Pending Home Sales at Highest Level in 10 Years.

Durable Goods Orders (April 2016)

– New Orders month/month  +3.4%. Previous was +1.9%
– New Orders year/year  +1.9%. Previous was -2.9%
– Ex-transportation month/month- +0.4%. Previous was +0.1%
– Ex-transportation year/year   -1.4%. Previous was -2.1%
– Core capital goods month/month  -0.8%. Previous was -0.1%
– Core capital goods year/year -5.0%. Previous was -5.0%

The DGO report really divides into two parts.  The overall number includes motor vehicles and aircraft and includes both the supply and demand sides of the economy.  The Capital goods part is about the supply side. The Core Capital Goods component declined for the third consecutive month.  The decline in Core Capital Goods is evidence of weakening growth in the world economy.

Initial Jobless Claims (week ended 5/21/2016)

– New Claims seasonally adjusted 268,000. Previous was 278,000
– New Claims unadjusted, totaled 240,868 a decrease of 4,001  from previous
– 4-week Moving Average seasonally adjusted  278,500. Previous was 275,750.

Pending Home Sales Index (April 2016)

– Pending Sales Index month/month +5.1%. Previous was +1.6%.  This increase is the highest level in ten years. The largest increase was in the South.  The Midwest lost ground and the Northeast had a small increase.

This is published by The National Association of Realtors.  It is a leading indicator of Existing Home Sales.