Browsing: News

European Markets Hit Two-Year High European stocks closed at a two-year high on Friday, as investors processed the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest decisions, fresh economic data, and fourth-quarter earnings reports. The Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 1.1%, reaching its highest level since January 17, 2022. This surge followed a strong week for the regional...

Population Growth Recovers According to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. population grew by 1,643,484 people, reaching a total of 334,914,895 residents. The growth rate for 2023 hit 0.49%, the highest level since the pandemic. This rate is slightly above the growth rate of 0.46% in 2019, and just under 2018’s...

Job Openings Decline Across the Economy The overall job market in the U.S. continued to cool in November 2023, with the total number of open jobs dropping to 8.8 million. This is a significant decline from 10.8 million a year earlier, signaling a shift toward a more balanced economy. This drop is part of the...

A New Era for Modular Homes Modular construction, which has its roots in early 20th-century “kit homes,” is making a potential comeback as a solution to America’s growing housing affordability crisis. While modular homes still make up less than 4% of U.S. housing stock, they are garnering renewed attention due to the increasing demand for...

Property Tax Revenue Growth In the third quarter of 2023, U.S. property owners paid $129 billion in property taxes, according to NAHB analysis of the Census Bureau’s state and local tax data. Over the four quarters ending in Q3 2023, state and local governments collected a total of $757 billion in property tax revenue, marking...

Price Trends in Building Materials According to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report, the price of inputs to residential construction—excluding energy—rose by 0.2% in November 2023. This follows a 0.4% decline in October. Year-to-date, building materials prices have increased by 0.8%, marking the smallest year-to-date gain since 2019, when prices fell by 0.2% during...

Record High Housing Affordability in 2023 2023 has officially marked the least affordable year for homebuyers in Redfin’s history, with buyers having to spend a staggering 41% of their earnings on housing costs. This increase is a result of rising home prices, soaring mortgage rates, and stagnant wage growth. Homebuyers in 2023 faced a median-priced...

A Building Boom Amid Rising Prices Nashville’s real estate market is experiencing a surge in development, with cranes dotting the skyline and builders scrambling to keep up with demand. Despite higher interest rates, elevated home prices, and a national economic slowdown, the city’s building boom remains in full swing. This transformation can be traced back...

Building Materials Prices Decline The latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report reveals a slight decrease of 0.1% in the price of residential construction materials in October, following a 0.2% increase in September. This marks a year-to-date increase of just 1.0%, the smallest growth since 2019. The overall price index for final demand goods decreased by...

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland: October Inflation Data Shows Moderate Core Inflation Published November 14, 2023 The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland has released its latest inflation data for October, which highlights continued, though moderate, inflationary pressures. The key inflation measures, including the median and trimmed-mean Consumer Price Index (CPI), indicate that while inflation remains...