Economy Watch: Housing Starts Spike in July
U.S. housing starts jumped in July compared with June, according to the Census Bureau, a reversal of the preceding months, which have been generally sluggish for housing starts.
Ups and Downs
(value of manufacturers’ new orders; not seasonally adjusted; $ in millions)
‘Economy Watch’ Podcast with Dees Stribling: Retail Sales Disappointed
Retail sales disappointed in July, but at least the U.S. economy isn’t the E.U. economy.
Economy Watch: State Unemployment Rates Edge Up in July
Thirty states had unemployment rate increases in July compared with June, eight experienced decreases and 12 states and the District of Columbia had no change, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
APARTMENT MARKET STATISTICS: August 2014
The three-month moving average of multifamily housing starts now exceeds the average recorded between 2000 and 2007, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
Economy Watch: E-Commerce Continues to Expand
The Census Bureau reported that U.S. e-commerce sales for the second quarter of 2014 were $75 billion, an increase of 4.9 percent compared with the first quarter of the year.
Economy Watch: Euro Zone Growth Stagnates in Q2
Eurostat, the statistics arm of the European Union, reported that gross domestic product in the euro zone (the 18 nations that use the common currency) neither grew nor contracted in the second quarter of 2014 compared with Q1.
Las Vegas’ Residential Market Continues Improvement as Hospitality Sector Inspires Southwest Region Comeback
With employment steadily improving in a job market that had been in dire need of improvement in recent years, and occupancy rates and rents experiencing sustainable growth, Las Vegas is poised for a better year in terms of its apartment market by the end of 2014.
Economy Watch: Retail Sales Flat in July
In July, American consumers took a break from an increase in retail spending.