New home sales could be worse. But don’t overlook the seasonals and the fundamentals.
Author Archives: James_Hamilton
Environmental totalitarianism
What do Russia and California have in common?
Watching housing slide
The Census Bureau
yesterday released August data for housing permits and new housing starts, both of which confirm that we are in the midst of a significant housing downturn.
Steady as she goes
Some analysts, convinced a catastrophe is looming, are starting to jump at shadows. But this week’s numbers do not give me much cause for alarm.
Gasoline prices will fall even more
At the start of this month, I joined others in predicting that U.S. gasoline prices would soon be below $2.50 a gallon. The price has already dropped 20 cents to $2.60 a gallon since then, and it now appears likely to go down at least another 30 cents from here.
Big Oil takes on a Big Job
Chevron Corporation announced on Tuesday a promising test from a well deep below the Gulf of Mexico, a project in which Devon Energy Corporation and Statoil each also hold 25% interest.
House prices still climbing
The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) today released its house price indexes for 2006:Q2, which continue to show house prices climbing in all but five states, though with a significantly slower rate of increase than previously.
Autos remain weak
Auto sales still a weak spot for the economy, but no big plunge yet.
Gasoline prices coming down
U.S. gasoline prices have been dropping and will likely fall further.
Inflation expectations
So where’s the surge in inflation expectations, now that the Fed has stopped tightening?