Housing Starts

November 19, 2024 Housing starts declined 3.1% in October to 1,311 thousand after falling 1.9% in September.  The combo of Hurricanes Helene and Milton may have reduced the September and October construction data somewhat as starts in the South fell by a total of...

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Homebuilder Confidence

November 18, 2024 This series rose 3 points in November to 46 after gaining 2 points in both September and October.  The November gain seems to reflect hope that the Trump administration will cut a lot of the red tape that has been impeding the housing industry. ...

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Industrial Production

November 15, 2024 Industrial production declined 0.3% in October after falling 0.5% in September.  The Fed reported that The Boeing strike reduced production by 0.3% in September and 0.2% in October.  The remnants of Hurricanes Helene and Beryl subtracted 0.1% from...

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Retail Sales

November 15, 2024 Retail sales rose 0.4% in October after  having jumped 0.8% in September.  In the past year retail sales have risen 2,7%. Motor vehicle sales jumped 1.6% in October after having risen 0.2% in September.  In the past year car sales have risen 3.1%....

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Producer Price Index

November 14, 2024 The Producer Price Index for final demand  includes producer prices for goods, as well as prices for construction, services, government purchases, and exports and covers over 75% of domestic production. Producer prices for final demand rose 0.2%...

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Initial Unemployment Claims

November 14,  2024 Initial unemployment claims fell 4 thousand in the week ending November 9 after rising 3 thousand in the previous week.   This series has risen slightly in the past six months.  The 4-week average of claims was 210 thousand at the end of April...

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Consumer Price Index

November 13, 2024 The CPI rose 0.2% in October which is the fourth consecutive month with a 0.2% increase. The year-over-year increase is currently 2.6%.  We now expect the CPI to increase 2.6% in 2024. Food prices rose 0.2% in October after climbing 0.4% in...

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Small Business Optimism

November 12, 2024 . Small business optimism rose points in October to 93.7 after having climbed 0.3 point in September.  The level is well below the 40-year average so-called breakeven point for this series which is 98.0. NFIB Chief Economist William Dunkelberg...

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