Lots of fairly interesting numbers out this morning. Here’s what you need to know.
There’s fresh signs that the economic paths of the troubled European nations are diverging from the country with the money: Germany.
German retail sales were really humming in January, though they’re volatile month-to-month…
…even as unemployment in Italy hit the highest level in decades.
Britain’s economy continues to struggle, as pressure mounts on UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who’s holding fast to his government’s austerity policy. And its manufacturing sector shrank unexpectedly in February.
Meanwhile, fresh data showed sharp deterioration in US incomes, thanks in part to the payroll tax increases that were put in place as part of the fiscal cliff debate. Spending, however, held up as consumers cut savings and took on debt….
And more timely data on US manufacturing in February showed the expansion gaining strength.
