Posts Tagged ‘fourth quarter’
US unemployment rate holds steady at 9.7%
The Labor Department has today revealed the US unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.7% in February and lower than the 10% rate reported in December.
According to the Labor Department, employers cut 36,000 jobs last month – fewer than the 50,000 analysts had been expecting and compares to a revised 26,000 job cuts in January.
In [...]
US Fed’s influential Beige Book sees modest growth
The latest publication of the US Federal Reserve’s influential Beige Book reported that the world’s largest economy has continued to grow this year but at a “modest” pace.
The Beige Book, which is compiled eight times a year, is based on reports and comments from businesses throughout the US.
It said despite a pick up in consumer [...]
Venezuela economy shrinks 5.8% in fourth quarter
The Venezuelan economy, which relies heavily on revenues from its oil reserves for its economic growth, contracted by 5.8% in the fourth quarter of 2009 compared with a year earlier.
According to the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV), the economy shrank 3.3% during the 2009 year.
The BCV said the global economic crisis and “the weakness of [...]
Australian economy grows 2.7% during 2009
Official figures have revealed Australia’s economy grew 0.9% in the October to December period, while on an annual basis the economy expanded 2.7%.
In comparison, the UK, Germany and Japan all contracted by around 5% in 2009, while the US shrank by 2.4%.
Australia’s Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan described the country’s growth as “the [...]
Strong UK manufacturing growth boosts recovery hopes
The CIPS/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity grew faster than expected in February – sustaining the previous month’s 15-year high rate of growth.
The positive figures will boost hopes that the economic recovery is gathering pace after last week’s fourth quarter GDP figures were revised upwards.
Last week, the Office for [...]