By Kathleen Madigan
Housing and factory data take center stage in the coming
week.
Recent data have already shown weakness on the building side of
housing. Next week's report will offer a glimpse at demand, which
has been slowed by affordability problems.
The National Association of Realtors is scheduled to report on
sales of existing homes on Tuesday. Economists surveyed by The Wall
Street Journal think resales slipped slightly to an annual rate of
4.57 million. If so, then existing home sales have fallen in seven
of the last eight months.
Sales of new homes will be reported Wednesday. The median
forecast calls for a 2.3% increase to a 450,000 pace last month.
But March sales would be barely above their year-ago level.
The Commerce Department is scheduled to release its durable
goods report Thursday.
Economists say new orders for durable goods increased by 2.0% in
March. Bookings for aircraft propelled the gain. Excluding
transportation equipment, economists think the March increase was
less than 1%.
DATE TIME RELEASE PERIOD CONSENSUS PREVIOUS
(ET)
Monday 1000 Leading Index Mar +0.7% (13) +0.5%
Tuesday 1000 Existing Home Sales Mar 4.57mln(22) 4.60mln
--percent change -0.7% -0.4%
1000 Richmond Fed Mfg Svy Apr N/A -7
Wednesday 0945 Markit "Flash" Mfg PMI Apr N/A 55.5*
1000 New Home Sales Mar 450K (22) 440K
--percent change +2.3% -3.3%
Thursday 0830 Jobless Claims Apr 19 315K (15) 304K
0830 Durable Goods Orders Mar +2.0% (21) +2.2%
1100 Kansas City Fed Mfg Svy Apr N/A 10
Friday 0955 Reuters/UMich Consumer
Sentiment (Final) Apr 83.0 (15) 82.6**
*Final March reading
**Preliminary April reading
(Figures in parentheses refer to number of economists surveyed.)
Write to Kathleen Madigan at kathleen.madigan@wsj.com