• U.S. Business Sales, Inventories – February 2013

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Sales: The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for February, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,286.7 billion, up 1.2 percent (±0.2) from January 2013 and up 3.7 percent (±0.4) from February 2012. Inventories: Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,642.1 billion, up 0.1 percent (±0.1) from January 2013 and up 4.9 percent (±0.4) from February 2012. Inventories/Sales Ratio: The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of February was 1.28. The February 2012 ratio was 1.26. Source: USDOC-Census

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• U.S. Consumer Sentiment – April 2013

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“The April preliminary survey of consumer sentiment from Reuters and the University of Michigan: 72.3. ”Final reading for March was 78.6” Source: FoxLive.com

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• U.S. Retail Sales – March 2013

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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 $418.3 billion, a decrease of 0.4 percent (±0.5%) from the previous month, but 2.8 percent (±0.7%) above March 2012. Total sales for the January through March 2013 period were up 3.7 percent (±0.5%) from the same period a year ago. The January to February 2013 percent change was revised from +1.1 percent (±0.5%) to +1.0 percent (±0.2%). Retail trade sales were down 0.6 percent (±0.5%) from February 2013, but 2.6 percent (±0.8%) above last year. Nonstore retailers were up 13.5 percent (±2.3%) from March 2012 and auto and other motor vehicle dealers were up 7.4 percent (±2.1%) from last year. Source: USDOC-Census

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• U.S. Producer Price Index – March 2013

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The Producer Price Index for finished goods decreased 0.6 percent in March, seasonally adjusted. Finished goods prices rose 0.7 percent in February and 0.2 percent in January. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods fell 0.9 percent in March, and the crude goods index declined 2.5 percent. On an unadjusted basis, prices for finished goods increased 1.1 percent for the 12 months ended March 2013, the smallest year-over-year advance since a 0.5- percent rise in July 2012. Source: USDOL-BLS

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• U.S. Initial Unemployment [Jobless] Claims Down 42k

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In the week ending April 6, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 346,000, a decrease of 42,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000 and down 8.5% from the same week a year ago. The 4-week moving average was 358,000, an increase of 3,000 from the previous week's revised average of 355,000. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.4 percent for the week ending March 30, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 23 were in Alaska (5.5), Puerto Rico (4.3), California (3.8), New Jersey (3.8), Rhode Island (3.8), Connecticut (3.7), Pennsylvania (3.7), Wisconsin (3.6), Massachusetts (3.5), and Montana (3.5). The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 30 were in Pennsylvania (+3,015), New Jersey (+2,409), Illinois (+2,149), Kentucky (+1,718), and Wisconsin (+1,583), while the largest decreases were in Texas (-3,489), California (-2,661), North Carolina (-1,601), Arkansas (-1,221), and Connecticut (-774). Note: “Insured unemployment rate” refers to individuals who are unemployed and receiving UC benefits. Source: USDOL-BLS

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• U.S. Employment in Major Metropolitan Areas – February 2013

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Jobless rates were lower in February than a year earlier in 287 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 69, and unchanged in 16. Nonfarm payroll employment was up in 303 metropolitan areas over the year, down in 58, and unchanged in 11. Source: USDOL-BLS

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• U.S. Job Openings and Labor Turnover – February 2013

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There were 3.9 million job openings on the last business day of February, up from 3.6 million in January. The hires rate (3.3 percent) and separations rate (3.1 percent) were little changed in February). Source: USDOL-BLS

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