News about

Homebuilder ETFs In Focus After New Home Sales Data

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:32 -0400

Even as U.S. Markets continued to stumble back Thursday morning, still processing the news that Ben Bernanke and the Fed will continue their aggressive buying strategy for now, there was one major force pulling investors back into the green. New home sales from April have improved for the third month in a row, reaching a three-year high [see S&P 500 Visual History]. U.S. New Home Sales Soar The US Census Bureau report release on May 23rd was the latest sign that the housing market is on its way back up. This jump is larger than most economists suspected, with the general forecast closer to 426,000 in April. This rise has also led to a rise in price; with the median price for new homes in April up 14.9% from last year to $271,600, it seems clear that sellers know demand is coming back strong [see also Companies Increase Dividends: ETFs To Play]: With prices and sales [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Builder ETFs in Focus on New, Existing Home Sales

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:30:07 -0400

Existing home sales on Wednesday, and new home sales and the FHFA Home Price Index on Thursday should all confirm the improvement in U.S. housing. To capture any upside in recovering housing market, investors can take a look at homebuilder exchange traded funds. The SPDR S&P Homebuilders...

ETFdb Weekly Watchlist: XHB, TLT, XLI Hinge On Housing, Durable Goods And Bernanke

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:00:24 -0400

Last week, Wall Street digested a slew of mixed economic data, which had equities struggling to hang on to bullish momentum. Initial jobless claims and benefits, housing starts, industrial production and manufacturing activity all came in below expectations; however, building permits, small business optimism, retail sales, and consumer sentiment did manage to top analysts’ expectations. Investors also paid close attention to Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams comments on Thursday, which indicated that he is open to the central bank scaling back its bond-buying program in coming months. This week, investors will once again see many economic reports. Below, we outline three ETFs that should see a fair amount of activity during the week ahead [see also The Cheapest ETF for Every Investment Objective]: 1. SPDR Homebuilders ETF Why XHB Will Be In Focus: With over $2.9 billion in total assets under management, this ETF is by far the most popular option [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Homebuilder ETFs In Focus After Housing Data

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:00:57 -0400

U.S. equity markets struggled to maintain bullish momentum as several mixed economic reports hit the streets. Industrial production, manufacturing activity and initial jobless claims all came in below expectations, while U.S. retail sales and small business optimism beat analysts’ forecasts. Meanwhile, investors paid close attention to commentary from legendary hedge fund manager David Tepper, who stated that he is “definitely bullish” on stocks, and that he sees the improving economy, particularly in the housing and auto markets, as reasons to be bullish [see The Cheapest ETF for Every Investment Objective]. Building Permits Rise, But Housing Starts Take a Dip The latest building permits data, compiled by the Census Bureau, came in at 1.02 million permits for the month of April, which was well above expectations. Analysts had forecasted the annualized number of new residential building permits issued in April to be around 0.92 million. In the previous recording, building permits came in well below expectations, with [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

ETFdb Weekly Watchlist: XRT, EWG, XHB Hinge On Retail, Sentiment And Housing Data

Mon, 13 May 2013 04:00:30 -0400

It was a relatively quiet week on Wall Street last week, as no major economic data was released. Overseas, however, equities pushed ahead, helping bolster U.S. stock markets; on Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the milestone 15,000 level for the first time. Elsewhere on the homefront, initial jobless claims declined to 323,000, the lowest level since 2008; analysts were expecting a small uptick to 327,000. Meanwhile, investors paid close attention to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s commentary on Friday at the Chicago Fed Conference. This week, investors will once again see many earnings and economic reports. Below, we outline three ETFs that should see a fair amount of activity during the week ahead [see also The Cheapest ETF for Every Investment Objective]: 1. SPDR S&P Retail ETF Why XRT Will Be In Focus: This ETF tracks an index that is comprised of the roughly 100 U.S.-listed, publicly-traded retail companies, a targeted sub-sector of the [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Should Banks Lend More? – Real Time Insight

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:10:01 -0400

Tight lending standards seem to be hurting the economic recovery.

