Last week's economic reporting included readings on sales of new and pre-owned homes; weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released along with a report on consumer sentiment. Sales of New Homes Hit 16-Month High The Commerce Department reported that deep discounts offered by home builders boosted sales of new single-family homes to 692,000 sales on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis. March sales exceeded February's reading by 4.50 percent and exceeded the expected … [Read more...]

Last week's economic news included readings on home builder confidence in housing market conditions and Commerce Department reports on housing starts and building permits issued. Weekly readings on mortgage ratees and first-time jobless claims were also released. NAHB Housing Market Index: Builder Confidence Rises One Point in April Home Builder Confidence readings posted by the National Association of Home Builders held steady for April and rose one point overall. Component readings for the … [Read more...]

Last week's economic readings included reports on inflation, mortgage rates, and first-time jobless claims. Monthly reporting on consumer sentiment was delayed. Consumer Price Index: Inflation Rises in March The Consumer Price Index rose 0.40 percent in March, which matched expectations and surpassed February's month-to -month reading of 0.20 percent growth. The March reading showed the highest consumer price growth in 14 months; higher rents, fuel and food prices contributed to month-to-month … [Read more...]