Industrial output is slowing sharply in Japan and across most sectors. Consumer goods and intermediate goods are leading the way down. Very sharp declines have come in textiles and transportation goods in the past two months. [...]
Introducing
Robert Brusca
in:Our Authors
Robert A. Brusca is Chief Economist of Fact and Opinion Economics, a consulting firm he founded in Manhattan. He has been an economist on Wall Street for over 25 years. He has visited central banking and large institutional clients in over 30 countries in his career as an economist. Mr. Brusca was a Divisional Research Chief at the Federal Reserve Bank of NY (Chief of the International Financial markets Division), a Fed Watcher at Irving Trust and Chief Economist at Nikko Securities International. He is widely quoted and appears in various media. Mr. Brusca holds an MA and Ph.D. in economics from Michigan State University and a BA in Economics from the University of Michigan. His research pursues his strong interests in non aligned policy economics as well as international economics. FAO Economics’ research targets investors to assist them in making better investment decisions in stocks, bonds and in a variety of international assets. The company does not manage money and has no conflicts in giving economic advice.
Publications by Robert Brusca
Global| May 30 2008Japan Industrial Sector in Steep Slowdown…or Worse
- Global| May 30 2008
German Retail Sales by Sector
German retail sales are showing some real weakness in April. Nominal sales ex-autos are off by 1.3% in April and 1.7% in real terms. For the developing second quarter the results are grim. As of the first month of the new quarter the [...]
- Global| May 29 2008
Japan's Sales Wither After a Spike
Japan’s retail sales have been floundering and in a downtrend since 2005. But in December of 2007 and January of 2008 sales suddenly spiked. They have since settled back down into the sleepy pattern we have been used to. Indeed, sales [...]
- Global| May 29 2008
EU Index is Still Sinking Fast…Inflation in EMU Still High
The EU overall sentiment reading fell to 96.7 in May from 98 in April. The EMU area’s overall index was unchanged in the month. For the EU area, the industrial sector continues to be the relative strongest. We gauge this NOT from the [...]
- Global| May 28 2008
German Export and Import Prices Show Mixed Trends: Pick Your Horizon
Near term pressures: The German CPI and PPI may have slammed on the brakes in April but export and import prices are still advancing- even ex-energy. The German PPI is generally unruly but the CPI has flattened out over three months [...]
- Global| May 28 2008
French Household Confidence Remains in Steep Fall
French household confidence is not having a vintage year and its not due to the weather. The household survey is at its lowest level since 1990. Living standards for the next 12-months are assessed as likely to be the worst since [...]
- Global| May 27 2008
INSEE Biz Indicator is Weakening
The INSEE survey of business sentiment is lower in May, as the overall index fell to 102 from 106 in April. The index (blue line) has been moving sideways until early this year. The four point drop is the sharpest since April of 2005. [...]
- Global| May 23 2008
Belgian Bank Index Drops With Some Mixed Sectors
BNB index is a harbinger for the Euro Area. The BNB index plunged sharply in April and is moderately lower again in May. This month the NTC diffusion indexes for the Euro Area came out slightly ahead of the Belgian index and they [...]
- Global| May 23 2008
Here’s a Real FLASH: The Euro Area is Weak and Weakening
The chart is pretty clear. The table is pretty clear. The Euro Area is pretty certainly on a still-declining path - and that path is not showing any slowing. Growth is not contracting yet. But with the two main sector PMIs teetering [...]
- Global| May 22 2008
Confidence, Still Weak, Makes Sharp Jump
Italy’s economy continues to be under pressure. Confindustria, the employers association, is looking for GDP to drop in Q2. Prime Minter Berlusconi has offered selected tax cuts to try and stimulate the moribund economy. Retail sales [...]
- Global| May 21 2008
Germany’s IFO in Surprise Rise
Germany continues to show resilience even in the face of weak reports it has issued. Here is a reversal that fits in with the strong 2008-Q1 GDP that Germany reported. Not surprisingly this report also boosted the euro. Oddly with [...]
- Global| May 19 2008
BOF Industry Indicator Continues to Drop
The Bank of France indicator for industry stands near the bottom quartile of its two-year range and is beginning to break more decidedly lower (see chart). The production index is at a 2-Yr low. Overall order books are the weakest [...]
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