Homebuilders Battle For Inflows: ITB vs. XHB

Wed, 01 May 2013 07:00:08 -0400

The U.S. housing sector has spent the last five years trying to recover from the bruises left by the real estate crash. In 2012, things finally started to turn around for this sector, bringing in positive returns and cash for the two largest Homebuilder ETFs: iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction Index Fund and SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF [see also How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time]. Meet the Competitors These construction ETFs are the two largest options available to investors, holding roughly $2.5 billion in total assets under management each. XHB tracks the S&P Homebuilders Select Industry Index, a benchmark that tracks all the U.S.-listed common stocks through an equal weighted market cap methodology. ITB, on the other hand, follows the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index, which tracks the performance companies that are based in the U.S. and focus on the homebuilding segment of the market. Both ETFs focus primarily on medium cap [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Believe It: A Bear Call on Homebuilder ETFs

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:22:17 -0400

Over the past two years, few if any sector ETFs have rivaled the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction Index Fund (NYSE: ITB) and the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (NYSE: XHB). Since April 26, 2011, ITB and XHB have returned an average of almost of 75

Annual rise in U.S. home prices biggest since 2006

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:14:12 -0400

Signaling continued momentum, an index of home prices among 20 U.S. cities posted the largest year-over-year growth since 2006, according to data released Tuesday.

Timber ETFs: The Best Housing Recovery Plays? – ETF News And Commentary

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:15:01 -0400

Why investors may want to consider timber ETFs in order to play a continued recovery in the housing market.

Daily ETF Roundup: Buy The Rumor, Sell The Tweet

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:50:53 -0400

It was a tumultuous day on Wall Street today, after a false tweet nearly derailed the markets. During the afternoon hours, the Twitter account of the Associated Press was hacked, and a tweet claiming that there were two explosions in the White House and that Obama was injured sent markets veering; the Dow plunged 145 points in less than two minutes, U.S. Treasury bond prices soared, and oil briefly dipped. Despite the knee-jerk reaction traders had to the Twitter debacle, markets manged to recover to end higher. Lesson of the day: buy the rumor, sell the tweet [see Free Member Report: How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time]. Global Market Overview: Buy The Rumor, Sell The Tweet Despite today’s rather bizarre Twitter episode, all three major U.S. equity indexes managed to close in positive territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF ended 1.02% higher, as its underlying index rallied 152.29 points. The S&P 500 ETF rose 1.03%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq ETF jumped [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

New Home Sales Lift Builder ETFs

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:40:10 -0400

Home construction sector-related exchange traded funds are building up as the improving economic conditions and confidence help bring more buyers into the housing market. The SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (NYSEArca: XHB) gained 2.1% Tuesday on the positive new home sales numbers. The fund is up...

Homebuilder ETFs Surging Again – ETF News And Commentary

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:50:01 -0400

More good news in the housing market has pushed homebuilder ETFs higher once more.

How Picked Over is Housing Sector? One Stock Left

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:28:34 -0400

Supply of Homes Catching Up With Demand as Sales Decline

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:34:08 -0400

In case you hadn’t noticed, demand for housing has been outpacing supply in many areas of the country.

USA Today reported Saturday that the trend of too much demand and too few homes is starting to slow down in some parts of the United States. And that’s a good

Daily ETF Roundup: Stocks Rebound From Worst One-Day Drop In 2013

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:52:40 -0400

Wall Street recovered from its biggest one-day drop this year, as U.S. equities rallied to finish near session highs today. Bolstering stocks were a slew of upbeat earnings results and encouraging economic reports. The Commerce Department stated that construction of new homes jumped to the highest level since the financial crisis, while industrial production also rose more than expected. In earnings news, Coca-Cola (KO) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) both beat analysts expectations, while Goldman Sachs Group (GS) reported higher profit and revenue forecasts, but showed signs of weakness in trading revenue [see Free Member Report: How To Pick The Right ETF Every Time]. Global Market Overview: Stocks Rebound From Worst One-Day Drop In 2013 Following today’s upbeat earnings and economic reports, all three major U.S. equity indexes rallied into positive territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF gained 1.06%, as its underlying index soared 157.58 points. The S&P 500 ETF rallied 1.48%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq ETF rose 1.33%. In Europe, [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

