Blog
 |
| For the Week Ending June 22, 2018 |
|
Please enjoy this quick update on what happened this week in the housing and financial markets. |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
Tariffs imposed by President Trump have elicited retaliation from countries around the globe. Concerns about a trade war have helped mortgage rates. |
|
Fed Chair Powell recently confirmed the case for continuing to raise interest rates remains "strong." He cited solid economic growth and full employment. |
|
Jobless claims have fallen for the 4th straight week. Employers are increasingly reporting labor shortages, which are likely to lead to wage growth and inflation. |
 |
|
|
Home builders are excited by strong demand for housing. However, they are frustrated with labor shortages and rising costs for lumber. |
|
New housing starts surged to an 11-year high of 1.35 million in May. Both single-family and multi-family home construction increased. |
|
Existing home sales fell last month, as a shortage of properties pushed prices to a record high. At May's sales pace, unsold inventory is at a 4.1-month supply. |
.jpg)
