Employment Cost Flattens.

Employment Cost Index (2ndQ2015)

– ECI quarter/quarter +0.2%. Previous was +0.7%
– ECI year/year  +2.0%. Previous was +2.6%.

The +0.2% Q/Q increase is the smallest in the 33 year history of this index.

This may be due the cost of employer paid health care flattening after an increase consequent to ACA.

 
Chicago PMI  (July 2015)

– Business Barometer Index   54.7. Previous was 49.4

 

Consumer Sentiment (July 2015)

– Sentiment   93.1. Previous was 93.3.
This is the University of Michigan Index.  This is a survey index which questions 500 households each month on their financial conditions and attitudes about the economy.  It is supposed to be a leading indicator of Consumer Spending in the next 90 days. This Index had been deteriorating slightly since the start of this calendar year.