DATA FLASH: JUNE HOUSING STARTS JUMP, BUT FUTURE UNCERTAIN

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The U.S. June home building data, released Friday, were overwhelmingly positive, as low mortgage rates and continued state reopenings boosted confidence. However, the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in several states in early-July, ongoing uncertainty, and extremely high unemployment may keep home building contained for the next few months. The […]

DATA FLASH: US JUNE RETAIL SALES STRONGER THAN EXPECTED, UP 7.5%

-Retail Sales Excluding Motor Vehicles Rise 7.3%; Vehicle Sales Up 8.2%-Initial Jobless Claims Fall by 10,000 to 1.310m in the July 11 Week-Philadelphia Fed Index Dips to 24.1 in July from 27.5 in June-NAHB Index Rises To 72 in July From 58 in June, Almost Pre-COVID Level-Business Inventories Fall 2.3% in May, Business Sales Up […]

DATA FLASH: US JUNE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION SURGES ON VEHICLES

-Industrial Production Up 5.4%, Motor Vehicle Production Jumps 105%-Manufacturing Production Up 7.2%, Rises 3.9% Excluding Motor Vehicles-Utilities Production Up 4.2%, Mining Production Down 2.9%-Empire State Index Rises to 17.2 in July from -0.2, First Positive Under COVID By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Industrial production, released by the Federal Reserve Wednesday, rose by 5.4% in […]

DATA FLASH: US INITIAL CLAIMS SLIP, BUT STUBBORNLY ABOVE 1 MILLION

—Initial Claims -99,000 to 1.314 Mln; Pace of Decline Continues to Flatten–-Wholesale Inventories -1.2% in May, Business Inventories Tracking -2.3% By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The pace of initial claims gains continues to astound, with COVID-19 cases surging in several states that are causing some restrictions to be put back into place. Initial filings fell […]

DATA FLASH: US MANUFACTURING MOVES BACK TO POSITIVE IN JUNE

–May Construction Spending Falls Sharply–June ADP Points to Further Job Recovery; Challenger Shows Layoffs Continue By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The June ISM index showed U.S. manufacturing sector activity improved further, in line with the regional and Markit data. Survey respondents in the ISM report noted a rebound in demand has kept factories busy. […]

DATA FLASH: MAY EXISTING HOME SALES LIKELY HIT BOTTOM

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – Existing home sales fell for the third straight month in May, but the current month’s data reflects contract signings in March and April at the worst points of the shutdown. It is expected that this may be the bottom for home resales. National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence […]

DATA PREVIEW: AFTER PARTIAL RECOVERY IN MAY, FOCUS TURNS TO JUNE

By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – After solid improvement in the May U.S. data released over the last two weeks, the focus in the coming week turns to the early-June regional conditions data. June readings from the New York Fed and Philadelphia Fed released this previous week indicated continued improvement, with the Philadelphia Fed’s reading […]

DATA FLASH: US MAY RETAIL SALES SURGE BY 17.7% ON REOPENINGS

–Retail Sales Excluding Motor Vehicles Rose 12.4%; Vehicle Sales Surge 44.1%–Industrial Production Rose 1.4%, Motor Vehicle Production Rebounds by 120.8%–NAHB Index Jump To 58 in June From 37 in May, Suggests Stronger Home Building Ahead–Business Inventories Down 1.3% in April, Business Sales Down 14.4% By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – As social distancing eased in […]

DATA FLASH: US MANUFACTURING CONTRACTION SLOWED IN MAY

-April Construction Spending Declined, As Suggested by Housing Data By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The May ISM index Monday showed U.S. manufacturing sector activity contracted further, but at a slower pace, in line with the regional and Markit data. Survey respondents in the ISM report noted while COVID-19 continues to weigh heavily on business […]

DATA FLASH: US MAY CONFIDENCE STOPS SLIDE; NEW HOMES UP

–Dallas Manufacturing Reading in Line with Other Regional Data By Kevin Kastner WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index rose slightly to a reading of 86.6 in May from a downward revised 85.7 reading in April, stopping the slide at two months but leaving the index well below the recent peak in […]