What, me worry? Housing starts/building permits, UMich
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WHAT, ME WORRY? HOUSING STARTS/BUILDING PERMITS, UMICH
Data released at the conclusion of a week jam-packed with the stuff offered continued assurance that while the economy might be softening at the hands of the Federal Reserve and its restrictive policy, the American consumer is alive and kicking.
Groundbreaking on new American homes USHST=ECI slid by 6.8% last month to 1.24 million units at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR), or the lowest level since May 2020, at the height of the COVID panic.
The number landed 6.9% shy of consensus.
Meanwhile, building permits USBPE=ECI - considered among the more forward-looking housing indicators - dropped 4% to 1.40 million units SAAR, or 2.3% less than analysts expected.
Scratching beneath the headline, a 14.1% plunge in single-family housing starts (which account for the lion's share of the total) handily offset a 14.5% increase in multiple unit projects.
On the permits side, single-family projects held firm while multiple unit permits decreased by 11.1%.
The Commerce Department's report echoes the souring homebuilder sentiment data reported on Thursday by the National Association of Home Builders, and points to dwindling affordability amid elevated mortgage rates.
"A slowdown in single family construction will crimp new supply for a market already struggling with low inventory," writes Jeffrey Roach, chief economist at LPL Financial.
"Housing prices will likely stay elevated despite a broader economic slowdown," Roach adds. "However, we do expect mortgage rates to drop throughout this year as the Fed starts cutting rates."
Separately, the University of Michigan (UMich) released its preliminary stab at current-month consumer sentiment USUMSP=ECI, which offered a mild upside surprise.
The index added 1.4 points to land at 67.8 versus the more languid 0.5 point gain economists predicted.
While survey respondents' assessment of their current situation deteriorated by 2.9%, their near-term expectations more than made up for it by growing 4.8% sunnier.
According to Joanne Hsu, director of UMich's consumer surveys, much of the churn was partisan.
"With election developments dominating headlines this month, sentiment for Democrats climbed 6% in the wake of Harris replacing Biden as the Democratic nominee for president," Hsu writes. "For Republicans, sentiment moved in the opposite direction, falling 5% this month."
"Overall, expectations strengthened for both personal finances and the five-year economic outlook, which reached its highest reading in four months," Hsu added.
The near- and long-term inflation outlook was unchanged from July, with one-year and five-year expectations coming in at 2.9% and 3.0%, respectively, or about 1 percentage point warmer than Powell & Co's average annual 2% inflation target.
(Stephen Culp)
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FOR FRIDAY'S EARLIER LIVE MARKETS POSTS:
S&P 500, NASDAQ ATTEMPT TO RISE FOR A SEVENTH-STRAIGHT DAY - CLICK HERE
BENCHMARK TREASURY YIELD: IS THE CLOUD NOW A CEILING? - CLICK HERE
FRENCH ASSETS STILL WEAK AFTER MACRON'S ELECTION GAMBLE - CLICK HERE
GILTS AND THE POUND COULD DROP FURTHER - CLICK HERE
STOXX SET FOR BIGGEST WEEKLY GAIN IN THREE MONTHS - CLICK HERE
EUROPE HEADS FOR BUOYANT END TO THE WEEK - CLICK HERE
GROWTH FEARS FADE AS QUICKLY AS THEY COME - CLICK HERE
Housing starts and building permits https://reut.rs/4dpS7gL
UMich https://reut.rs/3SSGN4u
UMich inflation expectations https://reut.rs/3WQVBBS
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