Economic News - September 11, 2008

CASH Index - September 2008

• CASH Index Reading: 69.2


• Monthly Change: Up 33.8


• Job Index: 95.5


• Job Index Change: Up 9.7

Federal Budget - August 2008

• Monthly Deficit/Surplus: $111,914 billion deficit


• Prior Year Monthly: $116,973 billion deficit

Import Export Price Index - August 2008

• Import Prices: Down 3.7%


• Non-petroleum Import Prices: Down 0.3%


• Export Prices: Down 1.7%


• Non-agricultural Export Prices: Down 0.7%

International Trade (US) - July 2008

• Exports: $168.1 billion


• Monthly Change: Up $5.4 billion


• Imports: $230.3 billion


• Monthly Change: Up $8.7 billion

Jobless Claims - September 11, 2008

• Initial Claims: 445,000


• Change from Last Week: Down 6,000

Money Supply (M1 and M2) - September 11, 2008

• M1 Seasonally Adjusted Prior Month: $1391.5 billion


• M1 Annual Change (Unadjusted): Up $21.6 billion


• M2 Seasonally Adjusted Prior Month: $7716.5 billion


• M2 Annual Change (Unadjusted): Up $402 billion

Freddie Mac reports big rate drop

Freddie Mac reported that mortgage rates fell further this week,
bringing the average rate for a 30-year Fixed Rate Mortgage down to
5.93% - down 0.6% over the last four weeks and down 0.4% from last
week.

Korean economic indicators bounce back

Korean economic indicators bounced back strongly in July after big drops in June. Both the Leading Index and the Coincident Index rose 0.9% in July.

Japan's Economy Contracts

Japan said its economy shrank at an annualized pace of 3% during the April-June quarter, revising down an earlier estimate.

Exports Keep Driving U.S. Growth

U.S. exports surged in July and will continue to add a much-needed boost to the nation's economic growth.

Economist: Market at Near Bottom

Economist Karl Case says he thinks the housing market may be near a bottom.

China's Industrial Output Expands at Slowest Pace in Six Years on Exports

China's industrial production grew
at the slowest pace in six years on weaker export demand and
factory shutdowns for the Olympics, increasing the likelihood
the government will stimulate the economy.

Japan's Economy Shrinks 3%, Most Since 2001, as Spending, Exports Decline

Japan's economy shrank 3 percent
last quarter, the steepest contraction since 2001, as companies
and households cut spending and exports fell.

Mexican gross fixed investment jumps 8 pct in June

Canada new home market cools further in July