U.S. Economic News
October 15, 2019
U.S. Economic Indicators
The October Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicates that business activity grew slightly in October as the headline index edged up 2.0 points to 4.0. The new orders index was unchanged at 3.5, while the shipments index increased 7.2 points to 13.0; meanwhile, the index for number of employees fell 2.1 points to 7.6 and the hours worked index was positive, indicating a slightly longer workweek. NY Fed Report
U.S. News
Analysis by the Wall Street Journal finds that although women make up about half of the U.S. workforce today, many jobs remain starkly segregated along gender lines. The share of positions held by women in traditionally male-dominated professions such as business, finance, and law has risen significantly since the 1970s, while other fields, such as construction and nursing, are about as segregated today as they were fifty years ago. WSJ
The Financial Times reports that Chinese exports fell 3.2% year-over-year in September — the biggest annual decline since February — as the trade war with the U.S. and softer global demand continue to weigh on the world’s second-largest economy. Economists expect China’s GDP to have grown at its slowest pace in almost three decades in the third quarter despite Beijing’s attempts to offset impacts of global manufacturing weakness with economic stimulus measures. FT