August 2004.(Illustration)

 
August 2004 
 
ECONOMIC GROWTH 
 
GDP % change from previous quarter 
 
          Q2 03   Q3 03   Q4 03   Q1 04 
 
U.S.       0.8     2.0     1.0     0.8 
Canada    -0.1     0.3     0.4      -- 
Mexico     0.2     0.4     1.2     1.1 
EU 15      0.0     0.4     0.4     0.4 
Germany   -0.1     0.2     0.3     0.4 
UK         0.6     0.8     0.8     0.6 
France    -0.3     0.4     0.6     0.8 
Japan      0.8     0.6     1.7     1.4 
 
Sources: Eurostat (www.europa.eu.int); Instituto Nacional 
(www.inegi.gob.mx). 
 
U.S. BANKRUPTCY RATES 
 
Number of bankruptcy petitions filed in federal courts and % change 
from previous quarter 
 
Q4 02   395,129   (-1.5%) 
Q1 03   412,968    (4.5%) 
Q2 03   440,257    (6.6%) 
Q3 03   412,989   (-6.2%) 
Q4 03   393,348   (-4.8%) 
Q1 04   397,006    (1.0%) 
 
Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (www.uscourts.gov). 
 
U.S. Business Bankruptcies, Year Ending 12/30 
 
2000    39,845 
2001    39,992 
2002    39,845 
2003    37,548 
2004    36,785 
 
Source: Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (www.uscourts.gov). 
 
U.S. INFLATION 
 
U.S. Consumer Price Index--Urban % Change 
 
Nov.   Dec.   Jan.   Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May 
 
-0.2    0.2   0.5    0.3    0.5    0.2    0.6 
 
Produce Price Index % Change 
 
-0.3   -0.2   0.6    0.1    0.5    0.7    0.8 
 
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). 
 
INTERNATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT 
 
          12/03    1/04   2/04    3/04    4/04 
 
U.S.       5.7     5.6     5.6     5.7     5.6 
Canada     6.6     6.6     6.6     6.8     6.7 
Japan      4.9     5.0     5.1     4.8     4.8 
France     9.3     9.2     9.4     9.4     9.3 
Germany    9.0     9.1     9.2     9.3     9.3 
U.K.       4.9     4.8     4.8     4.8      -- 
 
U.S. INTEREST RATES 
 
                Q1 04   Q2 04 *   Q3 04 *   Q4 04 * 
 
Federal Funds    1.00    1.00      1.42      1.80 
3 mo. T bill     0.92    1.04      1.41      1.74 
6 mo. T bill     0.98    1.27      1.56      1.83 
1 yr. T bill     1.22    1.71      1.95      2.14 
2 yr. T note     1.69    2.44      2.64      2.72 
10 yr. T note    4.02    4.60      4.77      4.79 
 
Sources: Federal Reserve (www.frb.gov). 
 
* Forecast by National City Corp. (www.nationalcity.com). 
 
INTERNATIONAL INTEREST RATES 
 
             1/04   2/04    2/04    4/04    5/04 
 
Short-term rates 
(3-mo. interbank rates or 3-mo. CDs or T bills) 
 
U.S.         1.06    1.05    1.05    1.08    1.20 
Canada       2.50    2.32    2.16    2.08    2.07 
Mexico       5.11    5.63    6.21    5.96    7.08 
Japan        0.03    0.03    0.03    0.02    0.02 
Euro zone    2.09    2.07    2.03    2.05    2.09 
U.K.         3.99    4.10    4.23    4.33      -- 
 
Long-term rates 
(secondary market yields on long-term bonds) 
 
U.S.         4.83    4.68    4.57    5.16    5.25 
Canada       4.61    4.45    4.26    4.62    4.78 
Japan        1.33    1.21    1.42    1.52    1.51 
Euro zone    4.26    4.18    4.02    4.24    4.39 
U.K.         4.79    4.81    4.70    4.95      -- 
 
Source: OECD (www.oecd.org). 
 
U.S. TRADE 
 
                          YTD compared 
% change        Mar. 04   w/same period 2003 
 
Exports           -1.5%       12.6% 
  Merchandise     -2.3%       12.5% 
  Services         0.3%       12.8% 
Imports            0.2%       11.8% 
  Merchandise      5.4%       11.7% 
  Services         0.3%       12.3% 
 
U.S./Canada. Apr.YTD exports totaled $61.0 billion, up 9.3% from a year 
ago. Imports were $81.9 billion, up 10.6%. 
 
U.S./Mexico. Apr.YTD exports totaled $35.3 billion, up 15.5% from a 
year ago. Imports were $48.9 billion, up 9.3%. 
 
U.S./Europe. Apr.YTD exports totaled $56.3 billion, up 11.6% from a 
year ago. Imports were $88.0 billion, up 12.7%.  ...