Housing starts last month were higher than they’d been in the previous five; Capitol Hill’s Gang of Six proposes a deficit-cutting, ceiling-raising plan; and AP uncovers that robo-signing is still happening.

U.S. homebuilders are feeling a little more confident this month than last; Obama appoints Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and the debt ceiling looms.

The Consumer Price Index dropped in June, and consumer sentiment is in the basement in July. Meanwhile, Congress tries to find ways to wiggle around actually cooperating.

Congress dithers while everyone, including China, urges them to get their act together; retail sales inched up in June; and the PPI index for finished goods continues to drop.

Rating agencies wait to see if Congress can get past its political blockade, and Bernanke warns of the consequences if they don’t. A Pulse of Commerce Index shows an economy in idle.

A sizable group of business organizations pleads with Congress to raise the debt ceiling; the JOLTS report shows little job creation; and the FOMC releases less than illuminative minutes.

The Conference Board’s employment index edges upwards slightly; railroad traffic declines slightly; and the battle in Washington gets more intense by the day.

“Unchanged” statistics mean bad news for unemployment; outstanding consumer credit edged upward in May; and Washington is no closer to averting a U.S. debt default.