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| Nov 03 2022

  U.S. Productivity Rebounded in Q3 But Still Subpar

  • Nonfarm business productivity edged up 0.3% q/q saar following outsized declines in both Q1 and Q2.
  • Compensation growth slowed but remained relatively strong.
  • Unit labor cost growth also slowed but was still elevated.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Nov 01 2022

  U.S. Construction Spending Surprises to Upside in September

  • Residential construction remained challenged by rising interest rates; nonresidential building rebounded.
  • Public sector construction declined for second month.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Oct 28 2022

  U.S. Q3 ECI Still Elevated But Offered a Hint of Moderation

  • Employment costs rose 1.2% y/y but y/y rate slowed to 5.0%.
  • Both wage & salaries and benefits slowed slightly in Q3.
  • Rise in labor costs in the private sector slowed even more.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Oct 27 2022

  U.S. Durable Goods Orders Boosted by Transportation in September

  • Orders rose 0.4% m/m but fell 0.5% m/m when transportation excluded.
  • Orders have increased only 0.4% over the past three months.
  • Both core capital goods shipments and orders fell in September with downward revisions to August.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Oct 20 2022

  U.S. Existing Home Sales Fell Further in September

  • Eighth consecutive monthly decline to lowest level since COVID lockdown.
  • Declines were broad-based regionally with annual declines across all regions.
  • Decades-high interest rates taking their toll.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Oct 05 2022

  U.S. Trade Deficit Narrows Again in August

  • Deficit is smallest since May 2021.
  • Both exports and imports fell in August.
  • Real trade balance on course to add 2%-points to Q3 GDP growth.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Sep 27 2022

  FHFA House Prices Declined in July

  • This was the first monthly decline since May 2020 and only the second since January 2017.
  • House prices posted monthly declines in eight of nine census divisions.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Sep 15 2022

  Empire State Manufacturing Index Recovers Somewhat in September

  • General business conditions in the FRBNY district recovered in September, rising to -1.5 after the collapse to -31.3 in August.
  • However, the continued negative reading indicated that conditions continued to weaken.
  • Details were stronger than the headline index with the ISM-adjusted index rising to above 50.
  • Delivery times lengthened marginally but remained around pre-pandemic levels, and price indexes fell.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Sep 13 2022

  U.S. Small Businesses Slightly Less Pessimistic in August

  • Second consecutive monthly increase but another small one.
  • Index of expectations for the next six months rose for second month after reaching series low in June.
  • Inflation is still the major concern, but less so than in July; labor market remains tight.
  • Seven of the index's 10 components increased in August.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Sep 07 2022

  U.S. Mortgage Applications Continued to Fall

  • Total applications fell for the eighth time in the past 10 weeks.
  • Refinancing applications were down 83% from a year ago.
  • All mortgage interest rates increased by double-digit basis points.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Aug 31 2022

  ADP Employment Slows in August

  • ADP introduced new private nonfarm employment measures.
  • Private employment increased 132,000 in August, led by services.
  • This was the weakest gain since January 2021.
  • Pay gains stabilized but remained elevated.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• 

  USA| Aug 30 2022

  July JOLTS: Openings Rose, Hires and Separations Slipped

  • The number of job openings edged up, the first monthly increase in four months.
  • New hires continued to ease.
  • Separations edged down with small declines in both quits and layoffs.

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief