by Calculated Risk on 4/15/2014 08:04:00 PM

A reminder of a friendly bet I made with NDD on housing starts in 2014:

If starts or sales are up at least 20% YoY in any month in 2014, [NDD] will make a $100 donation to the charity of Bill's choice, which he has designated as the Memorial Fund in honor of his late co-blogger, Tanta. If housing permits or starts are down 100,000 YoY at least once in 2014, he make a $100 donation to the charity of my choice, which is the Alzheimer's Association.

Of course, with the terms of the bet, we could both "win" at some point during the year. (I expect to "win" in a few months, but not quite yet).

In March 2013, starts were at a 1.005 million seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR). For me to win, starts would have to be up 20% or at 1.206 million SAAR in March (not likely). For NDD to win, starts would have to fall to 905 thousand SAAR (possible). NDD could also "win" if permits fall to 790 thousand SAAR from 890 thousand SAAR in March 2013 (not likely).

Wednesday:
• At 7:00 AM ET, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) will release the results for the mortgage purchase applications index.

• At 8:30 AM, Housing Starts for March. Total housing starts were at 907 thousand (SAAR) in February. Single family starts were at 583 thousand SAAR in February. The consensus is for total housing starts to increase to 965 thousand (SAAR) in March.

• At 9:15 AM, The Fed will release Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization for March. The consensus is for a 0.5% increase in Industrial Production, and for Capacity Utilization to increase to 78.8%.

• At 12:25 PM, Speech by Fed Chair Janet Yellen, Monetary Policy and the Economic Recovery, At the Economic Club of New York, New York, New York

• At 2:00 PM, the Federal Reserve Beige Book, an informal review by the Federal Reserve Banks of current economic conditions in their Districts.