Consumer Sentiment for September 2012

The Consumer Sentiment figure for this month (September 2012):

Predicted: 79.0
Actual: 78.3

The Consumer Sentiment Index is compiled on a monthly basis by the University of Michigan; 500 U.S. households are queried about their own financial circumstances and about the economy in general. 200 questions are asked, e.g. "Do you think that right now is a good time to purchase a major household item, like a new microwave oven, TV set, or a new sofa?"

The Consumer Sentiment Index uses a 1966 baseline, i.e. for 1966, the Consumer Sentiment Index = 100. So any number that is below the 1966 baseline of 100 means that the folks who were polled recently aren't as optimistic about the U.S. economy as the sample that was polled back in 1966.

The Consumer Sentiment Index is similar to the Consumer Confidence Index in that they both measure consumer attitudes and offer insight into consumer spending.

The "predicted" figure is what economists and Wall Street forecasters were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

Last month, the Consumer Sentiment Index was 79.2.

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New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week of September 22, 2012

Earlier today, the Labor Department released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week that ended on September 22, 2012:

Predicted: 376,000
Actual: 359,000

Last Week (Revised): 385,000

The above figures represent the number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits for the entire United States. The "predicted" figure is what economists and Wall Street forecasters were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

Click here to view the full Labor Department report.

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New Home Sales for August 2012

The August 2012 New Home Sales report was released this morning:

Predicted: 380,000

Actual New Home Sales: 373,000

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Change from One Month Previous: -0.3%
Change from One Year Previous: +27.7%

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Median Price for a New Home during August: $256,900
Average Price for a New Home during August: $295,300

Click here for historical prices and a chart.

Compiled jointly by the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the monthly New Home Sales report measures the number of newly-built homes with committed buyers for a given month.

The "predicted" figure is what economists and Wall Street forecasters were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

The New Home Sales report is watched by economists and investors because it offers insight into the state of the U.S. housing market, and also provides data that can be used to predict sales of large household furniture and appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners and microwave ovens.

Click here to view the full Commerce Department report (PDF).

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New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week of September 8, 2012

Earlier today, the Labor Department released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week that ended on September 8, 2012:

Predicted: 370,000
Actual: 382,000

The above figures represent the number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits for the entire United States. The "predicted" figure is what economists and Wall Street forecasters were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

Click here to view the full Labor Department report.

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New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week of September 1, 2012

Earlier today, the Labor Department released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week that ended on September 1, 2012:

Predicted: 370,000
Actual: 365,000

The above figures represent the number of first-time claims for unemployment benefits for the entire United States. The "predicted" figure is what economists and Wall Street forecasters were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

Click here to view the full Labor Department report.

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Challenger Report on Corporate Layoffs for August 2012

Earlier today, the outplacement company Challenger released their report on corporate layoffs for August 2012:

U.S. Corporate Job Cuts Announced during August 2012: 32,239
If corporate layoffs are high, consumer spending may decline, since there would be fewer people with steady jobs.

When corporate layoffs are low, this can mean that the job market is relatively tight, which can be a harbinger of wage inflation.

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