Economy in Brief: 2019

U.S. pending home sales decreased 1.7% (+4.4% y/y) in October, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This followed a 1.4% increase in September, which was revised from 1.5%. The October index level of sales was [...]

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that U.S. pending home sales rose 1.5% (3.9% y/y) during September (Index 108.7 in Sept)....... The pending home sales index measures sales at the time the contract for the sale of [...]

Economic growth during Q3'19 was revised higher to 2.1% (2.1% y/y) from the advance estimate of a 1.9% rise. An unrevised reading of 1.9% rise had been expected in the Action Economics Forecast Survey. The increase roughly matched the [...]

Manufacturers' orders for durable goods unexpectedly rose 0.6% m/m (-0.7% y/y) in October following a downwardly revised 1.4% m/m decline in September. The Action Economics Forecast Survey had anticipated a 0.7% m/m decline for [...]

Initial claims for unemployment insurance declined 15,000 to 213,000 (-9.0% year-on-year) during the week ending November 23. The previous week was revised slightly higher to 228,000 (was 227,000). The late Thanksgiving holiday may [...]

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for November eased 0.5% (-8.0% y/y) to 125.5 after a little-revised 0.2% October decline. It was the fifth decline in the last six months and left the confidence level 9.1% below its [...]

Sales of new single-family homes slipped 0.7% m/m (+31.6% y/y) in October to 733,000 units SAAR. However, the 0.7% m/m decline to 701,000 initially reported for September was revised up significantly to a 4.5% m/m rise to 738,000 [...]

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Price Index increased 0.6% in September, following an unrevised 0.2% August increase. During the last twelve months, home prices improved 5.1%, a deceleration from last year's 6.7% full-year [...]