Consumer Sentiment Declined 2.7% to 50.8 in Early May
Ann Arbor, MI, May 16, 2025-Consumer sentiment declined 2.7% in early May to 50.8, according to results from the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers.
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Households Earning $75K Can Only Afford 21.2% of Home Listings
Washington, DC, May 16, 2025—U.S. households earning $75,000 a year can only afford 21.2% of home listings as of March 2025—up slightly from 20.8% a year prior and representing the biggest gain of any income group—demonstrating that the nation's housing affordability gap persists, according to the National Association of Realtors and Realtor.com 2025 Housing Affordability & Supply report.
Mohawk Group Launches "Believe in Better" Awards
Dalton, GA, May 16, 2025-Mohawk Group announced the establishment of the "Believe in Better" Awards, a new program designed to recognize and celebrate interior design projects that exemplify a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and human-centered impact.
Import and Export Prices Rose 0.1% in April
Washington, DC, May 16, 2025—U.S. import prices increased 0.1% in April following a 0.4% decrease in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
April Retail Sales Virtually Flat from March, Up 4.8% YOY
Washington, DC, May 15, 2025-Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for April 2025, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $724.1 billion, up 0.1% from the previous month, and up 5.2% from April 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Producer Prices Declined 0.5% in April
Washington, DC, May 15, 2025-The Producer Price Index for final demand fell 0.5% in April, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Builder Confidence Declined 6 Points to 34 in May
Washington, DC, May 15, 2025—Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 34 in May, down six points from April, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).
Tepid Demand from First-Time Home Buyers Hinders Builders
New York, NY, May 15, 2025—Demand from first-time home buyers has hit record lows with mortgage rates stuck near 7%. One corner of the market shows it is worryingly weak even with rates at 5%, reports The Wall Street Journal.
Construction Input Prices Declined 0.1% in April
Washington, DC, May 15, 2025-Construction input prices decreased 0.1% in April compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data.
Initial Jobless Claims Unchanged in Week Ending May 10
Washington, DC, May 15, 2025—In the week ending May 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 229,000, unchanged from the previous week's revised level, according to the Department of Labor.