Housing Soft as Snow.

Housing Market Index (February 2014)

– Housing Market Index 46.  Previous was 56.

This index is from The National Association of Home Builders.  The drop may be due mostly to the bad weather some parts of the country have had. There is likely more to this than weather.  One factor is the tougher mortgage lending standards mandated by CFPB. 

Empire State Manufacturing Survey (February 2014)

– General Business Conditions Index 4.48. Previous was 12.51.

This is a survey index taken by the New York Federal Reserve Bank and any positive reading indicates growth. It surveys manufacturers in New York Stare and is largely a relic from the days when New York had a lot of manufacturers.  New York State now has less than half as many manufacturing jobs as Mississippi or Alabama.

E-Commerce Retail Sales (4thQ2013)

– E-sales Quarter/Quarter +3.4%.  Previous was +3.5%.

E-commerce as a percentage of Retail sales was 6.0%.