[Investors take the number seriously] so you have to view it as being not very good news, ... But I'm not a fan of it. It's so new, and it doesn't seem to correlate with overall output. |
[Policy makers'] concern is that we're still only forming a bottom and that the process is still very fragile. Their concern is not for data in December and November...They're concerned about January, February and March, which will show continuing job losses, less spending and less income. |
A lot of people don't understand that the ISM number is not actually an output number. It's the equivalent of consumer confidence, but for businesses. So certainly outlook has improved, but it remains to be seen how clearly that will translate into actual activity. |
A turnaround in manufacturing has not been signaled anywhere else, so I guess I'm not as excited about this number as the markets seem to be, ... I would like to see this confirmed in another month of data. |
A turnaround in manufacturing has not been signaled anywhere else, so I guess I'm not as excited about this number as the markets seem to be. I would like to see this confirmed in another month of data. |
Almost always the knee-jerk reaction in the markets to positive news on reforms is yen positive. People look at reform as being a positive thing for Japan, one day, hopefully. |
As the economy gets more and more dependent on housing being the key driver of growth, the economy becomes more and more vulnerable to that sector slowing down. |
At this point, they have very little ammo left, and they will need to tread carefully. |
Broadly, [the ISM number] reflects what we've been saying for some time: We're on the road to recovery, and we've seen the slowest growth behind us -- but this recovery is going to proceed in fits and starts. It's not going to be a one-way street. |
Business confidence remains very, very fragile, and we're still in an environment where businesses are more concerned with cutting costs than with ramping up investment projects, |
Business confidence remains very, very fragile, and we're still in an environment where businesses are more concerned with cutting costs than with ramping up investment projects. |
Certainly the economy now looks like it was in better shape in January-April than expected. But these data don't show the economy making any improvement. |
Certainly this Christmas shopping season is going to make for a lot of very negative headlines. The concern is that this [weakness] will be a self-reinforcing phenomenon, but the confidence numbers indicate that may not happen. |
Consumers will keep us in positive territory, but they're not going to be optimistic enough to fuel economic growth to its potential. |
Europeans' cries are falling on deaf ears, ... Their wish that the euro not bear the burden of readjustment will not make it into the G7 statement. |