greenbooks · March 21, 2005
Greenbook/Tealbook
Prefatory Note
The attached document represents the most complete and accurate version available
based on original files from the FOMC Secretariat at the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System.
Please note that some material may have been redacted from this document if that
material was received on a confidential basis. Redacted material is indicated by
occasional gaps in the text or by gray boxes around non-text content. All redacted
passages are exempt from disclosure under applicable provisions of the Freedom of
Information Act.
Content last modified 03/31/2011.
Confidential (FR) Class III FOMC
March 18, 2005
CURRENT ECONOMIC
AND FINANCIAL CONDITIONS
Supplemental Notes
Prepared for the Federal Open Market Committee
by the staff of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Contents
The Domestic Nonfinancial Economy ........................................................ 1
Consumer Sentiment........................................................................1
Tables
University of Michigan Survey Research Center:
Survey of Consumer Attitudes.............................................2
The Domestic Financial Economy ...........................................................1
Tables
Commercial Bank Credit .................................................................3
Selected Financial Market Quotations .............................................4
The International Economy ....................................................................... 5
Prices of Internationally Traded Goods ...........................................5
Non-oil imports....................................................................5
Oil. .......................................................................................5
Exports. ................................................................................5
U.S. Current Account.......................................................................7
U.S. International Financial Transactions........................................8
Tables
Prices of U.S. Imports and Exports..................................................6
U.S. Current Account.......................................................................7
Summary of U.S. International Transactions...................................9
Chart
Oil Prices..........................................................................................6
Supplemental Notes
The Domestic Nonfinancial Economy
Consumer Sentiment
According to the preliminary report, the Michigan Survey Research Center’s (SRC) index
of consumer sentiment decreased 1.2 points in early March to 92.9, a bit below its
average over the previous twelve months.
The March decline reflected a slight weakening in both components of the index. Within
the “current conditions” component, consumers’ assessments of their current personal
financial situation moved lower, while assessments of buying conditions for large
household appliances were unchanged. Within the “expected conditions” component,
consumers’ assessments of expected business conditions over the next twelve months
receded. But assessments of expected business conditions over the next five years edged
up, and expected personal financial conditions retraced some of last month’s decrease.
Among the items not included in the overall index, consumers’ expectations about the
change in unemployment over the next twelve months worsened slightly. Consumers’
appraisals of buying conditions for houses and appraisals of buying conditions for cars
both dropped to their lowest levels since 2001.
While the mean of expected inflation over the next twelve months climbed to 4 percent,
the median rose less, to 3.2 percent. The mean of expected inflation over the next five to
ten years inched up to 3.2 percent, while the median was unchanged at 2.8 percent.
The Domestic Financial Economy
-2-
March 18, 2005
University of Michigan Survey Research Center: Survey of Consumer Attitudes
Indexes of consumer sentiment
(Not seasonally adjusted)
2004
Category
Composite of current and expected conditions1
Current conditions1
Expected conditions1
2005
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
95.9
107.9
88.2
94.2 91.7
103.7 104.0
88.0 83.8
92.8
104.7
85.2
97.1
106.7
90.9
Feb.
Mar.P
95.5 94.1
110.9 109.2
85.7 84.4
92.9
107.3
83.6
Jan.
Personal financial situation
Now compared with 12 months ago2
Expected in 12 months2
121
133
113
128
112
127
113
124
112
130
123
133
121
127
116
131
Expected business conditions
Next 12 months2
Next 5 years2
114
108
116
110
113
97
115
104
122
114
114
97
114
98
105
100
Appraisal of buying conditions
Cars
Large household appliances2
Houses
144
158
156
148
155
162
152
158
155
138
158
155
154
165
160
147
165
158
144
162
151
135
162
146
Expected unemployment change - next 12 months
106
105
105
106
103
111
111
114
Prob. household will lose a job - next 5 years
22
22
28
23
22
23
23
22
Expected inflation - next 12 months
Mean
Median
3.1
2.8
3.2
2.8
3.6
3.1
3.3
2.8
3.4
3.0
3.5
2.9
3.3
2.9
4.0
3.2
Expected inflation - next 5 to 10 years
Mean
Median
3.1
2.7
3.1
2.8
3.2
2.8
3.1
2.7
3.1
2.8
3.2
2.7
3.1
2.8
3.2
2.8
Note. Figures on financial, business, and buying conditions are the percent reporting ’good times’ (or
’better’) minus the percent reporting ’bad times’ (or ’worse’), plus 100. Expected change in unemployment
is the fraction expecting unemployment to rise minus the fraction expecting unemployment to fall, plus 100.