3 ETFs To Watch This Week: 4/12

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:00:17 -0400

Bullish momentum somewhat returned on Wall Street last week, pushing major U.S. stock indexes into uncharted territory once again. Investors welcomed an encouraging labor report, which showed that initial jobless claims fell more than expected, to 346,000, marking the first decline in four weeks. Meanwhile, disappointing reports on retail sales and consumer sentiment weighed heavily on the market on Friday. This week, investors will once again see many economic reports. Below, we outline three ETFs that should see a fair amount of activity during the week ahead [see also 7 Simple & Cheap ETF Model Portfolio]: 1. FTSE China 25 Index Fund Why FXI Will Be In Focus: This ETF measures the Chinese stock market with a large cap spin, making it one of the more popular emerging market funds. FXI has over $6 billion in assets, an average daily volume topping 16 million and is easily the most popular fund dedicated to China. Its place [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Economic Data Disappoints as Stocks Slump in Heavy Turnover

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:31:46 -0400

Distribution struck the market today with leading stocks taking a big hit as Small and Mid Caps lead the major market averages lower. A disappointing ADP employment figure casted doubt if Friday’s Non-Farm payrolls would exceed expectations. At 10 am EST the ISM non-manufacturing index couldn’t eclipse expectations giving sellers a reason to step on [...]

U.S. home-price growth at six-year high

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:29:50 -0400

U.S. home prices edged up in January to make the year-on-year improvement the fastest in more than six years, according to data released Tuesday.

Homebuilder ETFs Rise as Firms Scramble to Meet Demand

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:59:34 -0400

The homebuilder exchange traded funds are at the highest levels since the subprime bust in 2008. The housing market continues to rebound as current supply is not meeting the demand of eager homebuyers who have been waiting on the sidelines. “The housing turnaround seems to have caught almost...

3 ETFs To Watch This Week: XRT, XHB, EWC

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:30 -0400

Equity markets got off to a rough start this week as profit-taking pressures emerged following news from the eurozone. Investors kept a close eye on Cyprus this week as the small island nation announced that it is considering plans to impose a tax on bank depositors in order to receive a $13.08 billion bailout. But while many fear that this drastic policy action could spill over to other nations in the currency bloc, namely Spain and Greece, investors are still feeling optimistic given the recent slew of encouraging U.S. data. This week, investors will once again see a slew of economic reports. Below, we outline three ETFs that should see a fair amount of activity during the week ahead [see also 7 Simple & Cheap ETF Model Portfolio]: 1. SPDR S&P Retail ETF Why XRT Will Be In Focus: This ETF tracks an index that is comprised of the roughly 100 U.S.-listed, publicly-traded [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Hot Option Plays: Stocks Slump After Hours

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:18:03 -0400

Cusick’s Corner 03-21-2013 After Hours The market finished at its worst levels of the day but it held up well, even with the lack of new participants. While the dips were not aggressively bought, scalpers seemed to be having a busy day. Commodities like Crude, USO, Nat Gas, UNG, and Gold, GLD, were all busy. [...]

Another Important Day for Homebuilder ETFs – ETF News And Commentary

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:30:01 -0400

Why investors should be watching homebuilder ETFs today.

