(Jan. 2, 2009) -- Weakness in manufacturing was evident in all of the major sub-components of the index. The production measure dropped to 25.5 in December from 31.5 in November while the new orders component fell to 22.7 from 27.9 over the same period. The current level for new orders represents a record low for this indicator.

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(Dec. 30, 2008) -- In a report out this morning, the Chicago purchasing management index provided more encouraging news by unexpectedly rising to 34.1 in December from 33.8 in November. This is the first increase in this measure since August.

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(Dec. 30, 2008) -- "The Present Situation Index is now close to levels last seen in the months following the 1990-91 recession, but is not as low as levels reached during the 1981-82 recession. Declines in the Expectations Index appear to be moderating, but this index continues to hover at historical lows. The overall economic outlook remains quite dismal for the first half of 2009, and only a modest recovery is expected in the second half.”

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(Dec. 24, 2008) -- "Companies must assume their top executives’ compensation will come under greater scrutiny from within and without," said Linda Barrington, research director of The Conference Board. "The financial market crisis and U.S. recession have contributed to eroding public trust in business leadership."

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(Dec. 24, 2008) -- Canada's gross domestic product contracted by 0.1 percent in October. In America, personal spending declined 0.6 percent in November, which marks the fifth consecutive month of decline.

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(Dec. 24, 2008) -- As of month 82 (the November collection period), total delinquencies stood at 4.89 percent, a 2.41 percent increase over 2.48 percent total delinquencies as of month 77 (June collection period). Cumulative net losses (CNL) reached 3.8 percent, a 0.16 percent increase from 3.64 percent for the same periods, respectively. The transaction experienced six month consecutive draws from the cash reserve account, resulting in the cash reserve account balance of $786,601, a 43 percent decline from $1,368,728.75 as of the June collection period.

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(Dec. 19, 2008) -- Over one quarter (27.2 percent) of the survey respondents have either changed their salary increase, their salary structure or both. Among those, two-thirds (67.4 percent) report that the recent financial crisis prompted their actions. Even though this crisis created a tipping point for salary adjustments decisions, a large number of companies were already feeling economic pressures on payroll. Almost half (46.1 percent) report a longer term economic trend prior to the immediate crisis is a contributing factor to the salary changes they’re making.

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(Dec. 19, 2008) -- New York's light sweet crude for delivery in January sank as low as 33.44 dollars a barrel, which was the lowest point since April 2, 2004. New York prices have now plunged by about 77 percent since striking a record high of 147.27 dollars in July on supply concerns in key producer countries.

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(Dec. 18, 2008) -- “The economy has been in recession for a year and the latest indicator data show no sign of improvement in the first months of 2009. An intense housing downturn that’s about to begin its fourth year and a severe financial crisis with nearly frozen credit markets have sharply lowered consumer and business expectations,” said Ken Goldstein, economist at The Conference Board.

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(Dec. 18, 2008) -- Some of the weakness was attributable to faltering auto sales. However, even excluding this component, sales activity dropped a sizeable 1.1 percent. Market expectations had been for a slightly less severe drop in core retail sales of 1 percent.

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(Dec. 16, 2008) -- "Today’s release supports our view that U.S. inflation is on a downward trend. The weakening economy is building economic slack that will push down the core rate, while falling energy prices are bringing down the headline rate," said Heller. "We expect inflation to continue its downward trend into next year leaving the Fed room to address the downside risks to growth reinforced by the weak housing starts release."

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(Dec. 16, 2008) -- Federal Reserve cuts the federal funds rate from 0.75 to 0.25 percent and pledges to "employ all available tools to promote the resumption of sustainable economic growth and to preserve price stability."

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(Dec. 15, 2008) -- Industrial production fell 0.6 percent month-over-month in November, coming in slightly better than the market’s expectation of a 0.8 percent fall. Capacity utilization fell to 75.4 percent, below the market’s projection of a 75.6 percent reading.

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(Dec. 12, 2008) -- Retail sales fell 1.8 percent in November, slightly better than the 2 percent drop expected within financial markets. As well, the pace of decline has eased from the 2.9 percent drop recorded in October.

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(Dec. 11, 2008) -- The U.S. trade deficit for October unexpectedly rose to $57.2 billion from $56.6 billion in September. Canada's merchandise trade surplus came in at $3.8 billion in October, lower than September's revised figures of $4.3 billion. U.S. jobless claims also jumped to 573,000 from 515,000 the previous week.

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(Dec. 9, 2008) -- The Bank of Canada cut the overnight rate by 75 basis points to 1.50 percent, more than the consensus forecast for a 50 basis-point ease.

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(Dec. 8, 2008) -- “Thus far, the U.S. economy has lost 1.9 million jobs and the declines in the ETI suggest job losses could very well surpass 3 million by mid 2009,” said Gad Levanon, senior economist at The Conference Board. “The continued deterioration in the labor market will exert significant downward pressure on wages.”

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(Dec. 8, 2008) -- "Although starts in Canada are expected to move still lower through next year, the overall decline is still likely to be about one-half the drop registered in the U.S. housing market," said Ferley. "However, to limit the extent of any weakening in Canada and temper the spillover from the U.S. recession, we expect that the Bank of Canada will continue to ease policy, with the overnight rate expected to drop 50 basis points to 1.75 percent at tomorrow’s policy-setting meeting."

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(Dec. 5, 2008) -- The Conference Board Governance Center issued today the first in its new series of reports on the oversight role of the board of directors in the current economic crisis.

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(Dec. 5, 2008) -- Today's labor force report was very weak, with payrolls dropping by a breathtaking 533,000 in November. The weakness was broad-based; only government employment rose.

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