- Headline producer prices jumped a much larger-than-expected 0.6% m/m.
- Goods prices soared 1.2% m/m with energy prices contributing about 70% of the increase.
- The core index increased 0.4% m/m, also much larger than expected.
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
USA| Mar 14 2024Another Jump in U.S. Producer Prices in February
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
USA| Mar 06 2024Small Decline in U.S. Job Openings in January
- Openings edged down 26k to 8.863 million with a downward revision to December.
- Hires declined 1.7%, the fourth decline in the past five months.
- Quits fell for the third consecutive month with layoffs also falling.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- The index has not been positive since September 2022
- However, the negative reading for February was smaller than in January.
- Shipments and employment picked up, but orders and production were lackluster.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
USA| Feb 27 2024U.S. Durable Goods Orders Dragged Down by Aircraft in January
- Orders fell a larger-than-expected 6.1% m/m.
- Nondefense aircraft orders plunged 58.9% m/m.
- Orders excluding aircraft rose 0.6% m/m.
- Core capital goods shipments increased 0.8%, providing a good start for Q1.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
USA| Feb 22 2024Chicago Fed National Activity Index Fell in January
- Monthly index fell below zero for first time in three months.
- Three-month average rose slightly but remained below zero.
- Conclusion: economic growth is slowing to slightly below its trend but not near to a recession.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
USA| Feb 15 2024U.S. Industrial Production Unexpectedly Fell in January
- Total IP fell 0.1% m/m with a downward revision to December and an upward revision to November.
- Manufacturing and mining output fell while utilities production jumped on unseasonably cold temperatures.
- IP has been essentially flat since the fall of 2022.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
USA| Jan 31 2024Chicago Business Barometer Falls in January
- The headline index fell to 46.0, pointing to continued decline in activity.
- The production subindex plummeted by nearly 10 points.
- Employment remained below the critical 50 level.
- Input prices continued to rise though more slowly than in December.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
USA| Jan 30 2024U.S. Job Openings Edged Up in December
- Openings increased 101k to 9.026 million with upward revision to November.
- Hires increased 1.2% after declines in both October and November.
- Quits fell for the fourth consecutive month while layoffs rose.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
USA| Jan 25 2024U.S. Durable Goods Orders Were Essentially Unchanged in December
- Weakness concentrated in transportation and defense.
- Excluding transportation and defense, orders rose a solid 1.3% m/m.
- Core capital goods orders posted 0.3% m/m gain while core shipments edged up.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- The headline index increased by 2.2 points but remained negative.
- It has been in negative territory for 18 of the past 20 months.
- The new orders and shipments sub-indexes each increased but remained negative.
- Six-month ahead expectations dipped into negative territory for the first time since last May.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Imported fuel prices fell 0.3% m/m while nonfuel prices were unchanged.
- For exports, the December decline reflected lower nonag and ag prices.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
- Total inventories declined 0.1% m/m, led by wholesalers.
- Total sales edged up 0.2% m/m.
- Inventory/sales ratio was unchanged in November.
by:Sandy Batten
|in:Economy in Brief
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