Monthly Archives: March 2016

[03/23/16]  Sales of new single-family homes in the United States rebounded in February, but the increase was concentrated in one region, which could suggest a loss of momentum in the housing market as the busy spring selling season kicks off.

The Commerce Department said on Wednesday that new-home sales rose 2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 512,000 units. January’s sales pace was revised up to 502,000 units, from 494,000.

Such sales surged 38.5 percent in the West last month. They fell 24.2 percent in the Northeast, 17.9 percent in the Midwest and 4.1...

[03/17/16]  The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose from a five-month low last week, but it remained below a level associated with a strengthening labor market.

Other data on Thursday showed that factory activity in the mid-Atlantic region expanded in March for the first time in seven months, the latest sign of stability in the distressed manufacturing industry.

In addition, job openings hit a six-month high in January, and a gauge of future economic activity increased in February after two straight months of declines.

“The labor market is tight as a...