Archive for September, 2016
Sunday, September 25th, 2016
- Existing home sales decreased 0.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.33 million in August, from 5.38 million in July, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales were up 0.8% from a year ago. The median existing home price in August was $240.2 thousand, up 5.1% from August 2015.
- Housing starts decreased 5.4% in August, while and permits decreased 0.4%.
- The Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index was up 0.5% in July. The index was up 5.8% from a year ago.
- 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 September 16th.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance was 252 thousand in the week ending September 17, a decrease of 8 thousand from the previous week’s level. The 4-week moving average was 258.5 thousand, a decrease of 2.25 thousand from the previous week’s average.
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Sunday, September 18th, 2016
- Advance estimates of retail and food services sales for August were down 0.3%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Excluding motor vehicle & parts, retail sales were down 0.1%.
- Total manufacturing and trade sales for July were up 0.2%, while inventories were virtually unchanged, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The total business inventories/sales ratio was 1.39.
- Total Industrial production decreased 0.4% in August, following a 0.6% increase in the previous month. The rate of capacity utilization decreased 0.4 percentage point to 75.5%.
- The consumer price index, which held steady in July, increased 0.2% in August. The core index increased 0.3%, after an increase of 0.1% in the previous month. The consumer price index increased 1.1% for the 12-month period ending in August, while the core index rose 2.3%.
- The producer price index for total final demand was unchanged in August, while the index for final demand goods less foods and energy increased 0.1%. The producer price index for final demand was unchanged from August 2015, while the core index increased 1.0%.
- The import price index decreased 0.2% in August, while the export price index decreased 0.8%. The import price index decreased 2.2% from August 2015 to August 2016, while the price index for exports decreased 2.4%.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance was 260 thousand in the week ending September 10, an increase of a thousand from the previous week’s level. The 4-week moving average was 260.75 thousand, a decrease of 0.5 thousand from the previous week’s average.
- Mortgage applications increased 4.2% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending September 9th.
- The September 2016 Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicated that business activity contracted for New York manufacturers.
- The Philadelphia FED business outlook survey indicated that regional manufacturing activity showed strength in September.
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Saturday, September 10th, 2016
- Consumer credit posted gains in September.
- The number of job openings increased to 5.9 million on the last day of July, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance was 259 thousand in the week ending September 3, a decrease of 4 thousand from the previous week’s level. The 4-week moving average was 261.25 thousand, a decrease of 1.75 thousand from the previous week’s average.
- Mortgage applications increased 0.9% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending September 42nd.
- The FED’s “Beige Book” indicated modest to moderate growth.
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Sunday, September 4th, 2016
- Personal income increased 0.4% in July, and personal consumption expenditures increased 0.3%. The price index for personal consumption expenditures held steady in July, while the core index increased 0.1%. The price index (headline index) was up 0.8% from July 2015, while the core index was up 1.6%.
- Total non-farm payroll employment rose 151 thousand in August, following an increase of 275 thousand in the previous month, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9%.
- The average workweek of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased by 0.1 to 34.3 hours. Average hourly earnings increased by 0.1%.
- Second quarter productivity decreased 0.6% (seasonally adjusted annual rate) in the non-farm business sector, following a 0.5% decrease in the previous quarter, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Unit labor costs increased 4.3% in the second quarter, following a 2.0% increase in the previous quarter.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance was 263 thousand in the week ending August 27, an increase of 2 thousand from the previous week’s level. The 4-week moving average was 263 thousand, a decrease of a thousand from the previous week’s average.
- Mortgage applications increased 2.8% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending August 26.
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