Sunday, July 31, 2011

Recession Statistics: August 2011

Using the St Louis FED Data we present with some commentary the Recession Stats as we have for the past three years.

First the GDP. It is lagging behind almost all other Recessions as we have seen. This will clearly be a serious problem for the current administration.

Now for its components:
Personal Consumption had been growing but as a driver of GDP it has dropped the last period.
Private Investment also dropped. This is a very bad sign going forward.

Government Consumption has also lagged as we have seen pressure on the over expansion and total ineffectiveness of the Stimulus. There clearly is no credibility in the collection of economists who has said one thing and another happens.
Exports have increased relatively showing the potential weakness of the dollar.

Imports are on norm.

Incomes are below the minimum. That is a major concern. Both as a source of tax revenue and in terms of the pressure downward. Perhaps the only good news is the low pressure on any inflationary trend.


Industrial production is slowly increasing but with low incomes there is little hope of that continuing.

Finally Retail Sales seems to be on par.

Net, this Recession is far from over and signs of a second dip are evident.