Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Quick Overview

  • The U.S. Labor Department said that YoY consumer prices were up 4.1% in July. Excluding food and energy, prices were up 2.7% YoY.

  • Chinese fixed-asset investment, real estate, factories and utilities, eased to 30.5% YoY in the first seven months of 2006, down from 31.3% in the first half of 2006.

  • U.S. Housing starts were at a yearly rate of 1.795 million units in July, down 2.5% from June's pace. For 2006, housing starts were down 5.1% YoY.

  • U.S. Industrial production was up 0.4% in July, weaker than expected.

  • Mexico's economy grew at 4.7% in the second quarter, boosted by a booming construction industry and a surge in auto exports.

  • The U.S. Department of Energy said that::
    Supplies of crude oil were down 1.6 million barrels to 331.0 million barrels.
    Supplies of unleaded gasoline were down 2.3 million barrels
    Supplies of heating oil were down 300,000 barrels.

  • The World Gold Council said that world demand for gold totaled 802 tons in the second quarter of 2006, down 16% YoY. World mine production totaled 625 tons in the second quarter, up 2.3% YoY.

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