Quick Overview

• The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3.3% in the second quarter, down from 3.8% in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
  
  

• U.S. Jobless claims dropped 79,000 to 356,000, less than expected. According to CBS Market Watch 60,000 of the jobless claims were linked to Hurricane Katrina.
  

• The DoE said that underground supplies of natural gas were up 53 billion cubic feet last week to 2.885 trillion cubic feet. YoY supplies are now down 4%.
  

• The U.S. Minerals Management Service said that 99% of oil production and 80% of natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico remain stopped.
  

• U.S. Manufacturers want to see China's Yuan currency "appreciate significantly," the largest U.S. manufacturing group said on Thursday in its latest salvo over what it sees as Beijing's unfair trade practices.
  

• Germany's unemployment rate increased from 11.6% to 11.7% in September.
  

• Retail sales in Japan were up 1.5% in August, stronger than expected.
  

• New Zealand's GDP was up 3.1% in the second quarter.