News in end use

According to the new monthly Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Loan Monitoring Survey, the total number of loans in forbearance was unchanged from October’s reading of 0.70%, as of November 30, 2022. The MBA estimates that 350,000 homeowners are now in forbearance plans.

On Monday, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index reported that builder sentiment in the market for newly built single-family homes dropped 2 points lower in December to a reading of 31. This marks the twelfth consecutive monthly decline.

Statistics Canada on Monday reported that prices of products manufactured in Canada, as measured by the Industrial Product Price Index (IPP), fell 0.4% month-over-month in November but remained 9.7% higher than in November 2021. Energy and petroleum products, which were down 2.7%, led the decrease.

A closer look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics Nonfarm Payroll report for November (released on 12-2-22), with focus on the construction sector, reveals that of the 48 states that do report construction sector job data—which includes both residential and non-residential construction—36 states reported an increase in November.

Redfin reported on Thursday the findings of their Homebuyers Demand Index—a measure of home-tour requests and other services from Redfin agents—is up 10% and mortgage-purchase applications are up 14% from the end of October, when both hit their 2022 lows.

Statistics Canada reported on Friday that wholesale sales rose 2.1% in October to $83.4 billion (CAD). Wholesale sales increased in every province in October, with Quebec, BC, and Ontario leading the way and accounting for 78.1% of national sales.

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported on Thursday that November’s standalone monthly seasonally adjusted annual rate of total housing starts for all areas in Canada declined 0.2% month-over-month to 264,159 units, compared to 264,581 units in October.

Freddie Mac has released its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® for the week ending December 15, 2022. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.31%, down from last week when it averaged 6.33%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year rate averaged 3.12%.

Statistics released today by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) reveal that national home sales recorded over the Canadian MLS® system declined 3.3% on a month-over-month basis in November. The November decline has erased October’s small gain.

The US Department of Labor is reporting that the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 211,000 during the week ending on Saturday, December 10, 2022. This is a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week’s revised level of 231,000 (originally reported as 230,000).