P Preliminary.
1. Feb. 1966 = 100.
2. Indicates the question is one of the five equally-weighted components of the index of sentiment.
-3-
Commercial Bank Credit
(Percent change, annual rate, except as noted; seasonally adjusted)
Type of credit
Total
1. Adjusted1
2. Reported
3.
4.
5.
6.
Securities
Adjusted1
Reported
Treasury and agency
Other2
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Loans3
Total
Business
Real estate
Home equity
Other
Consumer
Adjusted4
Other5
Level,
Feb. 2005
($ billions)
2003
H1
2004
Q3
2004
Q4
2004
Jan.
2005
Feb.
2005
5.9
5.6
11.8
10.4
5.2
5.8
6.3
6.3
14.0
11.1
20.0
18.4
6,704
6,850
8.6
7.2
8.9
4.8
16.9
11.6
17.9
2.0
-8.1
-4.8
-4.4
-5.6
1.0
1.3
-11.3
22.3
30.6
18.9
31.1
.2
36.4
29.4
34.6
21.6
1,834
1,979
1,211
768
4.9
-9.4
11.1
30.8
8.8
5.4
5.8
6.7
9.9
-3.9
15.8
39.9
12.4
7.9
4.0
9.9
10.3
7.0
8.3
37.2
3.7
19.9
12.3
12.4
8.3
6.0
12.9
37.3
8.7
-1.8
2.3
4.6
8.0
22.4
12.1
20.8
10.4
10.5
11.6
-29.0
13.9
12.1
11.8
4.7
13.1
-.9
-16.3
40.1
4,871
920
2,588
407
2,181
679
1,044
683
Note. Data are adjusted to remove estimated effects of consolidation related to FIN 46 and for breaks caused by
reclassifications. Monthly levels are pro rata averages of weekly (Wednesday) levels. Quarterly levels (not shown)
are simple averages of monthly levels. Annual levels (not shown) are levels for the fourth quarter. Growth rates are
percentage changes in consecutive levels, annualized but not compounded.
1. Adjusted to remove effects of mark-to-market accounting rules (FIN 39 and FAS 115).
2. Includes private mortgage-backed securities, securities of corporations, state and local governments, foreign
governments, and any trading account assets that are not Treasury or agency securities, including revaluation gains
on derivative contracts.
3. Excludes interbank loans.
4. Includes an estimate of outstanding loans securitized by commercial banks.
5. Includes security loans and loans to farmers, state and local governments, and all others not elsewhere classified.
Also includes lease financing receivables.
