- Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 1.7% in the second quarter of 2012, after increasing at 2.0% in the previous quarter. In the advance estimate, released a month ago, the increase in real GDP was 1.5%.
- Corporate profits from current production increased $10.4 billion in the second quarter, after a decrease of $53.0 billion in the previous quarter.
- Personal income increased 0.3%, in July, while personal consumption expenditures increased 0.4%. The price index for personal consumption expenditures held steady in July, following a 0.1% increase in the previous month.
- New orders for manufactured goods (excluding semiconductors) increased 2.8% in July, while shipments increased 2.0%.
- The Pending Home Sales Index, a leading indicator for the housing sector, increased 2.4% to a reading of 101.7 in July. The index was 12.4% above July 2011 level.
- The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.59% for the week ending August 30, down from the previous week when it averaged 3.66%.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance was unchanged at 374 thousand in the week ending August 25.
- The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment increased to 74.3 in August, from 72.3 in July.
- The FED’s “Beige Book” indicated that overall economic activity continued to expand gradually in July and early August across most regions and sectors.
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