-
Merchandise Trade, US and Canada: July 2015
Canada’s exports rose 2.3 per cent in July and were concentrated in non-energy products, according to Statistics Canada Thursday. Exports excluding energy products rose 4 per cent. Overall, export prices grew 1.3 per cent while export volumes advanced 1.0 per cent. US exports, meanwhile, increased 0.4 per cent to US$188.5 billion, despite a strong dollar…
-
Canada and US Residential Construction Spending
Canadian investment in residential construction totalled $28.9 billion in 2Q, up 4 per cent from the same quarter in 2014, said Statistics Canada Thursday. Renovation spending (up 4.3 per cent to $13.9 billion), investment in apartment and apartment-condominium buildings (up 9.9 percent to $3.9 billion) and acquisition costs for new dwelling units built (up 9.9…
-
Interfor to Cut US South Lumber Production
Interfor Corp, out of Vancouver, BC, Friday announced plans to reduce production across its operating platform in the US South by 20 per cent on a temporary basis in response to weak market demand. These curtailments will be taken by way of reduced hours at five of the company’s mills in the region and will…
-
US AD&C Lending Condition: July 2015
Builders and developers continue to report easing credit conditions for acquisition, development, and construction (AD&C) loans according to NAHB’s most recent survey on AD&C financing, although a separate Federal Reserve survey is trending differently. In the second quarter of 2015, the overall net tightening index of the NAHB survey was -30.7,which represents somewhat less easing…
-
US Rates on New Home Loans: July 2015
On average, the contract rate on conventional mortgages used to purchase newly-built homes increased 12 basis points in July, to 3.98 per cent, according to data released Friday by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. At 3.98, this is the highest the contract rate has been since December of last year. Initial fees have some ability…
