Articles

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 4.9 percent in the third quarter of 2023, according to the “advance” estimate. Read More

Annual spending for improvements and repairs to owner-occupied homes is expected to decrease at a moderate rate over the coming year, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Read More

In the first eight months of 2023, total U.S. imports of ceramic tile were 125.8 million square meters, a decline of 9.9% from the same period in 2022. Read More

Despite elevated mortgage rates averaging above 7 percent, single-family starts posted a solid gain in September as more buyers are turning to new homes because of a dearth of inventory in the resale market. Read More

U.S. floor coverings manufacturer sales (shipments minus exports plus imports) continued to decline in the third quarter, however, at a more moderate rate. Dollar sales could have declined by 4.3 percent in dollars and 4.4 percent in square feet. This compares to an 8.1 percent drop in dollar sales and a 9.5 percent decrease in square feet in the first half of 2023. Read More

Total construction starts fell 6% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.2 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential starts lost 4%, residential starts declined 6%, and nonbuilding starts fell 9%. Read More

The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 44.8 for September is the lowest score reported since December 2020 during the height of the pandemic, according to the American Institute of Architects. Any score below 50.0 indicates decreasing business conditions, and this score indicates a significant increase in firms reporting declining billings. Read More

Economists are turning optimistic on the U.S. economy, reports the Wall Street Journal. They now think it will skirt a recession, the Federal Reserve is done raising interest rates and inflation will continue to ease. Read More

The 40th Cersaie, held in the Bologna Exhibition Centre from 25 to 29 September, showcased an astonishing array of high-quality and innovative products in visually captivating and emotionally engaging booths. The hard work and investment on the part of the exhibiting companies was amply rewarded by the success of the event, with results that surpassed all expectations. Read More

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released its NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for Q3, posting a reading of 65, declining three points compared to the previous quarter. Read More