Thursday, December 01, 2005

Quick Overview

  • The U.S. Commerce Department said that personal incomes rose 0.4% in October and consumer spending went up by 0.2%.

  • YoY the core rate of personal consumption expenditures, was up just 1.8% in October, the smallest gain in six months.

  • U.S. jobless claims were down by 17,000 last week to 320,000.

  • An index of U.S. manufacturing fell from 59.1 to 58.1 in November following the two fastest-growing months of the year, the Institute for Supply Management reported Thursday

  • Construction spending rose 0.7% to an annual rate of 1.13 trillion in October for a fourth straight month, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

  • Sugar closed at the highest level in nine years – an other production deficit is forecast for 2006 and 2007

  • Gold closed at the highest level (above $500) for 1st time since 1987

  • The DoE said that natural gas supplies were down 49 billion cubic feet to 3.225 trillion cubic feet. YoY supplies are down 2%.

  • London inventories of copper now are at 72,600 tons,

  • The Bank of Japan needs to not only make sure the economy does not fall back into deflation but should conduct monetary policy in a way that ensures a steady rise in prices, a government report said on Friday.

  • The European Central Bank increased its interest rate, from 2.00% to 2.25%, for the first time in five years.

No comments: