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Initial Jobless Claims rose by 25,000 in the latest week, which was higher than expected, as 214,000 people filed for unemployment benefits for the first time. Continuing Claims also came in above forecasts, up 27,000 as 1.833 million people are still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim.  What’s the bottom line? Initial Jobless Claims can be […]

Pending Home Sales climbed 8.3% from November to December per the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), coming in much higher than expected as the improvement in mortgage rates clearly sparked activity last month. Sales were also 1.3% higher than the level reported in December 2022. Pending Home Sales measure signed contracts on existing homes, making […]

The Fed’s first meeting of 2024 begins Tuesday, with their Monetary Policy Statement and press conference coming on Wednesday. More housing news is also on deck Tuesday with an update on home price appreciation for November via Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Labor sector data is also plentiful, starting with the JOLTS (job […]

New Home Sales, which measure signed contracts on new homes, rebounded in December, up 8% from November and beating forecasts as falling mortgage rates and the lack of existing homes for sale brought some buyers to the new construction market. Signed contracts were also 4.4% higher than they were in December 2022.  What’s the bottom line? Alicia Huey, […]

February is National Chocolate Lovers Month! This Chocolate Mousse courtesy of the Food Network is a delicious treat for the chocolate lover in all of us. Place 5 1/4 ounces of coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a double broiler on a low simmer. Stir chocolate until melted, turn off heat and let stand. Add 14 […]

December’s Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) showed that headline inflation rose 0.2% for the month, with the year-over-year reading holding steady at 2.6%. Core PCE, the Fed’s preferred method which strips out volatile food and energy prices, also rose by 0.2% in December. The year-over-year reading fell from 3.2% to 2.9%, pushing this important metric below 3% for the first […]

Delight in National Blonde Brownie Day on January 22 with this decadent Chocolate Chip Blondie recipe courtesy of Taste of Home. Yields 3 dozen. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 large eggs (lightly beaten […]

Retail Sales rose 0.6% from November to December, beating forecasts and coming in even stronger than the 0.3% gain seen in November. Sales were also up 5.6% when compared to December 2022. What’s the bottom line? Spending at department stores, car dealerships, clothing stores and online boosted sales last month, giving some retailers a strong holiday […]

Housing Starts fell for the first time in four months in December, down 4.3% from November. While single-family Starts also saw a downtick from November, they still had a “solid showing” per the NAHB as they surpassed the million mark (1.027 million) for the second straight month. This reflects the number of single-family homes that would […]

Initial Jobless Claims declined by 16,000 in the latest week, with 187,000 people filing for unemployment benefits for the first time. Not only was this well below expectations, it was also the lowest reading since September 2022. Continuing Claims also fell by 26,000, with 1.806 million people still receiving benefits after filing their initial claim. What’s […]

Confidence among home builders rose for the second straight month in January as falling mortgage rates have encouraged some buyers to resume their home search. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Market Index climbed seven points to 44, and while this is still in contraction territory below the key breakeven level of 50, […]

Existing Home Sales fell 1% from November to December to a 3.78-million-unit annualized pace, coming in below estimates of an unchanged reading per the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Sales were also 6.2% lower than they were in December 2022. What’s the bottom line? This report measured closings on existing homes in December and likely reflects people […]

Inflation rose 0.3% from November to December, per the Consumer Price Index (CPI). CPI also rose from 3.1% to 3.4% on an annual basis, though this is still near the lowest level in almost three years. Core CPI, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, increased 0.3% while the annual reading fell from 4% to […]

Sunday, January 21 marks National Granola Bar Day. This homemade version from the Food Network makes for an easy and delicious afternoon snack or breakfast on the go. Yields 48 bars. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 15×10-inch rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix […]

“Home price appreciation continued to push forward in November, despite the new highs in mortgage rates seen over the year,” per CoreLogic’s Chief Economist, Dr. Selma Hepp. Their Home Price Index showed that home prices nationwide rose 0.2% from October to November, hitting a new all-time high for the seventh straight month. Prices were also […]