Consumer Sentiment for May, 2007

Consumer Sentiment for May, 2007:

Predicted: 88.0
Actual: 88.7

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 87.1.

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New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week of May 26, 2007

Earlier today, the Labor Department released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week that ended on May 26, 2007:

Predicted: 310,000
Actual: 310,000

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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Redbook Numbers for The Week of May 26, 2007

The Redbook numbers for the week that ended on May 26, 2007 were released this morning:

Redbook Sales Figures: +2.4%

The Redbook measures the weekly sales at chain stores, discount stores, and department stores -- about 9,000 stores in total -- and is therefore an important measure of current consumer spending in the U.S. The above figure represents the year-to-year change in the Redbook sales figures, so sales are up by 2.4% when compared to sales during the corresponding week back in May of 2006.

The weekly Johnson Redbook Index report is produced by Redbook Research.

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Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for May, 2007

The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) for this month (May, 2007) was released by The Conference Board this morning:

Predicted: 105.0
Actual: 108.0

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

Every month, The Conference Board sends a questionnaire to 5,000 U.S. households. Survey participants are polled about their feeling regarding the current U.S. economy, the future of the U.S. economy, and about their own fiscal circumstances. On average, 3,500 participants complete and return the 5-question survey.

The baseline "100" score for the CCI is linked to 1985 survey data.

When consumers feel good about the economy, they tend to do more spending, and vice versa.

Based in New York City, The Conference Board is a private, not-for-profit organization with a mission to, "create and disseminate knowledge about management and the marketplace to help businesses strengthen their performance and better serve society."

The CCI is almost always released on the last Tuesday of the month.

Last month, the CCI was 104.

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New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week of May 19, 2007

Earlier today, the Labor Department released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week that ended on May 19, 2007:

Predicted: 310,000
Actual: 311,000

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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Redbook Numbers for The Week of May 19, 2007

The Redbook numbers for the week that ended on May 19, 2007 were released this morning:

Redbook Sales Figures: +2.0%

The Redbook measures the weekly sales at chain stores, discount stores, and department stores -- about 9,000 stores in total -- and is therefore an important measure of current consumer spending in the U.S. The above figure represents the year-to-year change in the Redbook sales figures, so sales are up by 2.0% when compared to sales during the corresponding week back in May of 2006.

The weekly Johnson Redbook Index report is produced by Redbook Research.

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New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week of May 12, 2007

Earlier today, the Labor Department released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week that ended on May 12, 2007:

Predicted: 310,000
Actual: 293,000

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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Redbook Numbers for The Week of May 12, 2007

The Redbook numbers for the week that ended on May 12, 2007 were released this morning:

Redbook Sales Figures: +2.7%

The Redbook measures the weekly sales at chain stores, discount stores, and department stores -- about 9,000 stores in total -- and is therefore an important measure of current consumer spending in the U.S. The above figure represents the year-to-year change in the Redbook sales figures, so sales are up by 2.7% when compared to sales during the corresponding week back in May of 2006.

The weekly Johnson Redbook Index report is produced by Redbook Research.

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New Unemployment Insurance Claims for The Week of May 5, 2007

Earlier today, the Labor Department released the New Unemployment Insurance Claims report for the week that ended on May 5, 2007:

Predicted: 315,000
Actual: 297,000

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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Redbook Numbers for The Week of May 5, 2007

The Redbook numbers for the week that ended on May 5, 2007 were released this morning:

Redbook Sales Figures: +0.1%

The Redbook measures the weekly sales at chain stores, discount stores, and department stores -- about 9,000 stores in total -- and is therefore an important measure of current consumer spending in the U.S. The above figure represents the year-to-year change in the Redbook sales figures, so sales are up by 0.1% when compared to sales during the corresponding week back in May of 2006.

The weekly Johnson Redbook Index report is produced by Redbook Research.

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