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

• Global| Jan 23 2019

  U.S. FHFA House Prices Post Solid Increase in November

  The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Price Index for house purchases rose a solid 0.4% m/m (5.8% y/y) in November following an upwardly revised 0.4% m/m increase in October (previously reported as +0.3% m/m). The 5.8% y/y rate of [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jan 22 2019

  TT

  The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its Nonmanufacturing Business Index of current conditions at the company level increased to 42.4 during November........... The expectations index for November rose to 53.6 [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jan 22 2019

  Philadelphia Fed Nonmanufacturing Business Activity Slumps Again in January

  The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia reported that its Nonmanufacturing Business Index of current conditions at the company level slumped further to -0.2 in January from 6.4 in December and 41.2 in November. 31.3% of respondents [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jan 03 2019

  U.S. Jobless Claims Jump at Year End

  Initial unemployment insurance claims jumped 10,000 to 231,000 (-6.9% y/y) in the week ended December 29 versus an upwardly revised 221,000 in the previous week. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expectation was for 219,000 new [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Jan 03 2019

  U.S. Jobless Claims Jump at Year End

  Initial unemployment insurance claims jumped 10,000 to 231,000 (-6.9% y/y) in the week ended December 29 versus an upwardly revised 221,000 in the previous week. The Action Economics Forecast Survey expectation was for 219,000 new [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Dec 27 2018

  TT

  New single-family home sales fell 8.9% (-12.0% y/y) in October to 544,000 (SAAR). The data in this report are available in Haver's USECON database. The consensus expectation figure from Action Economics is available in the AS1REPNA [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• USA| Dec 27 2018

  U.S. Consumer Confidence Slumps Again in December, Led by Expectations

  The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined to 128.1 (+4.1% y/y) in December from a slightly upwardly revised 136.4 in November. This was the second consecutive monthly decline in the index. The panelists in the Action [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Dec 06 2018

  PUT NEW TT U.S. Factory Orders in September Add to August Jump

  Manufacturers' orders increased 0.7% m/m (7.9% y/y) in September, on top of an upwardly revised 2.6% m/m jump in August...... The factory sector figures are available in Haver's USECON database. The Action Economics Forecasts survey [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Nov 21 2018

  U.S. Existing Home Sales Increase in October--the First in Seven Months

  The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes in October increased 1.4% m/m to 5.220 million units (SAAR) but were down 5.1% from a year earlier. The September figure was not revised. This was the first [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Nov 02 2018

  U.S. Factory Orders in September Add to August Jump

  Manufacturers' orders increased 0.7% m/m (7.9% y/y) in September, on top of an upwardly revised 2.6% m/m jump in August. The Action Economics Forecast survey had looked for a 0.5% m/m rise. This was the sixth monthly increase thus far [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Oct 31 2018

  Jump in Wages Boosts U.S. Employment Costs in Q3

  The employment cost index for civilian workers rose 0.8% q/q (2.8% y/y) in the third quarter of 2018, up from a 0.6% q/q rise in the second. Action Economics Forecast Survey had looked for a 0.7% q/q increase. Employment costs in the [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief
• Global| Oct 19 2018

  TT

  The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes during September declined 3.4% to 5.150 million (SAAR, -4.1%). The data on existing home sales, prices and affordability are compiled by the National [...]

  by:Sandy Batten

  |in:Economy in Brief