Personal spending and capital investments are increasing. Housing investment has decreased. Prices are generally stable. In Western Europe, the German economy is improving, while the French economy is expanding, and the British economy is improving. Industrial production is moving sideways in Germany but rising in France and Britain.
Prices are stable.
Turning to East Asia, the pace of economic growth is slowing in China, and prices are declining. China's exports are rising sharply. The South Korean economy is expanding and its unemployment rate is falling. As for movements in the international commodity market in December, the CRB commodity futures index fell below 202 points in the middle of the month, but later moved within a narrow range at around 205 points.