Introducing

Sandy Batten

Sandy Batten has more than 30 years of experience analyzing industrial economies and financial markets and a wide range of experience across the financial services sector, government, and academia.   Before joining Haver Analytics, Sandy was a Vice President and Senior Economist at Citibank; Senior Credit Market Analyst at CDC Investment Management, Managing Director at Bear Stearns, and Executive Director at JPMorgan.   In 2008, Sandy was named the most accurate US forecaster by the National Association for Business Economics. He is a member of the New York Forecasters Club, NABE, and the American Economic Association.   Prior to his time in the financial services sector, Sandy was a Research Officer at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Senior Staff Economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the US Treasury, and Economist at the International Monetary Fund. Sandy has taught economics at St. Louis University, Denison University, and Muskingun College. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in a wide range of academic publications. He has a B.A. in economics from the University of Richmond and a M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from The Ohio State University.  

Publications by Sandy Batten

• 

  USA| Jan 16 2025

  U.S. Import and Export Prices Rose in December

  • Import prices advanced 0.1% m/m, the same monthly gain as in October and November.
  • Both imported fuel and nonfuel prices rose in December.
  • Export prices increased a larger-than-expected 0.3% in December. Gains were widespread across end-use categories.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jan 15 2025

  U.S. Headline Consumer Price Inflation Edged Up in December

  • The headline CPI increased 0.4% m/m. pushing the y/y rate up to 2.9%, the highest rate since July.
  • The core index rose 0.2%, pushing the y/y rate down to 3.2% after four months at 3.3%.
  • Energy prices were up markedly as the normal decline in gasoline prices was much less than the seasonal factors had anticipated.
  • Services prices less energy remained elevated although the y/y rate slowed to 4.4%, the lowest since February 2022.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jan 07 2025

  U.S. JOLTS: Openings and Layoffs Increased in November

  • Job openings rose for the second consecutive month with an upward revision to October.
  • Increase concentrated in professional and business services.
  • Layoffs are on a clear uptrend with another increase in November and an upward revision to October.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Jan 07 2025

  U.S. Trade Deficit Widened in November

  • Deficit widened $4.6 billion to $78.2 billion.
  • Good deficit widened $5.4 billion while services surplus widened $0.9 billion.
  • Both exports and imports rebounded after declines in October.
  • Trade deficit on track to add to Q4 2024 real GDP after having subtracted in each of the first three quarters.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Dec 18 2024

  U.S. Current Account Deficit Widened to a Record in Q3 2024

  • Goods deficit widened by $10 billion. Services surplus widened by nearly $2 billion.
  • Balance on primary income posted a deficit for only the fifth quarter in the history of the series.
  • Secondary income deficit widened by nearly $16 billion, the largest quarterly increase in the series history.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Dec 17 2024

  U.S. IP Unexpectedly Fell Again in November

  • Total industrial production fell 0.1% m/m, the fourth monthly decline in the past five months.
  • Manufacturing output increased 0.2% m/m while mining fell 0.9% and utilities output slumped 1.3%.
  • Small downward revision to October.
  • A modest increase had been expected for November.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Dec 12 2024

  U.S. Initial Unemployment Claims Jumped in Most Recent Week

  • The 242,000 increase was much larger than expectations.
  • The outsized increase was likely impacted by late Thanksgiving.
  • Still, on the margin, labor-market conditions appear to be cooling a bit.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Nov 27 2024

  U.S. Durable Goods Orders Rebounded in October

  • Total orders increased 0.2% m/m after declines in both August and September.
  • Excluding transportation, orders rose 0.1% m/m vs. 0.4% in September.
  • Core capital goods orders fell 0.2% m/m, their first decline in three months.
  • Core capital goods shipments increased 0.2% m/m, their first increase in four months.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Nov 21 2024

  U.S. Existing Homes Sales Rebounded in October

  • Sales rose 3.4% m/m after declining in each of the previous two months.
  • Year-ago sales increased 2.9%, the first positive annual reading since July 2021.
  • Monthly sales rose in all four major regions.
  • The median price increased 4.0% from a year ago.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Nov 15 2024

  U.S. Empire State Manufacturing Index Soars in November

  • The headline index jumped up 43.1 points to highest reading in nearly three years.
  • Led by outsized gains in new orders and shipments.
  • Delivery times were slightly longer.
  • Labor market indicators were more lackluster.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Nov 13 2024

  U.S. Mortgage Applications Edge Up in November 8 Week

  • Applications edged up 0.5% w/w after having declined for six consecutive weeks.
  • Refinancing applications continued to fall while purchase applications rebounded.
  • Mortgage interest rates rose slightly.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Oct 31 2024

  Rise of U.S. Employment Cost Index Slows Further in Q3

  • The pace of growth in employment costs slowed to multiyear lows in Q3.
  • While still elevated relative to pre-pandemic readings, the trend in employment costs is clearly down.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief