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Economic and financial indicators.Navigation: Main page Author: Unknown
OverviewLast year, American households borrowed almost $600 billion against the value of their homes to spend on other things, according to new research unveiled by Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve. Between a quarter and a third of this extra money is spent on consumption directly, Mr Greenspan said, and another quarter indirectly. Mr Greenspan also said that the purchase of second homes, perhaps for speculative purposes, was playing an ever-bigger role in the housing market. Meanwhile, the median price of an existing home rose to $220,000 in August, up by 15.8 % from a year before. This was the biggest annual price jump since 1979. Sales of new homes slowed, however. Units were sold at the rate of 1.24m a year in August, down by 9.9% on the previous month's pace. America's Department of Energy reported that as much as 15% of the country's oil-refining capacity could be out of service for at least two weeks, thanks to Hurricane Rita and the lingering effects of Hurricane Katrina. Consumer confidence was also hit by the elements. The Conference Board's gauge dropped almost 19 points in September, hitting its lowest level since October 2003. Revisions to Britain's GDP figures showed that the economy grew by 1.5% in the year to the second quarter, the slowest for 12 years. In the euro area, M3, a broad measure of the money supply, rose by 8.1% in the year to August. The European Central Bank (ECB) believes annual growth of 4.5% is consistent with long-run price stability. The ECB may be anxious, but the mood seems to be lifting in two of the euro area's biggest economies. In September, the Ifo index of German business sentiment was its highest since January, although the reading may not fully reflect this month's inconclusive election. Business confidence in Italy also rose unexpectedly, according to ISAE, a research institute. It posted its highest reading in September for ten months. Japan's trade surplus, measured on a customs basis, shrank by 79.1% in the year to August, thanks to the higher cost of oil imports. Exports posted a healthy 9.1% gain over this period, but imports grew by 21.1%. Consumer prices in Canada rose by 2.6% in the year to August, having increased by 2.0% in the year to July. Petrol prices soared by more than 20%. www.economist.com/marketsData on more countries, as well as currency tools Output, demand and jobs% change on year ago
Legend for chart:
A -
B - GDP latest
C - GDP qtr*
D - The Economist poll GDP forecasts 2005
E - The Economist poll GDP forecasts 2006
F - Industrial production latest
G - Retail sales (volume) latest
H - Unemployment % rate latest
I - Unemployment % rate year ago
A B C D E
F G H I
Australia +2.6 Q2 +5.2 +2.4 +3.2
+1.2 Q1 +1.6 Q2 5.0 Aug 5.7
Austria +2.0 Q1 +0.8 +1.9 +2.0
+5.4 Jul +1.7 Jun 5.2 Aug 4.9
Belgium +1.5 Q2 +1.2 +1.2 +1.9
-4.0 Jul +5.9 Jun 13.5 Aug[T] 13.2
Britain +1.5 Q2 +2.0 +2.0 +2.2
-1.6 Jul +0.8 Aug 4.7 Jul[TT] 4.7
Canada +2.7 Q2 +3.2 +2.8 +3.0
+0.4 Jun +5.9 Jun 6.8 Aug 7.1
