Economic Update: 13 Reasons for Believing in This Recovery

Highlights from this month's issue:

• Overview: As expected, economic activity in March was significantly improved over February’s weather-related sluggishness. Gains in some areas were even stronger than anticipated


• Retail: A slightly earlier Easter, compared with last year, helped sales in March. Gains are becoming more widespread


• Motor Vehicles: Unit sales of vehicles in March rose, helped by incentives


• Consumer Products: Increasing retail sales are helping production, which has risen for 7 of the last 8 months


• Aerospace & Defense: Production remains wobbly. It rose slightly in March, although it had declined in 4 of the previous 5 months


• Process & Industrial Products: With signs that capital spending is picking up, machinery production has been rising sharply. Production of nonenergy basic materials has improved for 3 consecutive months


• Lodging: Revenue per available room rose in March on a year-over-year basis. It was the first increase since mid-2008

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Attachments

• Economic Update - April 2010 (128.07 KB)
  Print-Friendly Report; 4-page PDF

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