Housing Downturn: V-Like Recoveries In Stocks Tug On Sluggish Data – Housing Market Review (May, 2020)

Housing Market Intro and Summary Could the housing downturn already be coming to a swift end? The stocks of home builders are delivering this message. They have enjoyed a very healthy rally and recovery from the depths of the March stock market crash. The challenges ahead are large: worsening economic conditions, unemployment at historically high … Read more

Meritage Homes: Stock Leads Home Builders In V-Shaped Recovery

A Startling V-Shaped Recovery Meritage Homes (MTH) has become a poster child for the near V-shaped recovery for housing-related stocks. MTH achieved a startling feat on the heels of a 3.5% gain: at its highs of the day, Meritage Homes reached its post-earnings stock price on January 30th which in turn was close to a … Read more

Stock Market Breaks Out to Overbought Territory Yet Again – Above the 40 (May 18, 2020)

Stock Market Statistics AT40 = 75.0% of stocks are trading above their respective 40-day moving averages (DMAs) (first oversold day)AT200 = 18.4% of stocks are trading above their respective 200DMAsVIX = 29.3Short-term Trading Call: neutral Stock Market Commentary Buyers followed through on the building momentum from the previous two trading days which drew a line … Read more

Latest Housing Starts, Construction Employment Undermine Strong Q1 GDP

U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first quarter of 2020 (advanced estimate) plunged by 4.8% as the coronavirus pandemic put the economy on lockdown. The following categories made positive contributions to GDP in ascending order of their contribution to the percentage change: Housing and utilities: .08% Change in farm inventories: 0.10% Government consumption expenditures … Read more

Housing Downturn: Optimism Races Ahead of the Data – Housing Market Review (April, 2020)

The iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction Index (ITB) gained 4.2% and closed at a 2-month high.

Housing Market Intro and Summary Something surprising is happening in the middle of the current downturn in the housing market: buyers keep coming and home builders are staying resilient and resolute. A series of earnings reports from publicly traded home builders do not reflect the historic plunge in builder sentiment from April (see below). The … Read more