-4-
III-T-1
Selected Financial Market Quotations
(One-day quotes in percent except as noted)
2004
Change to Mar. 17 from
selected dates (percentage points)
2005
Instrument
June 28
Dec. 31
Feb. 1
Mar. 17
2004
June 28
2004
Dec. 31
2005
Feb. 1
1.00
2.25
2.25
2.50
1.50
.25
.25
1.36
1.74
2.18
2.52
2.47
2.70
2.73
2.99
1.37
1.25
.55
.47
.26
.29
Commercial paper (A1/P1 rates)2
1-month
3-month
1.28
1.45
2.29
2.28
2.51
2.69
2.75
2.95
1.47
1.50
.46
.67
.24
.26
Large negotiable CDs1
3-month
6-month
1.53
1.82
2.50
2.72
2.71
2.94
2.99
3.24
1.46
1.42
.49
.52
.28
.30
Eurodollar deposits3
1-month
3-month
1.29
1.51
2.32
2.49
2.53
2.68
2.80
2.97
1.51
1.46
.48
.48
.27
.29
Bank prime rate
4.00
5.25
5.25
5.50
1.50
.25
.25
Intermediate- and long-term
U.S. Treasury4
2-year
5-year
10-year
2.88
3.97
4.90
3.08
3.63
4.34
3.28
3.70
4.24
3.72
4.12
4.57
.84
.15
-.33
.64
.49
.23
.44
.42
.33
U.S. Treasury indexed notes
5-year
10-year
1.56
2.23
1.02
1.67
1.18
1.66
1.22
1.73
-.34
-.50
.20
.06
.04
.07
Municipal revenue (Bond Buyer)5
5.37
5.04
4.90
4.99
-.38
-.05
.09
Private instruments
10-year swap
10-year FNMA6
10-year AA7
10-year BBB7
5-year high yield7
5.21
5.30
5.59
6.18
8.30
4.65
4.61
4.98
5.38
7.34
4.53
4.48
4.87
5.28
7.46
4.91
4.77
5.20
5.58
7.61
-.30
-.53
-.39
-.60
-.69
.26
.16
.22
.20
.27
.38
.29
.33
.30
.15
Home mortgages (FHLMC survey rate)
30-year fixed
1-year adjustable
6.21
4.19
5.77
4.10
5.63
4.23
5.95
4.20
-.26
.01
.18
.10
.32
-.03
Short-term
FOMC intended federal funds rate
Treasury bills1
3-month
6-month
Record high
2004
Change to Mar. 17
from selected dates (percent)
2005
Stock exchange index
Dow Jones Industrial
S&P 500 Composite
Nasdaq
Russell 2000
Wilshire 5000
Level
Date
Dec. 31
Feb. 1
Mar. 17
Record
high
2004
Dec. 31
2005
Feb. 1
11,723
1,527
5,049
655
14,752
1-14-00
3-24-00
3-10-00
12-28-04
3-24-00
10,783
1,212
2,175
652
11,971
10,552
1,189
2,069
628
11,722
10,626
1,190
2,016
625
11,745
-9.35
-22.08
-6.06
-4.45
-2.38
-1.45
-1.79
-7.31
-4.01
-1.89
.71
.07
-2.53
-.43
.20
1. Secondary market.
2. Financial commercial paper.
3. Bid rates for Eurodollar deposits collected around 9:30 a.m. eastern time.
4. Derived from a smoothed Treasury yield curve estimated using off-the-run securities.
5. Most recent Thursday quote.
6. Constant maturity yields estimated from Fannie Mae domestic noncallable coupon securities.
7. Derived from smoothed corporate yield curves estimated using Merrill Lynch bond data.
_______________________________________________________________________
NOTES:
June 28, 2004, is the day before the most recent policy tightening began.
February 1, 2005, is the day before the most recent FOMC announcement.
_______________________________________________________________________
-5-
The International Economy
Prices of Internationally Traded Goods
Non-oil imports. In February, the prices of U.S. imports of non-oil goods and of core
goods rose 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively. Higher prices for food, feeds, and
beverages, consumer goods, and non-petroleum industrial supplies were the main
contributors to the price increase. The price index for foods, feeds and beverages rose
1.3 percent in February, following no change in the previous month. Prices for consumer
goods rose 0.2 percent, down from the 0.5 percent increase in January. (Within consumer
goods, apparel prices fell 0.1 percent.) Prices for imported capital goods (excluding
computers and semiconductors) rose 0.2 percent, whereas prices for imported automotive
products were unchanged. For both computers and semiconductors, import prices fell in
February.
