Key Economic Indicators – December 24, 2012

  • Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 3.1% in the third quarter of 2012, after increasing at 1.3% in the previous quarter. In the second estimate, released a month ago, the increase in real GDP was 2.7%.
  • Corporate profits from current production increased $45.7 billion in the third quarter, after a decrease of $21.8 billion in the previous quarter.
  • Personal income increased 0.6%, in November, while personal consumption expenditures increased 0.4%.
  • The current account deficit decreased to $107.5 billion in the third quarter, from $118.1 billion in the previous quarter.
  • Treasury International Capital reported net foreign purchases of long-term securities of $28.4 billion in October, compared with net purchases of $17.8 billion in the previous month.
  • The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance increased by 17 thousand to 361 thousand in the week ending December 15.
  • New orders for manufactured durable goods increased 0.7% in November, while shipments rose 1.5%.
  • Housing starts decreased 3.0% in November, following a 5.3% increase in the previous month.
  • November existing home sales increased 5.9% to an annualized rate of 5,040 thousand units. The median price of was $180.6 thousand, 10.1% above November 2011.
  • The housing market index of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo rose 2 points to 47 in December, its highest level since April 2006.
  • U.S. House prices rose 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis from September to October, after holding steady in the previous period, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) monthly House Price Index.
  • The results of Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey showed fixed mortgage rates remained near record lows.
  • Mortgage applications decreased 12.3% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending December 14, 2012.
  • The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment decreased to 72.9 in December, the weakest since July, from 82.7 in November.
  • The December Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicated that the conditions for New York manufacturers continued to decline at a modest pace.
  • The Philadelphia FED business outlook survey for December reported that manufacturing activity rebounded, following reported declines in business activity in late October and early November.
  • The Conference Board index of leading economic indicators decreased 0.2% in November, while the coincident index increased 0.2%.

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