Denmark +0.8 Q1 +0.6 +2.0 +2.2
-1.6 Jul +6.1 Jul 5.7 Aug 6.4
France +1.3 Q2 +0.5 +1.4 +1.8
-0.7 Jul -1.2 Jul 9.9 Jul 10.0
Germany +0.6 Q2 nil +0.9 +1.3
+3.0 Jul -3.0 Jul 11.7 Sep[S] 10.7
Italy +0.1 Q2 +2.7 -0.2 +1.0
-0.9 Jul -1.5 Jun 7.8 Mar 8.2
Japan +1.4 Q2 +3.3 +1.9 +1.9
-2.3 Jul +3.6 Jun 4.4 Jul 4.9
Netherlands +1.3 Q2 +4.9 +0.5 +1.6
+0.1 Jul +1.2 Jun 6.6 Aug** 6.2
Spain +3.4 Q2 +3.6 +3.2 +2.8
-3.5 Jul +0.4 Jul 9.4 Jul 10.9
Sweden +2.3 Q2 +2.6 +2.1 +2.7
+7.8 Jul +6.2 Aug 6.5 Aug[T] 5.5
Switzerland +1.0 Q2 +1.1 +0.8 +1.5
+3.9 Q2 +1.6 Jul 3.6 Aug[T] 3.7
United States +3.6 Q2 +3.3 +3.7 +3.3
+3.1 Aug +7.5 Jul 4.9 Aug 5.4
Euro area +1.1 Q2 +1.2 +1.3 +1.7
+0.5 Jul nil Jul 8.6 Jul 8.9
*% change on previous quarter at an annual rate. [T]Not seasonally adjusted. [TT]May-Jul; claimant count rate 2.8% in Aug. [S]EU harmonised rate 9.0% in Jul. **Jun-Aug. Prices and wages% change on year ago
Legend for chart:
A -
B - Consumer prices latest
C - Consumer prices year ago
D - The Economist poll consumer prices forecast 2005
E - The Economist poll consumer prices forecast 2006
F - Producer prices latest
G - Producer prices year ago
H - Wages/earnings latest
I - Wages/earnings year ago
A B C D E
F G H I
Australia +2.5 Q2 +2.5 +2.7 +2.7
+6.9 Q2 +2.8 +5.8 Q2 +3.0
Austria +2.0 Aug +2.3 +2.1 +1.8
+0.9 Aug +6.3 +2.3 Aug +2.0
Belgium +3.1 Aug +2.3 +2.4 +2.0
+1.8 Jul +5.5 +2.5 Jul +2.2
Britain +2.4 Aug* +1.3 +2.0 +1.9
+3.0 Aug +2.8 +4.2 Jul[T] +3.8
Canada +2.6 Aug +1.9 +2.1 +2.2
-0.3 Jul +5.5 +1.4 Jul +1.5
Denmark +2.2 Aug +1.2 +1.6 +1.8
+5.0 Aug +3.1 +2.9 Q2 +3.1
France +1.8 Aug +2.4 +1.8 +1.6
+2.8 Aug +2.8 +2.9 Q2 +2.8
Germany +2.5 Sep +1.8 +1.7 +1.6
+1.9 Aug +4.2 +1.3 Jul +0.4
Italy +2.0 Aug +2.3 +2.1 +1.9
+3.6 Jul +3.3 +2.9 Aug +2.6
Japan -0.3 Jul -0.1 -0.1 +0.3
+1.7 Aug +1.7 +3.7 Jul +1.7
Netherlands +1.8 Aug +1.1 +1.4 na
+5.6 Jul +5.2 +0.9 Aug +1.0
Spain +3.3 Aug +3.3 +3.2 +2.9
+4.9 Aug +4.4 +3.4 Q2 +3.1
Sweden +0.6 Aug +0.6 +0.5 +1.3
+4.2 Aug +2.0 +2.6 Jun +1.6
Switzerland +1.0 Aug +1.0 +1.1 +1.1
+1.0 Aug +1.5 +0.9 2004 +1.4
United States +3.6 Aug +2.7 +3.0 +2.7
+5.1 Aug +3.4 +2.7 Aug +2.2
Euro area +2.2 Aug +2.3 +2.1 +1.8
+4.0 Jul +2.9 +2.3 Q2 +2.1
*RPI inflation rate 2.8% in Aug. [T]May-Jul. Money and interest rates
Legend for chart:
A -
B - Money supply* % change on year ago narrow
C - Money supply* % change on year ago broad
D - Interest rates % a year (Sep 28th 2005) 3-mth money market latest
E - Interest rates % a year (Sep 28th 2005) 3-mth money market year ago
F - Interest rates % a year (Sep 28th 2005) 2-year gov't bonds
G - Interest rates % a year (Sep 28th 2005) 10-year gov't bonds latest
H - Interest rates % a year (Sep 28th 2005) 10-year gov't bonds year ago
I - Interest rates % a year (Sep 28th 2005) corporate bonds
A B C D E
F G H I
Australia +6.5 +8.8 Jul 5.65 5.42
5.26 5.38 5.41 6.35
Britain +6.2 +10.2 Aug 4.56 4.88
4.21 4.26 4.82 5.18
Canada +7.4 +9.7 Aug 2.86 2.44
3.25 3.94 4.57 5.11
Denmark +20.7 +14.8 Aug 2.20 2.25
2.27 3.06 4.06 4.84
Japan +4.4 +1.7 Aug 0.02 0.02
0.22 1.42 1.43 1.48
Sweden +2.5 +6.2 Aug 1.46 1.98
2.12 2.99 4.25 2.83