The average level of imported core goods prices in January and February was 4½ percent
at an annual rate above the fourth-quarter level. All of the major categories, except
automotive products, registered substantial price gains. In particular, both capital goods
(excluding computers and semiconductors) and consumer goods experienced increases in
their inflation rates of more than 2 percentage points.
Oil. The BLS price of imported oil rose 3.9 percent in February. The spot price of West
Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 2.4 percent in February—averaging about $48 per
barrel. The spot price began to increase late in the month and continued to rise in March,
closing at a nominal record of $56.47 per barrel on March 16. The increase in oil prices
largely reflects indications that oil demand will remain stronger than previously
anticipated and remarks by OPEC that imply the cartel is targeting a higher level of oil
prices. In addition, concerns about future supplies from Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, Venezuela,
and Russia also continue to support oil prices.
Exports. In February, the prices of U.S. exports of total goods and of core goods were
unchanged. A sharp 0.9 percent decline in agricultural products was offset by a
0.2 percent increase in industrial supplies. Export prices for consumer goods edged
lower. Prices of exported computers ticked up, whereas prices for semiconductors
declined.
The average level of exported core goods prices in January and February was 5¼ percent
at an annual rate above the fourth-quarter level. Price increases were widespread across
-6-
Prices of U.S. Imports and Exports
(Percentage change from previous period)
Annual rate
2004
2005
Q3
Q4
Q1e
Monthly rate
2004
2005
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
----------------------- BLS prices --------------------7.9
7.3
-0.0
-1.4
0.7
0.8
57.1
35.1 -19.0 -11.5
3.4
3.9
1.5
3.2
3.9
0.4
0.3
0.2
Merchandise imports
Oil
Non-oil
Core goods*
Cap. goods ex comp & semi
Automotive products
Consumer goods
Foods, feeds, beverages
Industrial supplies ex oil
2.4
1.6
1.7
-0.4
3.3
8.3
4.2
2.6
2.4
1.2
10.7
11.1
4.6
5.5
0.4
3.6
6.1
8.8
0.4
0.5
0.1
0.3
1.1
0.8
0.4
0.8
0.0
0.5
0.0
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.0
0.2
1.3
0.3
Computers
Semiconductors
-9.0
-4.4
-7.5
-4.9
-4.4
-2.0
-0.3
-0.2
-0.6
-0.2
-0.6
-0.2
-0.1
3.6
4.1
0.1
0.9
0.0
0.6
1.3
0.9
2.3
-31.0
14.5
4.8
3.3
1.2
0.1
-11.5
17.1
5.3
4.2
1.6
2.9
-2.0
10.6
0.1
0.3
0.1
0.2
-1.1
0.3
1.1
0.8
0.3
0.6
0.6
1.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
-0.1
-0.9
0.2
-7.6
-3.9
-9.2
-1.5
-6.5
-0.9
-0.7
0.3
-1.0
-0.3
0.1
-0.3
Merchandise exports
Core goods*
Cap. goods ex comp & semi
Automotive products
Consumer goods
Agricultural products
Industrial supples ex ag
Computers
Semiconductors
Chain price index
Imports of goods & services
Non-oil merchandise
Core goods*
--------------------5.1
7.9
1.3
3.2
2.3
4.2
Exports of goods & services
Total merchandise
Core goods*
1.6
1.2
1.8
3.8
3.9
5.0
NIPA prices --------------------n.a.
...
...
...
n.a.
...
...
...
n.a.
...
...
...
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
*/ Excludes computers and semiconductors.
e/ Average of two months.
n.a. Not available. ... Not applicable.
Oil Prices
Dollars per barrel
Spot West Texas Intermediate
Import unit value
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
60
55
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
-7-
categories, with the exception of agricultural products, which fell. Prices for industrial
supplies posted the largest increase.
U.S. Current Account
In the fourth quarter of 2004, the U.S. current account deficit widened $88 billion to
$752 billion at an annual rate, equivalent to 6¼ percent of GDP. The change was
concentrated in the trade balance on goods and services, which fell $61 billion. The
balances on income and transfers also declined.
