GDP estimate cuts show divergence between economic activity and optimism

  • March 1, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

There’s a growing divergence between the optimism seen by stock market traders, business executives and consumers, and actual economic activity. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model for GDP growth, which mashes 13 subcomponents together, was cut on Thursday to 1.8% from 2.5%, marking its lowest forecast for the quarter. The biggest culprit was the weak consumer

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Jobless claims sink to new postrecession low

  • March 2, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits near the end of February fell by 19,000 to 223,000, setting a fresh postrecession low and illustrating the strength of the U.S. labor market.

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Treasury yields touch 3-week low as market uncertainty surrounds key health-care vote

  • March 22, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

Treasury yields declined on Wednesday to their lowest levels in more than three weeks as congressional Republicans struggled to convince certain conservative legislators to support their plan to repeal and replace Obamacare. Yields, which fall as prices rise, were on track to fall for a fourth straight session, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury

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Investors step cautiously ahead of Yellen & Company today

  • March 3, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

Investors will lock in Friday on speeches by the Federal Reserve’s top policy-makers, Yellen’s speech is scheduled for 1 PM Eastern Time. Warming up traders for the boss, four other Fed officials take the stage before her: Fed No. 2 Stanley Fischer, Fed Gov. Jerome Powell, the Chicago Fed’s Charles Evans and Richmond’s Jeffrey Lacker.

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February ISM Non Manufacturing expands

  • March 3, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

February ISM Non Manufacturing (Services) 57.6 vs.estimates of 56.5. This represents more than 2/3 of our economic engine, any reading above is expansionary.

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January Factory Orders as expected

  • March 6, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

January Factory Orders 1.2% vs. estimates of 1.2%. Not a factor for interest pricing today.

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Wall Street stocks lined up for cautious moves ahead of Yellen speech, health-care vote

  • March 23, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

U.S. stock futures traded in tight ranges on Thursday, as investors kept their eye on a speeches from Federal Reserve members including Chairwoman Janet Yellen, as well as an important vote on a health-care bill.

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January Trade Balance meets

  • March 7, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

January Trade Balance -48.5B vs. estimates of -48.5B. This of course meets expectations and will not be a factor for today’s pricing.

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ADP reports blowout 298,000 jobs gain for February

  • March 8, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

ADP says February was third-best month of jobs growth of the recovery. Private-sector employment increased by 298,000, ADP reported Thursday. That gain suggests a much better than forecast reading for the payrolls report due Friday, where expectations are for 200,000 jobs added.

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Unit Labor Costs / Nonfarm Productivity

  • March 8, 2017
  • no comment
  • realestatelife

Unit Labor Costs 1.7 vs. estimates of 1.6. Nonfarm Productivity 1.3 vs. estimates of 1.5. This is revised data from the 4th QTR.

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