Switzerland +0.2 +5.6 Aug 0.77 0.71
1.04 1.87 2.62 1.92
United States +1.0 +6.1 Aug 3.85 1.82
4.10 4.26 4.09 5.32
Euro area +11.5 +8.1 Aug 2.15 2.15
2.29 3.10 3.95 3.43
*Narrow: M1 except Britain and Sweden M0, broad: M2 or M3 except Britain M4. [T]Germany for bonds. Benchmarks: US 30-year 4.46%, Japan No. 272 1.44%. Central bank rates: US fed funds 3.75%, ECB refinancing 2.00%, BOJ overnight call 0.001%, BOE repo 4.5%. Sources: Bank of Canada, Commerzbank, Danske Bank, J.P. Morgan Chase, Stockholmsbörsen, UBS, Global Insight, Westpac, Thomson Datastream. Rates cannot be construed as banks' offers. The Economist commodity price index2000=100
Legend for chart:
A -
B - Sep 20th
C - Sep 27th*
D - % change on one month
E - % change on one year
A B C D E
Dollar index
All items 131.8 132.1 +0.3 +7.6
Food 121.9 120.8 -0.6 +5.7
Industrials
All 144.6 146.7 +1.3 +9.8
Nfa[T] 134.4 133.4 +3.8 +5.6
Metals 150.1 154.0 +0.1 +11.9
Sterling index
All items 110.7 113.5 +1.4 +10.4
Euro index
All items 100.1 101.8 +1.8 +10.4
Yen index
All items 136.3 138.9 +1.9 +9.4
Gold
$ per oz 465.95 460.10 +6.9 +11.9
West Texas Intermediate
$ per barrel 66.00 65.04 -6.9 +30.3
*Provisional. [T]Non-food agriculturals. StockmarketsMarket indices
Legend for chart:
A -
B - Sep 28th
C - 2005 high
D - 2005 low
E - % change on one week
F - % change on record high
G - % change on Dec 31st 2004 in local currency
H - % change on Dec 31st 2004 in $ terms
A
B C D
E F G H
Australia (All Ordinaries)
4,575.2 4,576.7 3,905.5
+1.6 nil +12.9 +8.8
Austria (ATX)
3,423.1 3,430.3 2,415.0
+0.7 -0.2 +40.8 +24.4
Belgium (Bel 20)
3,343.7 3,343.7 2,958.8
+1.8 -9.2 +14.0 +0.7
Britain (FTSE 100)
5,494.8 5,494.8 4,783.6
+2.3 -20.7 +14.1 +4.7
Canada (Toronto Composite)
11,042.3 11,067.2 9,006.2
+0.7 -3.0 +19.4 +21.1
Denmark (KBX)
339.5 341.9 257.8
-0.1 -0.7 +31.7 +16.0
France (SBF 250)
3,211.6 3,211.6 2,633.6
+2.7 -26.9 +21.9 +7.7
France (CAC 40)
4,599.6 4,599.6 3,816.1
+2.9 -33.6 +20.4 +6.3
Germany (DAX)*
5,048.7 5,048.7 4,178.1
+3.6 -37.4 +18.6 +4.8
Italy (S&P/MIB)
34,871.0 34,871.0 30,645.0
+1.3 -30.4 +12.8 -0.3
Japan (Nikkei 225)
13,435.9 13,435.9 10,825.4
+1.8 -65.5 +16.9 +5.7
Japan (Topix)
1,401.5 1,401.5 1,109.2
+3.2 -51.4 +21.9 +10.2
Netherlands (AEX)
402.0 402.0 347.0
+1.4 -42.7 +15.5 +2.0
Spain (Madrid SE)
1,165.2 1,165.2 950.9
+2.7 nil +21.5 +7.3
Sweden (Affarsvarlden Gen)
269.9 269.9 218.9
+2.8 -32.6 +22.0 +3.7
Switzerland (Swiss Market)
6,904.8 6,904.8 5,669.6
+2.1 -17.9 +21.3 +6.4
United States (DJIA)
10,473.1 10,940.6 10,012.4
+0.8 -10.7 -2.9 -2.9
United States (S&P 500)
1,216.9 1,245.0 1,137.5
+0.5 -20.3 +0.4 +0.4
United States (NASDAQ Comp)
2,115.4 2,218.2 1,904.2
+0.3 -58.1 -2.8 -2.8
Europe (FTSEurofirst 300)[T]
1,229.2 1,229.2 1,038.6
+2.0 -27.9 +18.0 +4.2
Euro area (FTSE Euro 100)[T]
1,045.2 1,045.2 894.4
+2.8 -32.6 +16.0 +2.5
World (MSCI)[tt]
1,213.6 1,225.6 1,115.0
+0.2 -16.2 +3.8 +3.8
World bond market (Citigroup)[TT]
631.7 662.3 626.9
-2.4 -4.6 -5.2 -5.2
*Total return index. [T]In euro terms. [tt]Morgan Stanley Capital International index includes individual markets listed above plus eight others, in $ terms. [TT]Citigroup World Government Bond Index, total return, in $ terms. Trade, exchange rates and budgets
