reading on leading U.S. economic indicators in the month of July. The Conference Board said its leading economic index fell by 0.4 percent in July following a revised 0.7 percent decrease in June.

Existing home sales in the U.S. showed another significant decrease in the month of July, according to a report released by the National Association of Realtors on Thursday. NAR said existing home sales plunged by 5.9 percent to an annual rate of 4.81 million in July after tumbling by 5.5 percent to a revised rate of 5.11 million in June.

After reporting contractions in Philadelphia-area manufacturing activity in the two previous months, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released a report on Thursday showing regional manufacturing activity unexpectedly returned to growth in the month of August.

A report released by the Labor Department on Thursday unexpectedly showed a modest pullback in first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits in the week ended August 13th. The Labor Department said initial jobless claims edged down to 250,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level of 252,000.

After reporting contractions in Philadelphia-area manufacturing activity in the two previous months, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released a report on Thursday showing regional manufacturing activity unexpectedly returned to growth in the month of August.

A report released by the Labor Department on Thursday unexpectedly showed a modest pullback in first-time claims for U.S. unemployment benefits in the week ended August 13th.

The Federal Reserve released the minutes of its July monetary policy meeting on Wednesday, reaffirming the central bank's plans to continue raising interest rates in an effort to return inflation to its 2 percent objective.

The Commerce Department released a report on Wednesday showing a continued surge in U.S. business inventories in the month of June. The report showed business inventories shot up by 1.4 percent in June after surging by an upwardly revised 1.6 percent in May. The continued jump in inventories matched economist estimates.

With pullbacks in gasoline and auto sales offsetting strength in other areas, the Commerce Department released a report on Wednesday showing U.S. retail sales came in flat in the month of July. The Commerce Department said retail sales were virtually unchanged in July after climbing by a downwardly revised 0.8 percent in June.

With pullbacks in gasoline and auto sales offsetting strength in other areas, the Commerce Department released a report on Wednesday showing U.S. retail sales came in flat in the month of July.

A report released by the Federal Reserve on Tuesday showed U.S. industrial production increased by more than expected in the month of July. The Fed said industrial production climbed by 0.6 percent in July following a revised unchanged reading in June.

New residential construction in the U.S. tumbled by much more than expected in the month of July, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday. The report showed housing starts plunged by 9.6 percent to an annual rate of 1.446 million in July after slumping by 2.4 percent to a rate of 1.559 million in June.

New residential construction in the U.S. tumbled by much more than expected in the month of July, according to a report released by the Commerce Department on Tuesday.

A report released by the National Association of Home Builders on Monday unexpectedly showed a continued deterioration in U.S. homebuilder confidence in the month of August. The report showed the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index dropped to 49 in August from 55 in July. Economists had expected the index to come in unchanged.

New York manufacturing activity has unexpectedly seen a substantial contraction in the month of August, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday. The New York Fed said its general business conditions index plummeted to a negative 31.3 in August from a positive 11.1 in July.