Articles

Construction spending during July 2023 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,972.6 billion, 0.7% above the revised June estimate of $1,958.9 billion, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Read More

Personal income increased $45.0 billion (0.2 percent at a monthly rate) in July. Disposable personal income (DPI)—personal income less personal current taxes— increased $7.3 billion (less than 0.1 percent). Read More

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.1 percent in the second quarter of 2023, according to the “second” estimate. Read More

"Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell argued for holding interest rates steady for now, but kept the door open to raising them later this year if the economy doesn’t slow enough to keep inflation declining,” reports the Wall Street Journal. Read More

n June, U.S. imports of hardwood flooring fell by 15% versus May, the second straight month of declines, according to the Decorative Hardwoods Association. Read More

"For many Americans, homeownership may be attainable only if they give up a dining room,” reports the Wall Street Journal. Read More

Seasonally adjusted construction employment rose from July 2022 to July 2023 in 45 states and the District of Columbia, fell in four states, and was unchanged in Vermont, according to Associated General Contractor’s (AGC) analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. Read More

Lowe’s reported net sales of $25 billion for Q2 2023, a 9% decline compared to net sales of $27.5 billion in the same period last year. Read More

"Ceramic Imports Showed a Modest Decline: Overall ceramic unit imports decreased 5.2% year over year (y/y), moderating from sharper declines earlier in the year, for units down 6.1% year- to-date. Read More

"The average mortgage rate rose to 7.09%, its highest level in more than 20 years, according to data released Thursday by mortgage giant Freddie Mac,” according to the Wall Street Journal. Read More