Legend for chart:
A -
B - Trade balance*, $bn latest 12 months
C - Current account balance $bn latest 12 mths
D - Current account balance The Economist poll % of GDP, forecast 2005
E - Current account balance The Economist poll % of GDP, forecast 2006
F - Exchange rate trade-weighted[T] 2000=100 Sep 28th
G - Exchange rate trade-weighted[T] 2000=100 year ago
H - Currency units per $ Sep 28th
I - Currency units per $ year ago
J - Currency units per £
K - Currency units per euro
L - Currency units per ¥ 100
M - Budget balance % of GDP 2005[tt]
A
B C D E F G
H I J K L M
Australia
-16.5 Jul -43.1 Q2 -5.9 -5.5 118.3 110.6
1.32 1.40 2.33 1.59 1.17 +0.9
Austria
-1.4 Jul nil Jul -0.4 -0.3 103.9[S] 104.0
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 -2.0
Belgium
+15.4 Jul +12.2 Mar +2.8 +2.7 104.4[S] 104.4
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 -0.5
Britain
-114.3 Jul -23.5 Q2 -2.4 -2.5 98.7 99.7
0.57 0.56 -- 0.68 0.50 -2.9
Canada
+46.5 Jul +16.3 Q2 +1.4 +1.2 122.7 113.6
1.18 1.27 2.08 1.42 1.04 +1.2
Denmark
+9.8 Jul +11.5 Jul +2.1 +1.9 105.7 106.1
6.21 6.04 10.9 7.46 5.48 +1.8
France
-27.8 Jul -24.1 Jul -0.7 -0.5 106.9[S] 107.0
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 -3.0
Germany
+198.8 Jul +110.5 Jul +3.6 +3.4 104.6[S] 104.7
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 -3.5
Italy
-7.0 Jul -26.0 Jul -1.3 -1.5 76.5[S] 76.6
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 -4.4
Japan
+110.4 Jul +165.8 Jul +3.4 +3.3 84.8 86.1
113 111 200 136 -- -6.1
Netherlands
+40.0 Jul +28.3 Q2 +3.7 +3.6 103.9[S] 103.9
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 -2.2
Spain
-90.6 Jul -75.2 Jun -5.4 -5.5 77.2[S] 77.2
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 +0.5
Sweden
+21.4 Aug +27.9 Q2 +6.7 +6.2 95.3 99.7
7.82 7.35 13.8 9.39 6.89 +0.8
Switzerland
+7.0 Jul +40.2 Q1 +11.4 +11.0 106.0 106.6
1.30 1.26 2.28 1.56 1.14 -1.0
United States
-730.7 Jul -749.7 Q2 -6.3 -6.3 86.2 86.3
-- -- 1.76 1.20 0.88 -4.1
Euro area
+54.3 Jul +10.3 Jul +0.3 +0.2 115.4 116.4
0.83 0.81 1.47 -- 0.73 -2.8
*Merchandise. Australia, Britain, France, Canada, Japan and United States imports fob, exports fob. All others cif/fob. [T]Bank of England except [S]IMF, July average. [tt]OECD forecast. GRAPH: Competitiveness: High taxes and large safety nets need not undermine competitiveness, as shown by the strong ranking of Nordic countries in the World Economic Forum's league table of global competitiveness. Finland tops the list, followed by America, which scores well on its technological abilities but poorly on its fiscal outlook. Australia, India, Ireland and Poland all climbed up the rankings since a year ago. (Source: World Economic Forum) GRAPH: Top companies by market capitalisation: September 27th 2005, $bn (Source: Thomson Datastream) in the Fair Use guidelines of the 1976 U.S. Copyright Act. info [at] singlearticles.com Powered by CommonSense |
A NEW WORLD AHEAD. OUT LOUD. America West Posts $31.7-Million Loss. |
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