The widening of the trade deficit occurred as an $84 billion rise in imports outweighed a
$23 billion increase in exports. Nearly half of the gain in imports reflected a surge in oil
imports as both oil prices and import volumes strengthened.
U.S. Current Account
(Billions of dollars, seasonally adjusted annual rate)
Other
Goods and
Investment
income and
Period
services,
income,
transfers,
net
net
net
Annual
2003
-496.5
38.8
-72.9
2004
-617.1
29.8
-78.7
Quarterly
2004:Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
-555.4
-605.3
-623.4
-684.2
53.9
25.9
25.3
14.2
-88.4
-79.5
-65.3
-81.6
Current
account
balance
-530.7
-665.9
-589.9
-658.8
-663.4
-751.6
Changes
Q1-Q4
-53.4
-16.2
-12.5
-82.1
Q2-Q1
-49.9
-28.0
9.0
-68.9
Q3-Q2
-18.1
-0.6
14.2
-4.6
Q4-Q3
-60.8
-11.1
-16.3
-88.2
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The surplus on net investment income fell $11 billion as a rise in receipts was outpaced
by higher payments. Payments and receipts were both lifted by higher earnings on direct
investment positions and higher average interest rates. In addition, U.S. dividend
payments to foreigners were boosted by Microsoft’s special dividend in the quarter.
-8-
Net transfer payments to foreigners rose more than $16 billion in the fourth quarter. This
strong increase reflected a rebound from the unusually low level in the third quarter,
which was held down by sizable inflows of insurance claims to cover hurricane-related
losses.
U.S. International Financial Transactions
The March 16 balance of payments press release included new data for the fourth quarter
of 2004.
U.S. direct investment abroad (line 6 of the Summary of U.S. International Transactions
table) increased to $101 billion in the fourth quarter, owing in large part to the reincorporation in the United States of News Corporation Ltd. (Australia). For the year,
record reinvested earnings helped to raise direct investment outflows to $249 billion from
$174 billion in 2003. Foreign direct investment into the United States (FDIUS) was little
changed during the fourth quarter at $36 billion (line 7); for the year it increased to
$116 billion from $40 billion in 2003, due to new equity investment and reinvested
earnings. The increase in U.S. direct investment abroad during 2004 was roughly offset
by increased FDIUS, resulting in net direct investment outflows of approximately
$135 billion in both 2003 and 2004.
The re-incorporation of News Corporation has four balance of payments components
which net to zero. The most visible is increased U.S. direct investment abroad (USDIA),
reflecting the newly-formed Delaware corporation’s holdings of the Australian
corporation. A small part of this USDIA is offset by new foreign direct investment into
the United States, reflecting the Murdoch trust’s interests in the new Delaware
corporation. In addition, private equity holdings in the Australian corporation were
swapped for equity in the new entity. U.S. residents had an estimated $22 billion
swapped, which reduced U.S. equity claims on foreigners (line 5c); and foreigners were
estimated to have had about $23 billion in foreign equity swapped for U.S. equity
(included in line 4d).
The statistical discrepancy (last line) was positive $5 billion for the fourth quarter and
positive $52 billion for the year. A positive statistical discrepancy indicates some
combination of over-reporting of the current account deficit or under-reporting of net
capital inflows.
-9-
Summary of U.S. International Transactions
(Billions of dollars, not seasonally adjusted except as noted)
2003
Official financial flows
1. Change in foreign official assets
in the U.S. (increase, +)
a. G-10 countries
b. OPEC countries
c. All other countries
2. Change in U.S. official reserve
assets (decrease, +)
Private financial flows
Banks
3. Change in net foreign positions
of banking offices in the U.S.1
Securities2
4. Foreign net purchases of U.S.
securities (+)
a. Treasury securities
b. Agency bonds
c. Corporate and municipal bonds
d. Corporate stocks3
5. U.S. net acquisitions (-) of foreign
securities
a. Bonds
b. Stock purchases
c. Stock swaps3
Other flows (quarterly data, s.a.)
