Economic indicators

Manufacturing in the central Atlantic region “largely unchanged in August,” according to the monthly business activity survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, as the manufacturing index remained 14.

The region's non-manufacturing sector “continued to expand,” as the general business conditions index increased to 31.8 in August from 23.4 in July, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business, released Tuesday, indicates.

More individuals looked for jobs, but, when extended, wage offers were lower, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s July first released labor market survey.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for July decreased to negative 0.01 from positive 0.16 in June, while the three-month moving average (CFNAI-MA3) fell to negative 0.05 from positive 0.09 in June, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported Monday.

The simultaneous drop in Puerto Rico’s unemployment rate and employment reflects the flight of workers from the island.

The University of Michigan's preliminary August consumer sentiment index reading was 97.6, compared to the final July 93.4, and the preliminary July 93.1, according to market sources.

The composite of the Leading Economic Index was up 0.3% in July following an unrevised 0.6% increase in June, the Conference Board reported Thursday.ted Thursday.

Industrial production was up 0.2% in July, the Federal Reserve reported Thursday.

Initial claims for U.S. state unemployment benefits fell by 12,000 to 232,000 in the August 12 employment survey week, below the 240,000 level expected and following no revision to the 244,000 claims level in the previous week, data released by the Labor Department Thursday showed.

The region's manufacturing sector expanded in August, but at a slower pace than in July, as the general business conditions index decreased to 18.9 from 19.5 in July, this month's Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business indicates.

New York City’s economy grew 3.3% in the second quarter – more than double the 1.5% growth rate seen in the same period last year, according to an analysis released on Wednesday by City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

The pace of housing starts fell by 4.8% to a 1.155 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in July, well below expectations for a rise to a 1.220 million pace, data reported by the Commerce Department Wednesday morning showed.

The New York region's service sector activity "picked up," according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's August Business Leaders Survey, released Tuesday.

The value of business inventories rose 0.5% in June, as expected by analysts and predicted by an MNI calculation, while business sales were up 0.3%, a Commerce Department report Tuesday showed.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes increased as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index rose to 68 in August from 64 in July.

U.S. import prices rose 0.1% in July, as expected, and were down 0.1% excluding fuel prices and flat excluding just petroleum prices.

The value of retail sales rose 0.6% in July, well ahead of expectations for a 0.3% gain, and followed a sharply upward revised 0.3% gain in June, data released by the Commerce Department Tuesday morning shows.

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business activity grew strongly in New York State," the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday, as the general business conditions index soared to 25.2 in August from 9.8 in July.

Consumers’ inflation expectations held for one-year, but dipped for the three-year horizon, according to the July Survey of Consumer Expectations, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Monday.

The consumer price index rose a moderate 0.1% in July, below expectations for a 0.2% gain, data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.