Eye On Housing
Author Archives
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Solid Job Gains in July
At the start of the third quarter, employment gains and the unemployment rate ticked down. According to the Employment Situation for July 2017 reported by the BLS, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 209,000 in July, after an upwardly revised 231,000 gains in June. Employment growth averaged 184,000 so far this year, close to the average monthly growth in 2016…. Read More ›
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Home Prices in May – Another Slow Growth Month
In May national home prices rose slowly, while the pace of gains varied by market. The Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual growth rate of 2.6% in May, the slowest rate of growth in the past 11 months. After reaching 8.7% in November 2016, house price appreciation has… Read More ›
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U.S. Total Payroll Employment Gains Accelerated in June
June’s employment gains accelerated while the unemployment rate ticked up. Moreover, employment in residential construction kept increasing with the lower unemployment rate. According to the Employment Situation for June 2017 reported by the BLS, total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 222,000 in June, faster than the 152,000 gains in May. The unemployment rate rose to 4.4%, from a 16-year low… Read More ›
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Consumer Confidence in June – Optimistic but Cautious Consumers
The Consumer Confidence Index, released by the Conference Board, rose in June. Consumers were quite optimistic about current conditions, but less optimistic about the near term outlook than in May. The Consumer Confidence Index increased to 118.9 in June, from 117.6 in May. The present situation index rose from 140.6 to 146.3 while the expectations index decreased from 102.3 to… Read More ›
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Home Prices in April – Slowing Growth
The S&P/Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released their respective home price indices for April. National home prices increased at a more moderate annual growth rate, while local home price gains varied. The Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual growth rate of 2.0% in April, down… Read More ›
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CPI Slipped in May
The Consumer Price Index (CPI), reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), slipped in May due to a decline in energy prices. The CPI declined at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.5% in May, following a 2.0% increase in April. Excluding the volatile food and energy components, “core” CPI increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.8%,… Read More ›
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Consumer Confidence Slightly Decreased in May
The Consumer Confidence Index, released by the Conference Board, declined in May but still remained relatively high. Consumers’ assessments of current conditions were barely changed, but consumers were less optimistic about the near term outlook than in April. The Consumer Confidence Index declined slightly to 117.9 in May, from 119.4 in April. The present situation index rose from 140.3 to… Read More ›
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House Price Appreciation Slowed in March
In March house prices continued to rise with a more moderate annual growth rate. The Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual growth rate of 3.9% in March, down from 4.9% in February. After reached 8.6% in November 2016, house price appreciation has been decelerating. The Home Price Index… Read More ›
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April Rebound for CPI
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose in April. The CPI rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.0% in April, after the 3.4% decline in March. Excluding the volatile food and energy components, “core” CPI increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.9%, following the 1.5% decrease in March. The… Read More ›
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Consumer Confidence Declined in April
After hitting a post-recession high, the consumer confidence index, reported by the Conference Board, declined in April. Consumers were less optimistic about both the current situation and the near term outlook, compared with last month. The Consumer Confidence Index declined to 120.3 in April, from 124.9 in March. Both the present situation index and the expectations index dropped. The present… Read More ›