Eye On Housing
After hitting a 6-year low last month, consumer confidence bounced back in September, as consumers were more upbeat on outlook for economy and the job market. The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, rose 15.5 points from 86.3 to 101.8 in September, the highest level since March 2020 and the largest monthly gain since April 2003. The Present… Read More ›
After a sharp decline in April, consumer confidence improved in June for a second straight month, as the economy began to reopen and unemployment claims showed improvement. The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, rose 12.2 points from 85.9 to 98.1 in June, the largest monthly gain since November 2011. The Present Situation Index jumped 17.8 points from… Read More ›
After four consecutive months of gains, consumer confidence fell to near a three-year low in March due to a deterioration in the short-term outlook. The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, slipped 12.6 points from 132.6 to 120.0 in March, the lowest reading since September 2017, as intensive coronavirus outbreak and extreme volatility in the financial markets have… Read More ›
Consumer confidence fell in December, following a slight improvement last month. This is the fourth decline in five months. The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, slipped 0.3 points from 126.8 to 126.5 in December, as households are less optimistic about future employment and income. The Present Situation Index rose 3.4 points from 166.6 to 170.0, while the… Read More ›
After modest decline in August, consumer confidence continued to fall in September, marking the biggest monthly decline this year. The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, slipped 9.1 points from 134.2 in August to 125.1 in September, as households are less optimistic about short-term economic outlook and recent escalation in trade tensions. The Present Situation Index decreased 7.0… Read More ›
After a minor dip in April, pending home sales rebounded in May, mainly driven by the lower mortgage rates. The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), is a forward-looking indicator based on signed contracts. The PHSI rose 1.1% from 104.3 in April to 105.4 in May, but was still 0.7% below the level… Read More ›
The Federal Reserve’s latest G.19 Consumer Credit Report shows rising trends in consumer credit, excluding loans secured by real estate, through April 2019. As of April 30, 2019, consumer credit totaled $4.1 trillion on a seasonally adjusted basis, with $1.1 trillion in revolving debt1 and $3.0 trillion in nonrevolving debt2. The latest monthly year-over-year percentage increase of 5.3% in the… Read More ›
Building material prices topped the list of problems builders faced in 2018, but cost and availability of labor is expected to return to the number one spot in 2019, according to special questions on the January survey for the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. The survey results showed that material prices were a significant issue for 87% of builders last… Read More ›
Following a modest decline in November, consumer confidence continued to decrease in December, driven mainly by weakened consumer expectations. The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, fell by 6.1% from 136.4 to 128.1 in December, the lowest level since July 2018. Despite the sharp decline in December, the Consumer Confidence Index remained historically strong. The Present Situation Index… Read More ›
Consumer confidence continued to rise in September, after a big increase in August. Currently, consumers are quite optimistic about both the current situation and the near-term outlook. The Consumer Confidence Index, reported by the Conference Board, increased to 138.4 in September, from 134.7 in August. It has surpassed the 2007 peak of 111.9 and spiked to the highest level since… Read More ›