Economy

February Chinese Trade Data
Written by Brett Linton
March 25, 2014
Details on steel trade data out of China were released earlier this week on iron ore imports, steel scrap imports, and flat rolled steel imports and exports. Chinese imports of iron ore in February were 61,240,000 metric tons (MT), a decrease of 29.6 percent from the previous month but an increase of 8.5 percent from February 2013. Total iron ore imports for 2014 were adjusted to 148,070,000 MT.
February imports of steel scrap were 150,000 MT, down 5.1 percent from January and down 63.4 percent from the same month one year ago. 2014 total levels for steel scrap imports were adjusted to 310,000 MT.
Flat rolled imports in January were 840,000 MT, a 26.3 percent decrease from the previous month but a 7.7 percent increase over February 2013 figures. Total 2014 imports were adjusted to 1,980,000 MT. Chinese exports of flat rolled steel were 2,420,000 MT for February, down 21.2 percent from January but up 34.4 percent from February 2013. Total flat rolled exports for 2014 are at an adjusted 5,490,000 MT. (Source: China Customs Service)

Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest in Economy

ABI Index Drops in August
August’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) reading from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek showed a moderate decrease.

Beige Book: Economic Activity Appears Stable
The US Federal Reserve said that although overall economic activity was modest in July and August, per its latest Beige Book Report released on Sept. 6, the report was still slightly more optimistic than the previous one.
Dodge Momentum Declines in August on Tighter Lending
The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) moved lower in August, driven by a slowdown in planning from tighter lending standards, according to the latest data from the Dodge Construction Network (DCN).

ISM PMI Shows 10 Months of Decline in Manufacturing Activity
Activity in the US manufacturing sector continues to slow, according to the latest monthly report on business from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).
Chicago Business Barometer Rises for Third Consecutive Month
The Chicago Business Barometer edged up in August. This is the third consecutive monthly increase according to the latest indicators from Market News International (MNI) and the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).