ETF Insider: Correction Pressures Are Mounting

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 14:15:13 -0400

The bears swept in Monday morning after worrisome news from the Euro zone over the weekend prompted a rapid sell-off at Wall Street’s opening bell. Profit taking pressures were quick to emerge after it was reported that European policymakers proposed a tax on Cypriot bank deposits, leading many to worry that this policy change could spill over to larger nations in the debt-burdened currency bloc, namely Italy and Spain [see also How To Hedge With ETFs]. Weekly Outlook Below, we highlight ETFs that may see an increase in trading activity as relevant market data is released and evaluated by investors: SPDR Homebuilders ETF : Homebuilders will come into the spotlight on Tuesday morning as investors digest the latest housing starts data from last month. Analysts are expecting for this figure to show modest growth coming in at 913,000 units versus last month’s reading of 890,000. Market Vectors Germany Small-Cap ETF : This German equity ETF could [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Home-builder confidence declines in March

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:37:43 -0400

A gauge of confidence among home builders declined in March to the lowest level since October, hurt by weaker views on current sales of single-family homes, a trade group said Monday.

Homebuilder ETFs: Can the Rally Continue? – ETF News And Commentary

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 12:48:01 -0400

Is it too late for investors to get in on the homebuilder ETF rally?

If Case-Shiller Index is Hot, Why is its Founder Doubting?

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:38:48 -0400

February Select SPDR ETF Sector Review

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 10:22:53 -0500

A look back on February's Select SPDR ETF Sector performance through technical analysis.

See January's Select SPDR ETF Sector Review HERE!

Performance results; January 30, 2013- March 5, 2013.

Consumer Discretionary (XLY)

XLY continues to push higher breaking out over $51 resistance toward the end on February. Prices up 3.28% in February.

3 ETFs Rallying Before Sequester Storm – ETF News And Commentary

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:14:01 -0500

These three housing and real estate ETFs could be interesting plays in the current market environment.

Pending Home Sales Lift Homebuilder ETFs

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:20:31 -0500

Despite the traditionally slow winter months for the housing market, higher pending home sales, on top of the previous day’s new home sales data, are fueling a strong two-day run in homebuilder exchange traded funds. The iShares DJ US Home Construction (NYSEArca: ITB) added 0.5% and SPDR...

Stocks Rebound but Volume Falls

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 03:59:00 -0500

Daily ETF Roundup: Housing Data Brings Back The Bulls

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:00:52 -0500

Equities rebounded today, recovering from yesterday’s worst one-day drop in 2013, as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke testified on the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report before the Senate Banking Committee. In his testimony, Bernanke signaled that the central bank would continue its stimulus policies, quelling fears that the Fed would wind down or scale back its bond-buying program earlier-than-expected. Also boosting equity markets, U.S. new homes sales logged in its biggest monthly jump in almost two decades while consumer confidence rebounded to hits highest level since November. In a separate report, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond reported that manufacturing activity in the Atlantic region turned positive this month [Be sure to check out the real estate news, trends, tips and tricks over at Dividend.com]. Global Market Overview: Housing Data Brings Back The Bulls Rebounding from yesterday’s steep sell-off, all three major U.S. equity indexes rallied to close in positive territory today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF logged in a 0.81%, as [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

(XHB) Stock Market News for February 26, 2013 – Market News

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:39:50 -0500

Benchmarks took a battering on Monday following uncertainty about the outcome of the Italian...

Visit StockBlogHub to view complete post.

Keep Your Head When Others Are Fearful Of Precious Metals

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:09:06 -0500

“If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you…And—you’ll be a Man, my son! ” If by Rudyard Kipling Today a news item from the Wall St. Journal crossed my desk entitled, “A Fearful Time For Gold”. Then I read another article entitled, “S&P500 In Longest Winning [...]

Homebuilder ETFs After Housing Data – ETF News And Commentary

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:18:01 -0500

The ETFs look attractive after yesterday sell-off, considering longer-term picture.

Cracking Foundations For Homebuilders ETFs?

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:15:23 -0500

Over the past year, stocks viewed as plays on a residential real estate resurgence, have, well, been resurgent. So have the ETFs these stocks call home.

