As of the last business day in February, the number of job openings changed little at 8.8 million. The job opening rate was unchanged for the third consecutive month at 5.3%.
News in end use
US Construction Spending Declines Month-Over-Month but Rises Year-Over-Year in February
Construction spending during February was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $2,091.5 billion, 0.3% below the revised January estimate.
US First-Time Homebuyers in February Needed to Earn 8.2% More Than a Year Ago to Afford a Starter Home
US homebuyers needed to earn $75,849 annually to afford the typical starter home, up 8.2%, or $5,767, from February 2023.
US Mortgage Application Payments Trend Higher in February
The national medium payment applied for by applications increased 2.4%, from $2,134 in January to $2,184 in February, the MBA reported.
US Median Existing-Home Down Payment Up 24.1% Year-Over-Year in February
The median down payment for homebuyers was $55,640 in February, up 24.1% from $44,850 a year earlier, Redfin reported.
Canadian Real GDP Increases 0.6% in January
Canadian real GDP grew 0.6% in January, led by a rebound in educational services following the resolution of the public sector strikes in Quebec.
US Pending Homes Sales Increase Month-Over-Month in February, but Remain Lower Year-Over-Year
The National Association of Realtors Pending Homes Sales Index was 1.6% higher month-over-month in February.
US Fixed-Rate Mortgages Inch Lower in the Week Ending March 28th
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.79%, down from last week when it averaged 6.87%, Freddie Mac reported.
US Weekly Jobless Claims Decline in the Week Ending March 23rd
The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 210,000 during the week ending March 23rd, a decrease of 2,000.
US Real GDP Increases at an Annual Rate of 3.4% in 2023Q4, BEA Reports in Its “Third” and Final Estimate
Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 3.4% in Q4, following a reported increase of 4.9% in Q3.