Tag Archives: economic news

Existing Home Sales rise 3.7% to 5.1 Million – Futures Trading News

According to the National Association of Realtors March showed decent gains for existing home sales.  They reported a slight 3.7% gain to a higher than expected annual rate of 5.1 million.  The median sale price of existing homes also showed some gain rising 2.2% to $159,600.  However,  the year on year comparison shows a 5.9% dip in… read more

Futures News – U.S. Housing starts rise 7.2% during March.

POWERED BY   Released on 4/19/2011 8:30:00 AM For Mar, 2011 Prior Consensus Consensus Range Actual Starts – Level – SAAR 0.479 M 0.525 M 0.500 M to 0.620 M 0.549 M Permits – Level – SAAR 0.517 M 0.594 M Market Consensus Before Announcement Housing starts in February dropped a monthly 22.5 percent after jumping 18.4 percent the prior month. The February annualized pace of… read more

Retail sales increase for the ninth consecutive gain.

Released on 4/13/2011 8:30:00 AM For Mar, 2011 Prior Consensus Consensus Range Actual Retail Sales – M/M change 1.0 % 0.5 % 0.0 % to 1.2 % 0.4 % Retail Sales less autos – M/M change 0.7 % 0.7 % 0.2 % to 1.8 % 0.8 % Market Consensus Before Announcement Retail sales in February surged 1.0 percent, following a 0.7 percent boost in January and a 0.6 percent… read more

Market News – Jobless claims drop last week

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week, a sign that layoffs are dropping and employers may be hiring more workers. The Labor Department says the number of people seeking benefits dropped 10,000 to 382,000 in the week ending April 2. That’s the third drop in four weeks. The four-week average of applications, a less… read more

Consumer Spending rises 0.7 % in February

By MARTIN CRUTSINGERAP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers spending rise in February at the fastest pace in four months, but a big part of the increase went to cover higher prices for gas. The Commerce Department says consumer spending rose 0.7 percent in February. Personal incomes rose 0.3 percent. That was after a 1.2 percent January… read more

U.S. fourth quarter growth revised up to 3.1%

WASHINGTON, March 25 (Reuters) – The U.S. economy grew  more quickly  than previously estimated in the fourth quarter as businesses maintained fairly solid spending and restocked shelves to meet rising demand, while corporate profits increased 3.3 percent, a government report showed on Friday.    Gross domestic product growth was revised up to an annualized rate of… read more

New U.S. Jobless claims fell last week.

WASHINGTON, March 24 (Reuters) – New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits fell as expected last week, with the four-week moving average dropping to its lowest level in more than 2-1/2 years, showing the labor market healing was becoming entrenched.    Initial claims for state unemployment benefits slipped 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 382,000, the Labor Department said… read more

New-home sales plunged in February to record low.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Buyers of new homes plunged in February to the fewest on records dating back nearly half a century, a dismal sign for an already-weak housing market. The Commerce Department says new-home sales fell 16.9 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 250,000 homes. It’s the third straight monthly decline and far below the… read more

Market news – Retails sales spike in February.

Released on 3/11/2011 8:30:00 AM For Feb, 2011 Prior Consensus Consensus Range Actual Retail Sales – M/M change 0.3 % 1.0 % 0.1 % to 1.5 % 1.0 % Retail Sales less autos – M/M change 0.3 % 0.7 % 0.3 % to 1.3 % 0.7 % Highlights Retail sales spiked in February on higher auto sales and on higher gasoline sales. But other components were mostly robust. And… read more