Freddie Mac has released its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) for the week ending August 13th, 2020. The PMMS shows that 30-year fixed-mortgage rate averaged 2.96% with an average 0.8 point up from last week when it averaged 2.88%.
News in end use
Producer Price Index for Final Demand Increases in July
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is reporting that the Producer Price Index (PPI) for final demand increased to a seasonally adjusted 0.6% in July.
A Lack of Available Inventory Continues to Challenge Home Sales
According to Zillow, a Seattle Washington based online real estate database company, in their latest Zillow’s Weekly Market Report (ZWMR), pending home sales remain well above last year’s levels.
Construction Activity Accelerated in July in the United Kingdom
Construction activity in the United Kingdom in July accelerated, led by another strong showing in housebuilding. New orders increased for the second month in a row, as lockdown measures eased, and jobsite activity was able to restart.
Canadian Consumer Confidence on the Rise
According to the Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index, (BNCCI), a composite that measure the financial health and economic expectations, consumer sentiment in Canada turned positive for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with wide spread gains being experienced across regions and age groups.
Higher Lumber Prices Could Slow Housing Growth
Since mid-April 2020, the average lumber prices have surged an amazing 80%. Moving from a low of $348 per thousand board feet (MBM) to $ 627 MBM as of July 31st.
Canadian Housing Starts Jump 16% in July
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) is reporting that the annual pace of housing starts in July rose nearly 16% when compared with June.
Redfin Reports Bidding War on Homes Intensified in July
Redfin, the Seattle-based real estate brokerage is reporting that for the third straight month, more than half of its home offers faced competition (bidding war) in July.
Consumer Credit Debt Increases in June
According to the Federal Reserve’s latest G.19 Consumer Credit Report, which tracks trends in consumer credit, excluding loans secured by real estate, in June consumer credit increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 2.6% from the month of May.
Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for June 2020
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has posted its Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) for June 2020. According to the JOLTS report the number of job openings increased to 5.9 million as of the last business day of June.