The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy committee held constant the federal funds rate at a top target of 5.5% at the conclusion of its June meeting. In its statement, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) noted: Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has continued to expand...
Both overall and core inflation continued to ease in May as decline in gasoline price offset the increase the shelter cost. This is a dovish signal for future monetary policy. Despite a slowdown in the year-over-year increase, shelter costs continue to put upward pressure on...
Total outstanding US debt stood at $5.05 trillion for the first quarter of 2024, increasing at an annualized rate of 1.86% (SA), according to the Federal Reserve’s G.19 Consumer Credit Report. From the first quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024, the total...
In 2022, around 1.29 million women worked in construction in the United States, accounting for 10.97% of the industry, according to the 2022 American Community Survey. Within the construction industry, women are more likely to be found in such occupations as office and administrative support,...
Despite high interest rates, job growth accelerated in May, but the unemployment rate increased to 4.0%. Overall, the labor market remains strong, but there are signs of slowing, which signals monetary policy easing in the months ahead. Additionally, wage growth accelerated for the first time...
According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased by 7 basis points (bps) in May 2024, reaching 7.06%, up from 6.99% the previous month. This represents a 64 bps increase from the previous year, when it stood at 6.34%. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage...
Despite higher mortgage rates, limited resale inventory and strong growth in demand continued to put upward pressure on house prices. House price appreciation was recorded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. According to the quarterly all-transactions House Price Index (HPI) released by...
The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume by Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey, has been hovering around 200 since October 2022 as higher mortgage rates and low resale inventory continue to hamper potential buyers. On a week-over-week change, total mortgage,...
Due to tightened monetary policy, the count of open jobs for the economy and construction is declining, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). This is consistent with a somewhat cooler economy, which is a positive sign for future...
Fueled by a lack of existing inventory and pent-up demand, single-family permit growth is occurring across all tracked geographic regions of the nation. The opposite holds true for the multifamily sector, according to the latest findings from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Home...
Private residential construction spending rose 0.1% in April, following a 0.4% decline in March. The seasonally adjusted annual pace reached $890.4 billion. Total private residential construction spending is 8% higher compared to a year ago. This monthly increase in total construction spending is attributed to...
The median age of construction workers is 42, one year older than a typical worker in the national labor force, according to NAHB analysis of the most recent 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) data. However, more younger people are joining the construction industry. Despite some...
The volume of total outstanding acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) loans posted an additional decline during the first quarter of 2024 as interest rates remain elevated and financial conditions are tight. However, AD&C loan conditions will ultimately improve when the Fed begins reducing the federal...
The Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA) estimates that 42% of 91,060 unsubsidized apartments completed in the fourth quarter of 2023 were absorbed (rented) within the first 3 months following completion. For condominiums, 56% of the...
According to the latest 2022 ACS, 11.2 million people, including self-employed workers, worked in construction in 2022. NAHB estimates that out of this total, 4.7 million people worked in residential construction, accounting for 2.9% of the US employed civilian labor force. Home building in the...
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index (HPI) increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.65% for March. This was following an adjusted 6.42% rate gain for February. On a year-over-year basis, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index...
The desirability of new homes continues to grow. Faced with the alternative of choosing between an existing home and a newly built home, 61% of home buyers in a recent NAHB study* indicated a new home is their first preference. That marks the highest share...
Mortgage rates have increased on a monthly basis, according to data from Freddie Mac. As of end of April 2024, the 30-year FRM – Commitment rate, increased by 17 basis points (bps) to 6.99 percent from 6.82 percent in March. This was a 35 bps...
