• December 20, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

Existing-home sales were at a 5.81 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in November, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday. Sales of previously-owned homes surged 5.6% to an annual 5.81 million pace in November, the third month of increases and the strongest since December 2006. Sales were 3.8% higher compared to a year ago in

• December 19, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

The U.S. current-account deficit, a measures of the nation’s debt to other countries, sank 19% in the third quarter to the lowest level in three years. The deficit declined to $100.6 billion from $124.4 billion. The U.S. recorded a small deficit in secondary income and goods and a bigger surplus in primary income and services.

• December 18, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

The National Association of Home Builders’ monthly sentiment index surged five points to 74 in December, its highest reading since 1999. Economists had forecast a flat reading at the 70 level. November’s reading was revised down a tick, while builder sentiment turned far more bullish than expected this month. In November, the subindex of current

• December 18, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

Treasury prices fell, pushing yields higher, on Monday on mounting expectations that Congress will pass tax-cut legislation this week. The 10-year Treasury note yield rose to 2.371%, up from 2.353% on late Friday. The 2-year note yield edged higher to 1.848%, from 1.840%. The 30-year bond yield rose to 2.702%, versus 2.685%. Bond prices move

• December 15, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

The Empire State manufacturing index fell slightly in December, to a reading of 18 from 19.6 in November, the New York Fed said Friday. Any reading above zero indicates improving conditions, though it’s the third drop in a row.

• December 14, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

Initial U.S. jobless claims, a tool to measure layoffs, fell by 11,000 to 225,000 in the seven days ended Dec 9. That’s just a few shades above the postrecession low. Economists surveyed had forecast claims to total 235,000. The more stable monthly average of claims slipped by 6,750 to 234,750, the government said Thursday The

• December 14, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

The U.S. import price index jumped 0.7% in November, once again spurred by rising oil prices. Excluding fuel, import prices were unchanged, the government said Thursday. The increase in import prices over the past 12 months rose to 3.1% from 2.3%. If fuel is omitted, the increase in import prices over the past year was

• December 14, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

U.S. retail sales increased more than expected in November. The holiday shopping season got off to a brisk start, pointing to sustained strength in the economy. The Commerce Department said on Thursday that retail sales rose 0.8 percent last month.

• December 13, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised a key short-term U.S. interest rate to a range of 1.25% to 1.5%, but in a sign of caution the central bank stuck to its earlier forecast for just three 1/4-point rate hikes in 2018. The Fed made no change to its inflation forecast, reflecting the persistent worry among

• December 14, 2017
• no comment
• realestatelife

The European Central Bank on Thursday made no changes to policy, keeping its deposit rate at negative 0.4% and its main refinancing rate at 0%. The bank reiterated its guidance that rates will “remain at their present levels for an extended period of time, and well past the horizon of the net asset purchases.” The