News in end use

A closer look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) data for September — with an emphasis on constructions and additional analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) — reveals that the job openings rate in construction edged down to 4.3% in September, with 333,000 open positions in the sector.

According to the Q3 2021 Metropolitan Median Area Price and Affordability report from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), strong homebuyer demand and limited housing supply has led to median sales prices rising for existing single-family homes in all but one of 183 measured markets in Q3 of 2021. The NAR found that 78% of 183 markets experienced double-digit year-over-year price increases, fewer than in Q2 of 2021 (94%).

The University of Michigan today (11-12-21) released its preliminary Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) for November. The CSI declined to a reading of 66.8 in November, down from 71.7 in October. This is a month-over-month decrease of -6.8% and a -13.1% decrease year-over-year (76.9 in November 2020).

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) today (11-12-21) reported its Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for September 2021. According to the report, as of the last business day in September, the number and rate of job openings was little changed at 10.4 million and 6.6%. The record high was 10.9 million set in July 2021.

Statistics Canada (StatsCan) is reporting that investment in building construction declined -0.7% in September to $17.5 billion (CAD), continuing the downward spiral that started in May. A small increase in the non-residential sector helped to offset the decrease in the residential sector.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Well Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), housing affordability held steady at its lowest level in nearly a decade. This occurred as higher home prices offset lower mortgage rates to keep the affordability rate flat in Q3 of 2021.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest National Delinquency Survey (NDS), the delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties decreased to a seasonally adjust rate of 4.88% of all loans outstanding in Q3 of 2021. The delinquency rate was down 59 basis points from Q2 of 2021 and down 277 basis points from one year ago.

According to the Radian Home Price Index (HPI) data released earlier in the month by Red Bell Real Estate, LLC, a Radian Group Company Inc., U.S. home prices in September appreciated at an annualized 17.6% from the month of August. This marks the sixth consecutive month of reporting an all-time record month-over-month rate.

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Application Survey (WMAS) for the week ending November 5, 2021, the Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 5.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Wednesday (11-10-21) that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.9% in October on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.4% in September. Over the past 12-months, the all-item index has increased 6.2% before seasonal adjustment.