Brief rundown;

• Retail sales increased 1.6% from February to March
• February was reported at $355.5 billion
• March was reported $363.2 billion

U.S Census Bureau Report:

“The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for March, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $363.2 billion, an increase of 1.6 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month and 7.6 percent (±0.5%) above March 2009. Total sales for the January through March 2010 period were up 5.5 percent (±0.3%) from the same period a year ago. The January to February 2010 percent change was revised from +0.3 percent (±0.5%)* to +0.5 percent (±0.3%).”

This graph shows the monthly retail sales.

Graph Source: www.calculatedriskblog.com

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One way to measure a country’s debt position is by comparing GDP to gross external debt. Through that method we can determine what are the odds that a country will be able to repay its debt. Figures were referenced from the World Bank.

The World’s Top 20 Debtor Nations. These rankings my surprise you!

                                                                     External debt                Gross external debt             2009 GDP (est)
                                                                        (as % of GDP)                  (2009 Q3)

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Check out this Graph for NewGeography.com it shows the labor force growth in the U.S. compared to China, Japan, Europe and Korea. The graph indicates that the U.S will add another 100 million to its population 2000-2050 based on the census projections, and have a strong labor force and social benefits for the future. However, what this graph doesn’t address is that you might have a large labor force but will that labor force have jobs in America!

Source Reference:

www.newgeography.com
U.S. Census Bureau, International Database

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Check out this article from WSJ: China Takes Aim at U.S. on Economy By ANDREW BATSON, IAN JOHNSON And ANDREW BROWNE

Couple of issues discussed;

• Premier Wen Jiabao said U.S. efforts to boost its exports by weakening the dollar amounted to “a kind of trade protectionism.”
• Recent deterioration in what he (Jiabao) called China’s most important foreign relationship was because of the arms sale to Taiwan and meeting with the Dali Lama.

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Press Release Federal Reserve: Industrial Production/Capacity Utilization

“Industrial production edged up 0.1 percent in February following a gain of 0.9 percent in January. Production was likely held down somewhat by winter storms in the Northeast. Manufacturing decreased 0.2 percent in February, with mixed results among its major industries. The output of mines rose 2.0 percent, while the index for utilities rose 0.5 percent. At 101.0 percent of its 2002 average, industrial output in February was 1.7 percent above its year-earlier level. Capacity utilization for total industry moved up 0.2 percentage point to 72.7 percent, a rate 7.9 percentage points below its average from 1972 to 2009.”

This graph shows the capacity utilization since 1967. Capacity utilization is up 6.5% since the record low set last year.

Graph Source: www.calculatedriskblog.com

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U.S. Census Bureau Press Release:

“total January exports of $142.7 billion and imports of $180.0 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $37.3 billion, down from $39.9 billion in December, revised.”

Imports and Exports have been on the rise. However still below previous recession levels. The bulk of the trade deficit is a result of China and oil.

The graph from CalculatedRiskBlog.com shows the monthly U.S. exports and imports in dollars through January 2010.

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The graph below shows the stock market’s growth, stagnation, and decline with respect to U.S Presidents.

You be the judge!

//

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ADP Press Release
Nonfarm private employment decreased 20,000 from January to February 2010 on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the ADP National Employment Report®. The estimated change of employment from December 2009 to January 2010 was revised down, from a decline of 22,000 to a decline of 60,000. The February employment decline was the smallest since employment began falling in February of 2008.
Two large blizzards smothered parts of the east coast during the reference period for the BLS establishment survey. The adverse weather had only a very small effect on today’s ADP Report due to the methodology used to construct it. However, the adverse weather is widely expected to depress the BLS estimate of the monthly change in employment for February, but boost it for March. Therefore, it would not be unreasonable to expect the BLS estimate for February (due out this Friday) to be less than today’s ADP Report even though the BLS estimate will include the hiring of temporary Census workers not captured in the ADP Report.

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New home sales in the U.S fell to a record low in January.

The Census Bureau report:
Sales of new single-family houses in January 2010 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 11.2 percent (±14.0%)* below the revised December rate of 348,000 and is 6.1 percent (±15.1%)* below the January 2009 estimate of 329,000.
Homebuilders are facing tough competition given that the market is flooded with foreclosed homes. To add to there problems unemployment remains high at 9.7% and companies are slow to hire.

New home sales break down by regions:

Northeast: declined 35%
West: declined 12%
South: declined 9.5%
Midwest: rose 2.1%

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Here is an interesting chart from Visual Economics showing GDP vs Expenditures. However, inflation doesn’t seem to be represented in this data.

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