• Total application volume fell to lowest level since January 2020. • Applications for both purchase and refinance declined. • Rates on fixed-rate mortgages generally edged down, rates on adjustable-rate loans jumped. The Mortgage [...]
Introducing
Sandy Batten
in:Our Authors
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
Global| Jun 30 2021U.S. Mortgage Applications Slumped
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 29 2021
U.S. Energy Prices Generally Rise
• Gasoline prices hit nearly seven-year high. • Crude oil prices add to recent gains. • Natural gas prices unchanged. Retail gasoline prices rose to $3.09 per gallon (+42.2% y/y) in the week ended June 28, the highest price since [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 29 2021
U.S. Energy Prices Generally Rise
• Gasoline prices hit nearly seven-year high. • Crude oil prices add to recent gains. • Natural gas prices unchanged. Retail gasoline prices rose to $3.09 per gallon (+42.2% y/y) in the week ended June 28, the highest price since [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 24 2021
U.S. Goods Trade Deficit Widened in May
• Exports fell while imports rose. • Still, foreign trade on course to contribute to overall GDP growth in Q2. The advance estimate of the U.S. trade deficit in goods widened to $88.1 billion in May from $85.7 billion in April. The [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 24 2021
U.S. Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims Edged Down
• Modest decline from upwardly revised previous week. • Continuing state claims fell to new pandemic low. • PUA claims rose for second consecutive week. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell 7,000 in the week ended June 19 to [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 17 2021
Philly Fed Manufacturing Index Little Changed in June
• Headline index off recent highs but still quite elevated. • Shipments rose though new orders moderated. • Prices paid increased to highest since 1979. • Hiring plans for next six months rose to near-record high. The Federal Reserve [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 16 2021
U.S. Import and Export Prices Surged in May
• May increases significantly exceeded expectations with upward revisions to April. • Highest y/y advance for export prices in series history, led by agricultural prices. • Higher fuel prices a major factor behind rise in import [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 15 2021
U.S. Producer Prices Rise Further in May
• May jump led by 1.5% m/m surge in prices of final demand goods. • Y/Y increases in both headline and core indexes highest in series history. • Final demand food prices up 2.6% m/m; energy prices up 2.2% m/m. The Producer Price Index [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 10 2021
U.S. Unemployment Insurance Claims Continued Their Decline
• Initial state claims down another 9,000. • Continuing state claims fall to pandemic low. • PUA claims lowest since very first week of program in April 2020. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell 9,000 in the week ended June [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 08 2021
U.S. Trade Deficit Narrowed in April
• Exports rose while imports fell. • Service surplus narrowed further. • Narrowing real deficit points to trade contributing to Q2 GDP growth. The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services narrowed to $68.90 billion in April from a [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| Jun 04 2021
U.S. Factory Orders Retreated in April; Shipments Continued to Rise
• April retreat less than half March gains. • April shipments added to March surge. • Order backlogs and inventories continued to rise. New orders for manufactured goods fell 0.6% m/m (+34.1% y/y) in April following an upwardly [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Global| May 28 2021
Goods Trade Deficit Narrowed in April Advance Report
• Foreign trade deficit narrowed for the first time in four months. • Exports rose while imports fell. The advance estimate of the U.S. trade deficit in goods narrowed markedly to $85.23 billion in April from a record $91.98 billion [...]
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
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