In that time, the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction Index Fund (NYSE: ITB) has been one of the top-performing ETFs of

Housing starts slump as apartment building slows

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:55:46 -0500

Construction on new U.S. homes fell sharply in January as apartment building slowed, according to data released Wednesday that nonetheless contained signs of longer-term growth.

ETF Insider: Bulls On Parade

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:23:26 -0500

Investors returned to Wall Street in a buying mood Tuesday morning following the long weekend in observance of President’s Day. European markets kicked off the week on a sour note after elections in Italy sent waves of worry across the currency bloc, however, this wasn’t enough to spook the bulls from returning to the home front. Major equity indexes are continuing their ascent thanks to M&A activity fueling confidence after advanced merger talks between OfficeMax and Office Depot hit the street [see also How To Take Profits And Cut Losses When Trading ETFs]. Weekly Outlook Below, we highlight ETFs that may see an increase in trading activity as relevant market data is released and evaluated by investors: SPDR Homebuilders ETF : This sector ETF could see an uptick in trading activity after housing starts data comes out tomorrow morning. Analysts are expecting for the latest figure to come in at 914,000 versus [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

Homebuilder confidence declines in February

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:10:16 -0500

A gauge of confidence among homebuilders declined in February — the first weakening in 10 months — led down by fewer prospective buyers and lower sales of single-family homes, according to data released Tuesday.

NASDAQ Stalls as Volume Finishes Higher

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 01:07:00 -0500

Top Ranked Homebuilder ETF in Focus: XHB – ETF News And Commentary

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:45:01 -0500

Homebuilding ETFs have been solid as of late, which is one you should consider for your portfolio?

Deutsche Bank Raises Price Targets on Homebuilders — Time to Tap the Brakes? (DB, BCS, DHI, MDC, MTH, RYL, PHM, XHB)

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 04:25:00 -0500

DailyFinance.com: We have written at great length about the resurgence of homebuilding in the United States. Like any other sector, if you go long enough without production, demand catches up with supply. Doomsday scenario forecasters in recent years were saying that ... Read more

Housing Market and Homebuilder ETFs May Slow: S&P

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:40:55 -0500

Positive housing data has pointed to a recovering market, but S&P Capital IQ analysts provide a more staid outlook on homebuilder stocks and exchange traded funds. “S&P Capital IQ has a negative fundamental outlook for the homebuilding sub-industry for the next 12 months,”...

3 Economic Charts Bears Love To Ignore

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 07:00:20 -0500

Since President Obama’s re-election the prevailing market sentiment on Wall Street has seemingly shifted from one of uncertainty to undeniable euphoria. With fiscal cliff drama off the table and improving manufacturing data from China, investors saw little reason to stick with safe haven assets in the new year. Equity markets have been rallying strong in 2013, with major indexes like the S&P 500 posting five-year highs, as generally upbeat corporate earnings have kept confidence levels elevated. While bullish price action continues to reign supreme, the number of experts calling for a market top seems to be growing by the day [see Visual History Of The S&P 500]. Among the most common critiques of the ongoing stock market rally is that there are no fundamentals supporting it. It’s true that the Fed’s QE programs have been the driving force since the recent financial crisis came to a simmer; however, that is [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

S&P Bearish on Home Builders ETF

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:55:34 -0500

Coming off a year in which it was one of the top-performing ETFs of any stripe, the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Home Construction Index Fund (NYSE: ITB) has kept the good times going in 2013. In fact, the $2.2 billion ITB was one of just a handful of

Stocks Drop on Fourth Quarter GDP Report

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:39:23 -0500

Fourth quarter GDP declined by 0.1 percent despite expectations for a 1.1 percent increase.

Investors got the jitters on Wednesday after the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that fourth quarter GDP contracted by 0.1 percent, despite economists’ expectations that GDP increased by 1.1 percent during the fourth quarter of 2012. Although the decline was primarily the result of a 22 percent reduction of defense spending on an annual basis, investors were concerned because it was the report of quarterly economic contraction since the second quarter of 2009.

