- Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 3.9% in the second quarter, after increasing 0.6% in the previous quarter, according to the “third” estimate. In the second estimate, released a month ago, the increase in real GDP was 3.7%.
- Real gross domestic income increased 0.7% in the second quarter, compared with an increase of 0.4% in the previous quarter.
- The average of real GDP and real GDI, a supplemental measure of U.S. economic activity that equally weights GDP and GDI, increased 2.3% in the second quarter, compared with an increase of 0.5% in the first quarter.
- The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 1.5% in the second quarter, compared to a decrease of 1.6% in the previous quarter. Excluding food and energy, the price index increased 1.2%, compared with an increase of 0.2% in the previous quarter.
- Corporate profits from current production increased $70.4 billion in the second quarter, following a decrease of $123.0 billion in the previous quarter.
- New orders for manufactured durable goods decreased 2.0% in August, while shipments held steady. Year-to-date, new orders decreased 4.6% from the same period a year ago, while shipments increased 2.3%.
- August existing home sales were down 4.8% from the previous month, but were up 6.2% from a year ago. The median sales price of existing houses sold was $228.7 thousand, 4.7% above August 2014. There were 2.29 million houses for sale at the end of the month. This represents a supply of 5.2 months at the current sales rate, compared to 5.6 in August of 2014.
- August new home sales were up 5.7% from the previous month, and were up 21.6% from a year ago. The median sales price of new houses sold was $292.7 thousand, 0.3% above August 2014.
- U.S. House prices rose 0.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis from June to July, following a 0.2% increase in the previous period, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) monthly House Price Index. For the 12 months ending in July, U.S. prices rose 5.8%. The 12-month changes were all positive, ranging from 2.1% in the New England division to 9.4% in the Mountain division. The U.S. index is 1.1% below its March 2007 peak and is roughly the same as the November 2006 index level.
- The results of Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey of September 24th showed average fixed mortgage rates moving lower following the Federal Reserve announcement that it will defer a hike in the Federal funds rate. 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.86% for the week ending September 24, down from last week when it averaged 3.91%. A year ago, at this time, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.20%.
- Mortgage applications increased 13.9% from a week earlier, according to data from Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending September 18th.
- Domestic non-financial debt rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.4% and reached $43,979 billion at the end of second quarter of 2015.
- The advance figure for initial claims for unemployment insurance increased 3 thousand to 267 thousand in the week ending September 19th. The 4-week moving average was 271.75 thousand, a decrease of 0.75 thousand from the previous week’s average.
- Regional and state unemployment rates were little changed in August. Twenty-nine states had unemployment rate decreases from July, 10 states had increases, and 11 states and the District of Columbia had no change.
- In August, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 32 states and decreased in 18 states and the District of Columbia.
- The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment decreased to 87.2 in September, from 91.9 in August. This was the lowest level in eleven months, but it was still higher than in any prior month since May 2007.
- The Chicago FED National Activity Index fell to negative 0.41 in August, from positive 0.51 in July.
- The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City manufacturing survey revealed that Tenth District manufacturing activity declined at a pace as in previous months, while expectations for future activity dropped considerably.
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