Total existing-home sales declined 2.5% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.86 million, NAR reported.
Wood Markets News
US Fixed-Rate Mortgages Continue to Decline in the Week Ending September 19th
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.09%, down from last week when it averaged 6.20%, Freddie Mac reported.
LA Warehouse and Parking Garage Converted Into Innovative Hybrid Timber Structure
Together, CLT panels, concrete, and exposed steel columns bear the building’s gravity and seismic loads, The Architect’s Newspaper reported.
The Conference Board US Leading Economic Index Trends Lower in August
The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® fell 0.2% in August to a reading of 100.2 (2016=100), following an unrevised decline of 0.6% in July.
US Weekly Initial Jobless Claims Decline in the Week Ending September 14th
The advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 219,000, a decrease of 12,000 from the previous week’s revised level.
Canadians Receiving Regular Employment Insurance Increases 2.2% in July
The number of Canadians receiving regular Employment Insurance benefits totaled 489,000 in July, up 2.2%, or 11,000, from a month earlier.
US Housing Starts, Building Permits, and Completions Climb in August
Housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,356,000. This is 9.6% above the revised July estimate and 3.9% above the August 2023 rate.
Tolko Industries Begins Two-Week Shutdown at Its Armstrong, BC, Sawmill
Tolko Industries has implemented a two-week shutdown of its lumber plant in Armstrong, BC, citing ongoing market challenges and resource shortages, Coast Mountain News reported.
Federal Reserve Announces 0.5% Rate Cut, The First Since March 2020
In light of the progress on inflation and the balance of risks, the Committee decided to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 0.50% to 4.75–5.00%.
Investment in Canadian Building Construction Falls 1.7% in July
Investment in Canadian building construction declined 1.7% to $20.9 billion (CAD) in July, following an increase of 2.7% in June.