Archive for May, 2013
Friday, May 24th, 2013
- New orders for manufactured durable goods increased 3.3% in April, while shipments decreased 0.6%.
- April existing home sales increased 0.6% to an annualized rate of 4,970 thousand units. The median sales price of existing houses sold was $192.8 thousand, 11.0% above April 2012.
- April new home sales increased 2.3% to an annualized rate of 454 thousand units. The median sales price of new houses sold was $271.6 thousand, 14.9% above March 2012.
- U.S. House prices rose 1.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis from February to March, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) monthly House Price Index. For the 12 months ending in March, U.S. prices rose 7.2%.
- The results of Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey showed average fixed mortgage rates trending higher for the third consecutive week. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.59% for the week ending May 23, up from last week when it averaged 3.51%.
- Mortgage applications decreased 9.8% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending May 17th.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased 23 thousand to 340 thousand in the week ending May 18.
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Monday, May 20th, 2013
- Advance estimates of retail and food services sales for April were up 0.1% from March, and were up 3.7% from April 2012.
- Total manufacturing and trade sales decreased 1.1% in March, while inventories held steady.
- Total Industrial production decreased 0.5% in April.
- Housing starts decreased 16.5% in April, while building permits increased 14.3%.
- The housing market index of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo increased 3 points to 44 in May.
- The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.51% for the week ending May 16, up from last week when it averaged 3.42%, according to the weekly survey of Freddie Mac.
- Mortgage applications decreased 7.3% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending May 10th.
- The federal government budget ran a surplus of $112.9 billion in April, after a deficit of $106.5 billion in the previous month.
- Treasury International Capital reported net foreign purchases of long-term securities of $15.3 billion in March.
- The consumer price index (headline index) decreased 0.4% in April, while the core index increased 0.1%. The consumer price index (headline index) increased 1.1% for the 12-month period ending in April, while the core index rose 1.7%.
- The producer price index for finished goods (headline index) decreased 0.7% in April, while the core index increased 0.1%. The producer price index for finished goods increased 0.6% from April 2012 to April 2013.
- The import price index decreased 0.5% in April, while the export price index decreased 0.7%. The import price index decreased 2.6% from April 2012, while the price index for exports decreased 0.9%.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance increased 32 thousand to 360 thousand in the week ending May 11.
- Real average hourly earnings for all employees increased 0.5% from March to April.
- Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in April.
- The May 2013 Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicated that the conditions for New York manufacturers declined marginally.
- The Philadelphia FED business outlook survey for May reported weakened manufacturing activity.
- The Conference Board index of leading economic indicators increased 0.6% in April, while the coincident index increased 0.1%.
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Sunday, May 12th, 2013
- Sales of merchant wholesalers in March were down 1.6%, while inventories were up 0.4%.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased 4 thousand to 323 thousand in the week ending May 4.
- March consumer credit outstanding increased at an annual rate of 3.4% to $2,807.5 billion.
- The results of Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey showed average fixed mortgage rates reversing their recent trend and moving higher for the first time in six weeks.
- Mortgage applications increased 7.0% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending May 3rd.
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Sunday, May 12th, 2013
- Total non-farm payroll employment rose 165 thousand to 135.474 million in April, following an increase of 138 thousand in the previous month. Private-sector payrolls increased by 176 thousand in the month, while government employment decreased by 11 thousand.
- The unemployment rate decreased to 7.5% in April, from 7.6% in March.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance decreased 18 thousand to 324 thousand in the week ending April 27.
- First quarter productivity increased 0.7% (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the non-farm business sector, following a 1.7% decrease in the previous period.
- The Employment Cost Index for total compensation rose 0.3%, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending March 2013, following a 0.4% increase for the 3–month period ending December 2012.
- Sales of domestic cars decreased 4.6% in April, while total light vehicle (cars and light trucks) sales decreased 2.2%. Total vehicle sales were 14.867 million units in April, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, compared to 14.081 million in April of 2012.
- New orders for manufactured goods decreased 4.0% in March, while shipments decreased 1.0%.
- In March international trade deficit was $38.8 billion, $4.8 billion less than the revised February figure.
- March construction spending decreased 1.7%, following a 1.5% increase in the previous month, according to U.S. Census Bureau.
- The S & P/Case-Shiller National U.S. Home Price Index posted annual increases of 8.6% and 9.3% in February, for the 10-city and 20-city composite indices, respectively.
- The results of Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey showed average fixed mortgage rates moving lower for the fifth consecutive week.
- Mortgage applications increased 1.8% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending April 26th.
- The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing survey indicated that the manufacturing sector expanded in April for the fifth consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 47th consecutive month.
- In April, the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) non-manufacturing survey results indicated growth in the non-manufacturing business activity for the 40th consecutive month.
- The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index, which had declined in March, increased in April.
- The Federal Open Market Committee decided to keep its target for the federal funds rate at 0 to 0.25%
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