by Calculated Risk on 7/27/2012 03:31:00 PM

The Census Bureau released the Housing Vacancies and Homeownership report for Q2 2012 this morning.

This report is frequently mentioned by analysts and the media to track the homeownership rate, and the homeowner and rental vacancy rates. However, based on the initial evaluation, it appears the vacancy rates are too high.

It might show the trend, but I wouldn't rely on the absolute numbers. My understanding is 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 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 65.5%, up from 65.4% in Q1 2012. Last quarter was the lowest level for this survey since the mid-90s.

I'd put more weight on the decennial Census numbers and that suggests the actual homeownership rate is probably in the 64% to 65% range.

The HVS homeowner vacancy rate declined to 2.1% from 2.2% in Q1. This is the lowest level since Q1 2006 for this report.

The homeowner vacancy rate has peaked and is now declining, although it isn't really clear what this means. Are these homes becoming rentals? Anyway - once again - this probably shows that the trend is down, but I wouldn't rely on the absolute numbers.

The rental vacancy rate declined to 8.6% from 8.8% in Q1.

I think the Reis quarterly survey (large apartment owners only in selected cities) is a much better measure of the overall trend in the rental vacancy rate - and Reis reported that the rental vacancy rate has fallen to the lowest level since 2001.

The quarterly HVS is the most timely survey on households, but there are many questions about the accuracy of this survey. Unfortunately many analysts still use this survey to estimate the excess vacant supply. However this does suggest that the housing vacancy rates are falling.

Earlier on GDP:
• Real GDP increased 1.5% annual rate in Q2
• Q2 GDP: Comments and Investment

by Calculated Risk on 7/27/2012 02:15:00 PM

From Bloomberg: Draghi Said to Hold Talks With Weidmann on ECB Bond Purchases

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi will hold talks with Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann in the coming days in an effort to overcome the biggest stumbling block to a new raft of measures including bond purchases, two central bank officials said.

Having secured the backing of governments in Spain, France and Germany, Draghi is now seeking to win over ECB policy makers for a multi-pronged approach to reduce bond yields in countries such as Spain and Italy, the officials said on condition of anonymity because the talks are private.

Maybe Draghi has found the panic button!

Earlier on GDP:
• Real GDP increased 1.5% annual rate in Q2
• Q2 GDP: Comments and Investment

by Calculated Risk on 7/27/2012 12:10:00 PM

The Q2 GDP report was weak, but slightly better than expected. Final demand weakened in Q2 as personal consumption expenditures increased at only a 1.5% annual rate, and residential investment increased at a 9.7% annual rate.

Investment in equipment and software picked up slightly to a 7.2% annual rate in Q2, and investment in non-residential structures was only slightly positive. The details will be released next week, but most of the recent positive increases in non-residential structures has been from investment in energy and power structures. Based on the architecture billing index, I expect the drag from other non-residential categories (offices, malls, hotels) to continue all year.

And there was another negative contribution from government spending at all levels. However, it appears the drag from state and local governments will end soon (after declining for almost 3 years).

Overall this was another weak report indicating sluggish growth.

The following graph shows the contribution to GDP from residential investment, equipment and software, and nonresidential structures (3 quarter centered average). This is important to follow because residential investment tends to lead the economy, equipment and software is generally coincident, and nonresidential structure investment trails the economy.

For the following graph, red is residential, green is equipment and software, and blue is investment in non-residential structures. So the usual pattern - both into and out of recessions is - red, green, blue.

The dashed gray line is the contribution from the change in private inventories.

Click on graph for larger image.

Residential Investment (RI) made a positive contribution to GDP in Q2 for the fifth consecutive quarter. Usually residential investment leads the economy, but that didn't happen this time because of the huge overhang of existing inventory, but now RI is contributing. The good news: Residential investment has clearly bottomed.

The contribution from RI will probably continue to be sluggish compared to previous recoveries, but the ongoing positive contribution to GDP is a significant story.

Equipment and software investment has made a positive contribution to GDP for twelve straight quarters (it is coincident).

The contribution from nonresidential investment in structures was slightly positive in Q2. Nonresidential investment in structures typically lags the recovery, however investment in energy and power has masked the ongoing weakness in office, mall and hotel investment (the underlying details will be released next week).

Residential Investment as a percent of GDP is still near record lows, but it is increasing. Usually RI bounces back quickly following a recession, but this time there is a wide bottom because of the excess supply of existing vacant housing units.

Last year the increase in RI was mostly from multifamily and home improvement investment. Now the increase is from most categories including single family. I'll break down Residential Investment (RI) into components after the GDP details are released this coming week. Note: Residential investment (RI) includes new single family structures, multifamily structures, home improvement, broker's commissions, and a few minor categories.

The last graph shows non-residential investment in structures and equipment and software.

I'll add details for investment in offices, malls and hotels next week.

The key story is that residential investment is continuing to increase, and I expect this to continue all year (although the recovery in RI will be sluggish compared to previous recoveries). Since RI is the best leading indicator for the economy, this suggests no recession this year.

Earlier with revision graphs:
• Real GDP increased 1.5% annual rate in Q2

by Calculated Risk on 7/27/2012 09:55:00 AM

Note: I'll have more on GDP soon.


Click on graph for larger image.

The final Reuters / University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for July increased to 72.3 from the preliminary reading of 72.0, and was down from the June reading of 73.2.

This was slightly above the consensus forecast of 72.0 and the lowest level this year. Overall sentiment is still weak - probably due to a combination of the high unemployment rate and the sluggish economy.

by Calculated Risk on 7/27/2012 08:30:00 AM

From the BEA:

Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the second quarter of 2012, (that is, from the first quarter to the second quarter), according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the first quarter, real GDP increased 2.0 percent. [revised up from 1.9 percent]

The increase in real GDP in the second quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures (PCE), exports, nonresidential fixed investment, private inventory investment, and residential fixed investment that were partly offset by a negative contribution from state and local government spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.

The deceleration in real GDP in the second quarter primarily reflected a deceleration in PCE, an acceleration in imports, and decelerations in residential fixed investment and in nonresidential fixed investment that were partly offset by an upturn in private inventory investment, a smaller decrease in federal government spending, and an acceleration in exports.

Overall the revisions to the last three years were pretty minor.

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows real GDP before (blue) and after (red) the revision. The recession was not quite as deep as previously reported, and the recovery in 2010 was slightly slower - and the recovery in 2011 slightly faster.

Real GDP in Q1 was slightly above the previously reported level indicating the output gap is about the same as previously estimated.

The second graph shows the same data but as a percent change annualized.

There were some downward revisions in Q1 and Q2 2010, and some upward revisions in 2011.

A couple of comments:
• Real personal consumption expenditures increased 1.5 percent in the first quarter, compared with an increase of 2.4 percent in the first.

• Government spending continued to be a drag at all levels, but at a slower pace: The Federal government decreased 0.4 percent in Q2 compared to a 4.2 percent decrease in Q1, and state and local government decreased 2.1 percent compared to 2.2 percent in Q1.

This was above expectations. I'll have more on GDP later ...