Today, the last survey of the year for the Philly Fed Manufacturing Index for December was published: this survey showed the U.S. manufacturing conditions continue to expand and at a slightly faster pace in December; the December Philly Fed index inclined from +3.6 in November to +10.3 in December. The new orders index also improved as it reached an increase of 8 points. Prices of manufacturing goods also rose as the manufacturing costs edged up. Currently, the American stock markets are traded slightly up.
This survey also showed that the general employment conditions improved again during the time of the survey. If this indicator reflects an estimate of the U.S economic growth rate, it may suggest that during December the U.S continued to grow at a slightly higher pace than in the November.
In the previous month, the news of the Philly Fed Manufacturing Index didn’t have much of an effect on the financial markets perhaps as the European debt crisis crowded out the affect of the Philly Fed Manufacturing Index.
Currently the American stock markets including the S&P500 and Dow are slightly rising, while silver and gold prices are traded moderately down.
Current gold price, short term futures (January 2012 delivery) is traded at $1,573.4 per t oz. a $13.5 decrease as of 17:17*.
Current silver price, short term futures (January 2012 delivery) is traded at $28.910 per t oz. a $0.025 decrease as of 17:17*.
Current Nymex crude oil price, short term futures (January 2012 delivery) is traded down by 0.86%, as its at $94.13 per barrel as of 17:24*.
Euros to US dollar exchange rate is currently traded up at 1.3018 a 0.2680% increase as of 17:33*.
*(GMT)
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