Consumer sentiment dips going into holidays (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. consumer sentiment slipped in December but was not far from the year's highs, a report said on Friday, suggesting Americans were guardedly optimistic about the economy in the holiday season.
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Housing construction drops 6.2 percent in August (AP)
2008.09.17By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer 8 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Government data show construction of new homes and apartments fell by a larger-than-expected amount in August, pushing activity to the lowest level in 17 years.
The data illustrate the country remains in the grips of a severe housing downturn that has triggered billions of dollars of losses and is reshaping the structure of U.S. finance.
The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that housing construction dropped 6.2 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 895,000 units. That's the slowest building pace since January 1991, another period when housing was going through a painful correction.
The decline is larger than the 1.6 percent drop analysts expected and showed weakness in all the country except the West.
Regions : Americas
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November housing starts up (Reuters)
Reuters - The pace of U.S. home building rose in November as new home starts climbed 6.7 percent, rebounding from a sharp decline in October while building permits fell 3 percent, a government report showed on Tuesday.
Reuters - The pace of U.S. home building rose in November as new home starts climbed 6.7 percent, rebounding from a sharp decline in October while building permits fell 3 percent, a government report showed on Tuesday.
US GDP revised down to show 2.0 percent growth pace (AFP)
AFP - US economic growth has been a bit more sluggish than earlier estimated in the third quarter, growing at a 2.0 percent annualized pace, according to revised data.
AFP - US economic growth has been a bit more sluggish than earlier estimated in the third quarter, growing at a 2.0 percent annualized pace, according to revised data.
Consumers boost buying during holidays (AP)
AP - Keeping the nation's cash registers ringing, consumers boosted their spending in November by the largest amount in four months, raising hopes shoppers will act more like Santas than Scrooges during the holidays.
AP - Keeping the nation's cash registers ringing, consumers boosted their spending in November by the largest amount in four months, raising hopes shoppers will act more like Santas than Scrooges during the holidays.
Consumer confidence ebbs, boosts rate hopes (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. consumer confidence ebbed in December, while a key measure of inflation held steady in November for first time in four years, boosting the chances of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2007.
Reuters - U.S. consumer confidence ebbed in December, while a key measure of inflation held steady in November for first time in four years, boosting the chances of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2007.
