*SCALPSWINGSTRADDLE*

[Zephyr]

strong beat - Chicago Fed National Activity Index
Released On 8/25/2014 8:30:00 AM For Jul, 2014
Prior Prior Revised Consensus Consensus Range Actual
Level 0.12 0.21 0.20 0.05 to 0.20 0.39
Highlights
The economy is definitely picking up, confirmed by the national activity index which rose to plus 0.39 in July vs a revised plus 0.21 in June. The 3-month average, at plus 0.25 vs June's revised plus 0.16, is over breakeven zero for a fifth month in a row.

Three of four components are in the plus column for July led by production-related indicators that reflects strength in manufacturing. Employment-related indicators are next as a dip in jobless claims helped offset an uptick in the unemployment rate. Sales/orders/inventories contributed fractionally to the July index while consumption & housing remains the weak component, subtracting slightly from July's index.