Eye On Housing
Author Archives
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Residential Construction Employment Surpasses the February 2020 Level
Total payroll employment rose by 916,000 and the unemployment rate declined to 6.0% in March. The labor market is improving as many states ease business restrictions and more people are vaccinated. Residential construction employment increased by 37,000 in March, while non-residential construction added 73,100 jobs. Currently, employment in residential construction surpassed the level in February 2020, while only 64% of… Read More ›
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Sharp Increases in Energy Prices in February
Consumer prices increased by 0.4% in February as energy prices rose sharply, while “core” consumer prices increased moderately given relatively weak demand. Inflationary pressures remained subdued amid the weak economic situation, although inflation expectations are rising. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.4% in February on a seasonally adjusted basis, marking… Read More ›
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Residential Construction Employment Remains Unchanged in February
Total payroll employment rose by 379,000 and the unemployment rate declined to 6.2% in February. The labor market is showing signs of recovery as some states start to ease business restrictions gradually. Employment in construction declined in February due to the severe winter weather in many states. Non-residential construction lost 60,800 positions in February, reflecting declines in nonresidential specialty trade… Read More ›
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Home Price Appreciation Continued in December
In December, national home prices (not seasonally adjusted) rose at the fastest pace in seven years, fueled by strong demand and low inventory. Among all 19 major markets, Seattle, Washington DC and Cleveland reported the largest home price appreciation. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual… Read More ›
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Another 861,000 Jobless Claims Filed
Weekly initial jobless claims increased for the past two consecutive weeks and reached the highest level in one month in the week ending February 13, despite the decreases in the number of COVID-19 cases. The labor market is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the road is proving to be long. The U.S. Department of Labor released the Unemployment Insurance… Read More ›
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Jobless Claims Fall Slightly
Weekly initial jobless claims declined slightly in the week ending February 6. Continuing claims, which lag initial jobless claims by one week, decreased by 145,000 in the week ending January 30. The labor market is continuing to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but at a slow pace. The U.S. Department of Labor released the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report today…. Read More ›
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Energy Prices Push Consumer Prices Higher in January
Consumer prices increased in January as energy prices increased. However, “core” consumer prices were unchanged, indicating that inflationary pressures remained muted as the economy continues to recover amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.3% in January on a seasonally adjusted basis, faster than a 0.2% increase in… Read More ›
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Construction Employment Changes Little in January
Total payroll employment rose by 49,000 and the unemployment rate fell to 6.3% for the month. The labor market continues its slow recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In January, residential construction employment remained virtually unchanged (-600), after increasing for eight straight months. Meanwhile, non-residential construction lost 1,900 positions, after four consecutive months of gain. Currently, job gains in residential construction… Read More ›
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Jobless Claims Decrease for The Third Straight Week
Weekly initial jobless claims declined by 33,000 in the week ending January 30. Continuing claims, which lag initial jobless claims by one week, decreased by 193,000 in the week ending January 23. This week’s jobless claims indicate that the labor market is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic gradually. More hiring is expected when Coronavirus vaccines become more widely distributed. According… Read More ›
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Jobless Claims Trend Down
Weekly initial jobless claims declined slightly to 847,000 in the week ending January 23. Continuing claims, which lag initial jobless claims by one week, decreased by 203,000 in the week ending January 16. The labor market is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit slowly. According to the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report released by the U.S. Department of Labor recently,… Read More ›