by Calculated Risk on 10/28/2016 11:11:00 AM

A few excerpts from a piece by Goldman Sachs economists Zach Pandl and Jan Hatzius

• We expect the statement following next week’s FOMC meeting to remain relatively upbeat about US growth prospects ... However, the committee is very unlikely to raise the funds rate. ...

• To keep markets on notice for a possible rate hike in December, we expect the statement to indicate that the committee is considering action “at its next meeting”—although this is a close call. The statement will likely again say that risks to the economic outlook are “roughly balanced”.

• A statement along these lines should keep the committee on track to raise the funds rate at the December meeting. We see a 75% chance of an increase, roughly in line with market expectations. The remaining uncertainty relates to incoming economic data and financial conditions ... conditional on decent data and stable markets, a December rate hike looks very likely.

CR note: The next FOMC meeting is next week, on November 1st and 2nd and it seems very unlikely there will be a change in policy at this meeting.

by Calculated Risk on 10/28/2016 10:04:00 AM

The final University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for October was at 87.2, down from the preliminary estimate of 87.9, and down from 91.2 in September.

The Sentiment Index slipped in October to the same low recorded last September and to the lowest level since October 2014. The October decline was due to less favorable prospects for the national economy, with half of all consumers anticipating an economic downturn sometime in the next five years for the first time since October 2014. Objectively, the probability of a downturn during the next five years is far from zero-this would be the longest expansion in 150 years if it lasted just over half of the five year horizon. Nonetheless, the October rise may simply reflect a temporary bout of uncertainty caused by the election.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

by Calculated Risk on 10/28/2016 08:34:00 AM

From the BEA: Gross Domestic Product: Third Quarter 2016 (Advance Estimate)

Real gross domestic product increased at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the third quarter of 2016, according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the second quarter, real GDP increased 1.4 percent.
...
he increase in real GDP in the third quarter reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures (PCE), exports, private inventory investment, federal government spending, and nonresidential fixed investment that were partly offset by negative contributions from residential fixed investment and state and local government spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.

The acceleration in real GDP growth in the third quarter reflected an upturn in private inventory investment, an acceleration in exports, a smaller decrease in state and local government spending, and an upturn in federal government spending. These were partly offset by a smaller increase in PCE, and a larger increase in imports.
emphasis added

The advance Q1 GDP report, with 2.9% annualized growth, was above expectations of a 2.5% increase.

Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased at a 2.1% annualized rate in Q3, down from 4.3% in Q2.   Residential investment (RI) decreased at a 6.2% pace. Equipment investment decreased at a 2.7% annualized rate, and investment in non-residential structures increased at a 5.4% pace.

I'll have more later ...

by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 08:34:00 PM

From Goldman Sachs economist Elad Pashtan

Our final Q3 GDP tracking estimate stands at +2.9% (qoq ar), roughly in line with the consensus of forecasts that were updated after the September trade report. We look for a strong boost from net exports, solid consumer spending, a small contribution from capital expenditures, and another (albeit smaller) drag from inventories.

Friday:
• At 8:30 AM ET, Gross Domestic Product, 3rd quarter 2016 (Advance estimate). The consensus is that real GDP increased 2.5% annualized in Q3.

• At 10:00 AM, University of Michigan's Consumer sentiment index (final for October). The consensus is for a reading of 88.5, up from the preliminary reading 87.9.

by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 02:50:00 PM

Freddie Mac reported that the Single-Family serious delinquency rate declined in September to 1.02%, down from 1.03% in August.  Freddie's rate is down from 1.41% in September 2015.

This is the lowest rate since July 2008.

Freddie's serious delinquency rate peaked in February 2010 at 4.20%.

These are mortgage loans that are "three monthly payments or more past due or in foreclosure". 

Click on graph for larger image

Although the rate is generally declining, the "normal" serious delinquency rate is under 1%. 

The Freddie Mac serious delinquency rate has fallen 0.39 percentage points over the last year, and at that rate of improvement, the serious delinquency rate could be below 1% next month (October).

Note: Fannie Mae will report in the next few days.

by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 12:35:00 PM

The Census Bureau released the Residential Vacancies and Homeownership report for Q3 2016.

This report is frequently mentioned by analysts and the media to track household formation, the homeownership rate, and the homeowner and rental vacancy rates.  However, there are serious questions about the accuracy of this survey.