6. U.S. direct investment (-) abroad
7. Foreign direct investment in U.S.
8. Foreign holdings of U.S. currency
9. Other (inflow, + )4
U.S. current account balance (s.a.)
Capital account balance (s.a.)
Statistical discrepancy (s.a.)
5
2004
2004
Q2
Q3
Q4
250.1 363.3 137.0
71.5
71.9
82.8
29.5
18.6
248.6 360.5 136.4
114.7 162.7 96.8
6.1 12.1
3.3
127.9 185.7 36.4
70.4
46.2
-2.1
26.3
71.5
20.1
3.2
48.1
82.1
-.4
7.7
74.8
28.8
-3.7
.6
31.9
14.8
.4
3.2
11.2
.4
.7
.7
3.8
56.8 101.0
…
…
16.1
7.0
-68.1
94.3 182.9
1.2 12.6
5.8 55.3
81.7 69.5
5.6 45.5
62.2
.4
19.8
35.4
6.7
54.6
13.1
9.9
14.5
17.2
-27.9
-13.8
-36.5
22.4
-23.1
-6.6
-16.5
.0
-2.1
5.5
-7.6
.0
-173.8 -248.5 -48.0 -55.9 -43.3 -101.3
39.9 115.5 10.5 32.9 35.9 36.3
16.6 14.8
-1.8
8.8
2.6
5.3
69.7 -56.6
-7.0 -44.6
5.4 -10.5
-530.7 -665.9 -147.5 -164.7 -165.9 -187.9
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
1.5
Q1
2.8
.6
1.1
295.6 252.2
1.4
93.0
-39.9
35.6
64.7
-5.8
369.0 521.6
114.0 120.0
-10.1 96.3
224.7 245.0
40.4 60.4
-90.5 -88.8
21.9
3.2
-95.0 -101.1
-17.4
9.1
-3.1
-12.0
-1.5
51.9
94.8 149.6
42.9 63.2
1.9 33.3
44.2 49.5
5.7
3.6
-7.1
11.9
-19.0
.0
-0.4
9.4
-33.3
8.3
-28.9
-12.7
-0.3
0.5
-17.7
-20.5
-3.2
-16.7
-.6
-0.4
37.5
Dec.
2005
Jan.
-0.4
4.5
NOTE. Data in lines 1 through 5 differ in timing and coverage from the balance of payments data published by the Department
of Commerce. Details may not sum to totals because of rounding.
1. Changes in dollar-denominated positions of all depository institutions and bank holding companies plus certain transactions
between broker-dealers and unaffiliated foreigners (particularly borrowing and lending under repurchase agreements). Includes
changes in custody liabilities other than U.S. Treasury bills.
2. Includes commissions on securities transactions and therefore does not match exactly the data on U.S. international transactions
published by the Department of Commerce.
3. Includes (4d) or represents (5c) stocks acquired through non-market means such as mergers and reincorporations.
4. Transactions by nonbanking concerns and other banking and official transactions not shown elsewhere plus amounts resulting
from adjustments made by the Department of Commerce and revisions in lines 1 through 5 since publication of the quarterly data in
the Survey of Current Business
5. Consists of transactions in nonproduced nonfinancial assets and capital transfers.
n.a. Not available. ... Not applicable.
Cite this document
APA
Federal Reserve (2005, March 21). Greenbook/Tealbook. Greenbooks, Federal Reserve. https://whenthefedspeaks.com/doc/greenbook_20050322_part2
BibTeX
@misc{wtfs_greenbook_20050322_part2,
author = {Federal Reserve},
title = {Greenbook/Tealbook},
year = {2005},
month = {Mar},
howpublished = {Greenbooks, Federal Reserve},
url = {https://whenthefedspeaks.com/doc/greenbook_20050322_part2},
note = {Retrieved via When the Fed Speaks corpus}
}