May Existing Home Sales Down Nearly 10%–But Analysts See Upside

Existing home sales fell by nearly 10 percent in May from April—the third consecutive monthly decline in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak—the National Association of Realtors reported yesterday. But analysts saw positive signals despite the drop, as first-time buyer and Millennial demand showed signs of intensifying.

Unemployment Claims Plateau, Remain Elevated

More than 1.5 million Americans filed initial claims for unemployment insurance last week virtually unchanged from the previous week and at historically elevated levels for the 12th consecutive week, the Labor Department reported yesterday.

May Housing Starts Post Modest Increase

HUD and the Census Bureau yesterday reported May housing starts improved by 4.3 percent, stopping a two-month freefall in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

April New Home Sales Reflect Growing Purchaser Confidence

After several months of brutish news, in which home builder confidence fell to an eight-year low, HUD and the Census Bureau had some good news: April new home sales rose for the first time since January.

Coronavirus-Related Initial Claims Top 33.5 Million

The Labor Department yesterday reported an additional 3.17 million initial unemployment claims filed the week ending May 2, bringing total claims filed over the past seven weeks to 33.5 million.

March Pending Home Sales Tumble by Nearly 21%

As expected, March pending home sales fell as the early effects of the coronavirus pandemic took hold, the National Association of Realtors reported yesterday.

March New Home Sales Feel Brunt of Coronavirus

The expected hit to new home sales from the coronavirus pandemic fully manifested itself in March, falling by more than 15 percent from February to its lowest level in six years, HUD and the Census Bureau reported yesterday.

March Existing Home Sales Fall—But Worst Is Yet to Come

After a promising start to the spring home-buying season, existing home sales tumbled in March to a nearly five-year low, the National Association of Realtors reported yesterday—and because of the coronavirus pandemic, the outlook for April isn’t any better.