This survey might show the trend, but I wouldn't rely on the absolute numbers.  The Census Bureau is investigating the differences between the HVS, ACS and decennial Census, and analysts probably shouldn't use the HVS to estimate the excess vacant supply or household formation, or rely on the homeownership rate, except as a guide to the trend.

Click on graph for larger image.

The Red dots are the decennial Census homeownership rates for April 1st 1990, 2000 and 2010. The HVS homeownership rate increased to 63.5% in Q3, from 62.9% in Q2.

I'd put more weight on the decennial Census numbers - and given changing demographics, the homeownership rate is probably close to a bottom.

The HVS homeowner vacancy was unchanged at 1.8% in Q2. 

Once again - this probably shows the general trend, but I wouldn't rely on the absolute numbers.

The rental vacancy rate increased to 6.8% in Q2.

I think the Reis quarterly survey (large apartment owners only in selected cities) is a much better measure of the rental vacancy rate - and the Reis survey is showing rental vacancy rates have started to increase slightly.

The quarterly HVS is the most timely survey on households, but there are many questions about the accuracy of this survey.

Overall this suggests that vacancies have declined significantly, and my guess is the homeownership rate is probably close to the bottom.

by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 11:00:00 AM

From the Kansas City Fed: Tenth District Manufacturing Activity Expanded Moderately

The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City released the October Manufacturing Survey today. According to Chad Wilkerson, vice president and economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, the survey revealed that Tenth District manufacturing activity expanded again at a moderate pace.

“This was the second consecutive month of rising factory activity in the Tenth District, the first time that has happened in nearly two years,” said Wilkerson. “Much of the improvement recently has been in machinery and fabricated metals manufacturing.”
...
The month-over-month composite index was 6 in October, equal to 6 in September and up from -4 in August ... Most month-over-month indexes improved further in October.  The production index edged higher from 15 to 18, and the shipments, new orders, and order backlog also rose moderately.  The employment index climbed from -3 to 7, its highest level in almost two years.  ...
emphasis added

The Kansas City region was hit hard by the decline in oil prices, and it appears activity is starting to expand again.

by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 10:03:00 AM

From the NAR: Pending Home Sales Edge Up in September

Pending home sales shifted higher in September following August's notable dip and are now at their fifth highest level over the past year, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Increases in the South and West outgained declines in the Northeast and Midwest.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, grew 1.5 percent to 110.0 in September from a slight downward revision of 108.4 in August. With last month's gain, the index is now 2.4 percent higher than last September (107.4) and has now risen year-over-year for 22 of the last 25 months.
...
The PHSI in the Northeast fell 1.6 percent to 96.5 in September, but is still 7.7 percent above a year ago. In the Midwest the index declined modestly (0.2 percent) to 104.6 in September, and is now 1.0 percent lower than September 2015.

Pending home sales in the South rose 1.9 percent to an index of 122.1 in September and are now 1.7 percent higher than last September. The index in the West jumped 4.7 percent in September to 107.3, and is now 4.0 percent above a year ago.
emphasis added

This was above expectations of a 1.0% increase for this index.  Note: Contract signings usually lead sales by about 45 to 60 days, so this would usually be for closed sales in October and November.

by Calculated Risk on 10/27/2016 08:34:00 AM

The DOL reported:

In the week ending October 22, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 258,000, a decrease of 3,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 260,000 to 261,000. The 4-week moving average was 253,000, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up by 250 from 251,750 to 252,000.

There were no special factors impacting this week's initial claims. This marks 86 consecutive weeks of initial claims below 300,000, the longest streak since 1970.

The previous week was revised up.

The following graph shows the 4-week moving average of weekly claims since 1971.

Click on graph for larger image.


The dashed line on the graph is the current 4-week average. The four-week average of weekly unemployment claims increased to 253,000.

This was close to the consensus forecast. The low level of claims suggests relatively few layoffs.

by Calculated Risk on 10/26/2016 08:44:00 PM

Thursday:
• At 8:30 AM ET, the initial weekly unemployment claims report will be released.  The consensus is for 255 thousand initial claims, down from 260 thousand the previous week.  Note: I expect some further impact on claims due to Hurricane Matthew.

• Also at 8:30 AM, Durable Goods Orders for September from the Census Bureau. The consensus is for a 0.2% increase in durable goods orders.

• At 10:00 AM, Pending Home Sales Index for September. The consensus is for a 1.0% increase in the index.

• Also at 10:00 AM, the Q3 Housing Vacancies and Homeownership from the Census Bureau.

• At 11:00 AM, the Kansas City Fed Survey of Manufacturing Activity for October.