# Macra Digest

> Macra Digest is an independent publication covering Economic data & macro releases. Focus: Daily economic-data calendar and results. Published by Independent Journal; sponsored by Adamson Brothers Corp. (see the About page). Articles are drafted from primary sources with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy. Not investment advice.

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## Sections
- [Latest news](https://macradigest.com/): newest articles first
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## Guides
- [Leading economic indicators explained: what they signal](https://macradigest.com/leading-economic-indicators-explained/): What leading economic indicators are, the ten components of the Conference Board index, how coincident and lagging gauges differ, and how to read their signals.
- [How GDP is measured: the GDP report, step by step](https://macradigest.com/how-us-gdp-is-measured/): How the Bureau of Economic Analysis measures GDP: what it counts, real versus nominal, three estimates per quarter, annual rates and how to read the GDP report.
- [How the jobs report works: payrolls and unemployment](https://macradigest.com/how-the-jobs-report-works/): How the monthly jobs report is built: the employer payroll survey, the household survey, who counts as unemployed, why figures are revised and how to read both.
- [Economic calendar: key US data releases explained](https://macradigest.com/economic-calendar-key-us-data-releases/): A plain-English guide to the economic calendar: which agencies publish US data, how release schedules work, and how to read each entry before the numbers land.

## Recent articles
- [Economic Data Today: Business Applications Edge Up 0.5%](https://macradigest.com/economic-data-today-business-applications-september/) (2026-10-14): U.S. business applications rose 0.5% in September to 534,947, Census data show, after a revised 7.7% drop in August. What the economic data today signals.
- [Economic Data Today: U.S. Trade Deficit Widens to $105.6B](https://macradigest.com/economic-data-today-us-trade-deficit-august/) (2026-10-06): The U.S. trade deficit in goods and services rose to $105.6 billion in August from $92.8 billion in July as imports grew more than exports, Census data show.
- [Jobs report and CPI release headline latest economic data](https://macradigest.com/jobs-report-cpi-release-economic-data-roundup/) (2026-10-05): Payrolls rose 29,000 and unemployment held at 4.2% in September, while August factory orders edged up 0.1% and construction spending gained 0.9%.
- [Economic Data Today: Goods Trade Deficit Widens to $132.6B](https://macradigest.com/economic-data-today-august-goods-trade-deficit-132-6b/) (2026-09-30): The advance goods trade deficit rose to $132.6 billion in August from $118.9 billion in July as imports increased more than exports, the Census Bureau reported.
- [Economic Data Today: August Housing Starts Fall 2.6% to 1.275M](https://macradigest.com/economic-data-today-august-housing-starts-1-275-million/) (2026-09-17): Housing starts fell 2.6% in August to a 1,275,000 annual rate while single-family starts rose 7.6% and building permits slipped 2.7%, Census Bureau data show.
- [Economic Calendar: July Business Inventories Rise 0.8%](https://macradigest.com/economic-calendar-july-business-inventories-sales/) (2026-09-16): Census data show total business inventories of $2,764.7 billion in July, up 0.8% from June, while sales rose 0.3% to $2,120.7 billion.
- [GDP Report Input: Q2 Services Revenue Rises 3.0% to $6.4T](https://macradigest.com/gdp-report-input-q2-services-revenue-6-4-trillion/) (2026-09-09): The Census Bureau's Quarterly Services Survey shows selected services revenue of $6,418.7 billion in Q2 2026, up 3.0% from Q1 and 7.6% from a year earlier.
- [Economic Data Today: Retail Profits Jump to $112.3B in Q2](https://macradigest.com/economic-data-today-q2-retail-profits-112-3-billion/) (2026-09-08): Census Bureau's Quarterly Financial Report shows retail corporations' after-tax profits at $112.3 billion for the quarter ending July 31, up $47.2 billion.
- [Economic calendar: July import prices slip 0.4% as fuel falls](https://macradigest.com/economic-calendar-july-import-prices/) (2026-08-18): BLS data released August 18, 2026 showed U.S. import prices down 0.4% in July and export prices down 1.3%, though both remained well above year-ago levels.
- [Jobs report: June JOLTS shows 7.4 million openings, quits flat](https://macradigest.com/jobs-report-june-jolts-openings/) (2026-08-04): BLS JOLTS data released August 4, 2026 showed 7.4 million job openings in June, hires unchanged at 5.3 million and a quits rate holding at 2.0 percent.
- [Economic calendar: Q2 employment cost index rises 0.9%](https://macradigest.com/economic-calendar-q2-employment-cost-index/) (2026-07-31): The BLS Employment Cost Index released July 31, 2026 showed civilian compensation up 0.9% in Q2 and 3.4% over 12 months, with real private wages down 0.4%.
- [Economic Calendar: Q2 Rental Vacancy Rate at 7.3%, Little Changed](https://macradigest.com/economic-calendar-july-rental-vacancy-rate-7-3/) (2026-07-28): The Census Bureau's second-quarter rental vacancy rate was 7.3 percent, not statistically different from a year earlier, with a higher rate in the Northeast.
- [Economic calendar: May PPI final demand jumps 1.1% on energy](https://macradigest.com/economic-calendar-may-ppi-final-demand/) (2026-06-11): BLS producer price data released June 11, 2026 showed final demand prices up 1.1% in May and 6.5% over 12 months, driven by a 10.7% surge in energy prices.
- [Economic calendar: April housing starts dip 2.8% as permits climb](https://macradigest.com/economic-calendar-april-housing-starts/) (2026-05-21): Census data released May 21, 2026 showed April housing starts at a 1.465 million annual rate, down 2.8%, while building permits rose 5.8% to 1.442 million.

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