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Measure of US economy's future health rises 0.6 per cent in April after March dip

The Canadian PressMay 17, 2013 10:46
WASHINGTON - A measure of the U.S. economy's future health rose solidly in April, buoyed by a sharp rise in applications to build homes and a better job market. The Conference Board said Friday that its index of leading indicators increased 0.6 per cent last month to a reading of 95. That followed a 0.2 per cent decline in March. The index is intended to signal economic conditions three to six months out. Conference Board economist Ken Goldstein said the index is 3.5 per cent higher at an annual rate than it was six months ago, suggesting expansion for the economy.

Survey: US service firms expand at slower pace in April, held back by new orders, hiring

The Canadian PressMay 3, 2013 12:00
WASHINGTON - U.S. service firms expanded at a slower pace in April than March, restrained by weaker growth in hiring and new orders. The Institute for Supply Management says its index of non-manufacturing activity fell to 53.1 in April from 54.4 in March. Any reading above 50 indicates expansion. The report measures growth in industries that cover 90 per cent of the work force, including retail, construction, health care and financial services.

US consumer confidence rebounds in April

Agence France-PresseApril 30, 2013 10:30
US consumer confidence picked up in April after falling the prior month, the Conference Board reported Tuesday. The Conference Board's consumer confidence index rose to 68.1 points from a revised 61.9 in March. Consumers expectations about the short-term economic outlook and their income prospects improved, but the research firm cautioned that the effects of the January 1 payroll tax hike and the sharp government spending cuts that began March 1 were weighing on sentiment.

German consumer confidence up but retail sales slip

Agence France-PresseApril 30, 2013 04:31
Consumer confidence in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, rose again this month, apparently shrugging off fears of a possible resurgence of the euro crisis, even as retail sales slipped, data showed on Tuesday. The market research company GfK found in its regular monthly consumer climate survey that political gridlock in Italy and the Cyprus crisis have not substantially soured sentiment in Europe's biggest economy so far.

German consumer confidence rises

Agence France-PresseApril 30, 2013 02:30
German consumer confidence remains robust, apparently shrugging off -- at least for now -- fears of a possible resurgence of the euro crisis, a poll found on Tuesday. Political gridlock in Italy and the Cyprus crisis have not substantially soured sentiment in Europe's biggest economy so far, market research company GfK said in a statement. GfK's household confidence index was forecast to rise to 6.2 points in May from 6.0 points in April, a statement said.

Euro zone consumer confidence rises in April

April 22, 2013 10:30
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Consumer morale in the euro zone improved in April, the European Commission said on Monday, but remained well below the currency area's long-term average. The Commission said consumer confidence in the 17-member euro zone rose to -22.3 this month from a March figure of -23.5. The reading beat expectations of economists polled by Reuters, who had expected a deterioration to -23.85.

Japan consumer mood in March at highest in almost 6 yrs-govt

April 17, 2013 02:00
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese consumer confidence improved in March to the highest level in almost six years, a Cabinet Office survey showed on Wednesday, indicating that aggressive government and central bank policies are having their desired effect. The survey's sentiment index for general households, which includes views on incomes and jobs, was 44.8 in March, which was the highest since May 2007. That was also up from a revised 44.2 in February.

Australian consumer confidence falls in April

April 10, 2013 15:15
Australian consumer confidence stumbled unexpectedly in April after strong gains in the past two months, a survey released on Wednesday by the Westpac Banking Corp and Melbourne Institute found. The Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer sentiment fell by 5.1 percent in April to 104.9 points, from 110.5 in March. A reading above 100 indicates optimists outnumber pessimists among respondents. Westpac chief economist Bill Evans said a 5.1 percent fall in consumer sentiment in April was not expected.

Euro zone sentiment drops in March, ends four months of gains

March 27, 2013 06:45
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Confidence in the euro zone's economy worsened in March, falling after four straight months of gains, the European Commission said on Wednesday. Economic sentiment in the 17 countries using the euro decreased by a worse-than-expected 1.1 points to 90.0. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a decline to 90.4.

consumer sentiment-March tally

March 26, 2013 17:32
SEOUL, March 27 (Yonhap) -- South Korean consumers' confidence rose to the highest level in 10 months in March due to signs of the global economic recovery and the new government's economic stimulus measures, the central bank said Wednesday. The consumer sentiment index (CSI) -- a gauge of consumers' overall economic outlook, living conditions and future spending -- came in at 104 for March, up from 102 tallied for the previous month, according to a monthly survey by the Bank of Korea (BOK). The March reading marked the highest level since 106 recorded for May 2012.
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