The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 428,000 in April, following revised increases of 428,000 in March and 714,000 in February. In the first four months of 2022, nearly 2.1 million jobs were created, and monthly employment grew at an average rate of 519,000 jobs per month.
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Canada’s Employment Rate Holds Steady in April, While Unemployment Declines to New Record Low
Statistics Canada reported today its Labor Force Survey for April 2022. Employment in Canada was little changed in April. Previously, employment increased by 409,000 (2.1%) during February and March, following losses in January, the result of the fifth wave of COVID-19. The unemployment rate edged down a further -0.1 percentage points to 5.2%.
Mortgage Delinquencies Decrease in Q1 of 2022—Seventh Consecutive Quarterly Decline
According to the latest Mortgage Banker Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey (NDS), released today (5-5-22), the delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties decreased to a seasonally adjust rate of 4.11% of all loans outstanding at the end of Q1 of 2022.
Mortgage Rates Climb Higher in the Week Ending May 5, 2022
Freddie Mac has released its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) for the week ending May 5, 2022. The PMMS reports that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.27% with an average 0.9 point, up from last week when it averaged 5.10%. A year ago, at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 2.96%.
Job Cuts Increased, Hiring Decreased in April 2022
According to the latest Job Cut Report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas (CG&C), Inc, U.S.-based employers announced 24,286 cuts in April 2022. This is a 14% increase from the 21,387 cuts announced in March 2022, and it is up 6% year-over-year from the 22,913 cuts announced in April 2021.
Weekly Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Move Higher in the Week Ending April 30, 2022
The U.S. Department of Labor is reporting that an additional 200,000 Americans (seasonally adjusted) made their initial filing for unemployment benefits during the week ending on Saturday, April 30, 2022. This is an increase of 19,000 from the previous week’s revised level. The 4-week moving average was 188,000.
Seventy Percent of U.S. Metro Areas Reached Double-Digit Annual Price Gains in Q1 of 2022
According to the latest National Association of Realtors® Quarterly Report, released on Tuesday (5-3-22), Q1 of 2022 saw more markets reach double-digit annual prices gains than in Q4 of 2021. Seventy percent of 185 measured metros experienced such price gains, up from 66% in the previous quarter.
Mortgage Applications Increase in Week Ending April 29, 2022
According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Application Survey (WMAS), for the week ending April 29, 2022, the Market Composite Index (a measure of mortgage loan application volume) increased 2.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
ADP Reports Private Sector Employment Continued to Grow in April but at a Slower Pace
According to the March ADP® National Employment Report™, released today (5-4-22), nonfarm private sector employment increased by 247,000 jobs from March to April. The report, which is derived from ADP’s actual payroll data, measures the change in total nonfarm private employment each month on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Lumber Demand Expected to Remain Strong, Even in a Recessionary Period
At last Thursday’s Council of Forest Industries conference, analysts and economists speaking at the forum began using the dreaded “R” word. Some speakers said openly that by end of 2022 or early 2023, at least Europe, and potentially North America, could be in a recession due to run-away inflation, the war in Ukraine, and rising interest rates.