Economic trends.

• Position: News & Numbers - Statistical table

Economic Trends Many people are paying more attention to economic trends than they did before the credit meltdown. Financing the Future News: Long-Term Financial Planning Resources, Notices, and Events--an electronic newsletter from the GFOA's Research and Consulting Center--provides its subscribers with a monthly summary of relevant statistics. Government Finance Review is reprinting an excerpt of those statistics in this and subsequent issues to help GFOA members keep track of the overall economic picture. (To be added to the mailing list for Financing the Future News, e-mail ltfp@gfoa.org.) Inflation Indicator Result Source Consumer Price Index Up 0.3 percent in U.S. Labor October Department Producer Price Index Rose 0.3 percent in U.S. Bureau of October after 0.6 Labor Statistics percent in September Confidence Indicator Result Source Consumer Confidence Fell to 47 in October Conference down from 53 in Board September Economic Growth Indictor Result Source Capacity Utilization Increased for 4th Federal month in a row in Reserve October; 70.7 percent of total capacity in use. Census Bureau Study Poverty in the United States has risen to its highest level in 11 years--13.2 percent of Americans lived in poverty in 2008. This is up about 1 percentage point from 2007 and is the highest rate since 1997. Census Bureau Study From 2007 to 2008, the median family income fell almost $2,000, to $50,300. Adjusting for inflation, the average family has a lower income than in 1998. Consumer Economy Indicator Result Source Consumer Credit Fell by $ 14.8 Federal Reserve billion in September Credit Card Defaults Bank of America and Citigroup customers are defaulting on their credit cards at the highest rate since the recession began. Housing & Real Estate Indicator Result Source Mortgage Delinquencies 9.6 percent of single family and multi unit homes were delinquent...