The United States has been running consistent trade deficits since 1976 due to high imports of oil and consumer products. In 2018, the biggest trade deficits were recorded with China, Mexico, Germany, Japan, Ireland, Vietnam and Italy and the biggest trade surpluses with Hong Kong, Netherlands, Aust...

In the United States, Markit Composite PMI Output Index tracks business trends across both manufacturing and service sectors (60 percent from the manufacturing sector and 40 percent from the services sector). The index is based on data collected from a representative panel of over 1,000 companies an...

In the United States, the Consumer Price Index or CPI measures changes in the prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services.

The United States is the world’s largest economy. Yet, in the last two decades, like in the case of many other developed nations, its growth rates have been decreasing. If in the 50’s and 60’s the average growth rate was above 4 percent, in the 70’s and 80’s dropped to around 3 percent. In the las...

Housing Starts refer to the number of new residential construction projects that have begun during any particular month. Estimates of housing starts include units in structures being totally rebuilt on an existing foundation.

In the United States, the authority to set interest rates is divided between the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The Board decides on changes in discount rates after recommendations submitted by one or more of the regional Federal Reser...

In the United States, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.