Existing home sales increased modestly in January, as the bottom in home sales was likely in 2023. However, the existing home supply remains only half of what is considered normal, and home prices still show above-average year-over-year increases. Jobless claims so far this year are not showing any substantial change in trend, reflecting limited stress … Continued

According to the Consumer Price Index, inflation reaccelerated in January as the monthly increase was 0.3%, following a 0.2% increase in December. Headline inflation declined to 3.1% from 3.4% in December.  Retail sales declined in January as weather disrupted sales in most categories. Residential construction activity also declined in January, with housing starts falling by … Continued

New-vehicle prices fell in January with weaker retail demand. Incentives relative to price reached the highest level since July 2021. Discounting relative to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) has decreased slightly to nearly half of what it was in 2019 after being nonexistent a year ago. Used-vehicle prices were flat again in January, as … Continued

Job growth in January reaccelerated and was much stronger than expected, plus prior months were revised up. The three-month average for job creation increased to the highest level in nine months, casting doubt on the thesis that job growth is slowing. The unemployment rate and labor force participation were steady as wage inflation accelerated.  The … Continued

As expected, the Fed left interest rates and overall monetary policy unchanged yesterday. We have now had four straight meetings with no change in rate policy. The biggest changes from the Fed are in the language that describes their bias, which has shifted from leaning heavily towards tightening to starting to consider loosening. Rate cuts? … Continued

The economic data released last week affirmed a strong ending to 2023. Real GDP growth was 3.3% for the fourth quarter, which represented a slowing from the third quarter but was still very strong. All components of GDP were positive contributors, and while consumer spending decelerated, it remained at a healthy level for growth. Consumer … Continued

Retail sales grew more than expected in December, posting their strongest performance since January 2023. New construction trends were mixed in December, but the underlying trend suggests stability in aggregate with more strength in single-family homes. Existing home sales declined in December to the lowest level since August 2010, with the lowest inventory since March … Continued