Homebuilder Confidence Fell Two Points in May
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) fell two points to a level of 54 in May, but increased nine points from May 2014.
Browsing: Economy
Mining and Utilities Drive Industrial Production Decline
Industrial production decreased 0.3 percent in April, the fifth consecutive monthly loss. From April 2014, the index increased 1.9 percent.
Student Loan Debt Outpacing Other Debt Growth
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York announced in its Q1 2015 Household Debt and Credit Report, that total household debt reached $11.85 trillion, up only $24 billion from last quarter.
Producer Prices Slip in April
Producer prices fell 0.4 percent in April, seasonally adjusted, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, after increasing 0.2 percent in March.
Retail Sales Unchanged in April
There were $436.8 billion of food and retail sales in April (after adjustment of seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Small Business Optimism Rises in April
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose to 96.9 in April, up 1.7 points from the previous month.
U.S. Adds 223,000 Jobs in April
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 223,000 in April, up from last month’s revised estimate of 85,000. The unemployment rate dropped slightly to 5.4 percent, the lowest since 2008. The Federal Reserve has placed its full-employment estimate between 5 percent and 5.2 percent.
Consumer Credit Grows 7.4 Percent in March
Consumer credit increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 7.4 percent in March to $3.36 trillion.
Deficit Widens as Imports Increase More Than Exports
The U.S. international trade deficit increased in March, rising to $51.4 billion, up from $35.9 billion in February.
Non-Manufacturing ISM Index Rises in April
The Non-Manufacturing ISM Report on Business Index was 57.8 in April, up 1.3 points from 56.5 in March.