As of 2:28 EST, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 24 points (0.18 percent) to 13,929. The S&P 500 Index dropped 0.21 percent to 1,504 (NYSEARCA:SPY). As the chart (above) indicates, the S&P 500 continues to remain above its previous resistance level of 1,470. Its next overhead resistance level is in the 1,550 – 1,570 range. Its Relative Strength Index is slightly in the “overbought” range at 71.23 (Chart courtesy of Stockcharts.com). The Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.14 percent to 3,149 (NASDAQ:QQQ). The Russell 2000 Index dropped 0.88 percent to 899 (NYSEARCA:IWM).

The “Dollar Bull” Index ETF (NYSEARCA:UUP) declined 9 cents (0.40 percent) to 21.64 as of 2:55 EST.

As of 2:41 EST, the S&P 500 Volatility Index – or VIX – advanced 4.13 percent to 13.86 and the VIX Short-Term Futures ETN rose 3.24 percent to 23.60 (NYSEARCA:VXX).

The Euro STOXX 50 Index finished Wednesday’s trading session with a 0.62 percent decline to 2,732 – staying well above its 50-day moving average of 2,644. After breaking above its resistance level of 2,700 on January 21, the STOXX 50 is once again attempting a sustained advance above that level, which has been a barrier since the beginning of the new year. Its Relative Strength Index is 68.55 (NYSEARCA:FEZ). The FTSE 100 Index declined 0.30 percent to 6,320 (NYSEARCA:EWU). The German DAX Index dropped 0.47 percent to 7,811 (NYSEARCA:EWG). France’s CAC 40 Index dropped 0.54 percent to 3,765 (NYSEARCA:EWQ). Spain’s IBEX 35 Index sank 0.90 percent to 8,565 (NYSEARCA:EWP). Italy’s FTSE MIB Index took a 3.32 percent nosedive to 17,298 as it has been overbought all month, continuously advancing, especially on those days when other European stock indices declined (NYSEARCA:EWI).

As of 2:31 EST, the euro advanced 0.60 percent against the dollar, trading at $1.3573 (NYSEARCA:FXE). Time to Hedge Euro Risk?

On London’s ICE Futures Europe Exchange, March futures for Brent crude oil advanced by 69 cents (0.60 percent) to $115.05/bbl. (NYSEARCA:BNO, NYSEARCA:USO). The Doomsayers Are Wrong About Oil Prices

February Gold futures advanced by $19.80 (1.19 percent) to $1,680.60 per ounce (NYSEARCA:GLD).

ETF Summary:

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSEARCA:DIA) -0.40% following the disappointing fourth quarter GDP report.

SPDR EURO STOXX 50 ETF (NYSEARCA:FEZ) -0.03% making a less-significant decline than the STOXX 50 Index, which fell 0.62 percent as a strengthening euro raised concerns about the region’s export business.

SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (NYSEARCA:XHB) -1.07% following steep declines by Lennar (NYSEARCA:LEN), D.R. Horton (NYSEARCA:DHI) and Hovnanian (NYSEARCA:HOV).

iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund (NYSEARCA:TLT) -0.16% approaching the breakeven level as fears that the FOMC would have bad news about the fate of quantitative easing subsided when no such plans were included in this afternoon’s FOMC Meeting Statement. Learn More About iShares ETFs

SPDR S&P 500 INDEX ETF (NYSEARCA:SPY) -0.38% as investors remain risk averse after the news that fourth quarter GDP declined by 0.1 percent.

Bottom line: The stock market experienced a slight pullback on Wednesday as investors took time out to ponder the significance of the 0.1 percent decline in fourth quarter GDP.

Sign up for Wall Street Sector Selector’s FREE Stock Market Timing Indicator!

Disclaimer: The content included herein is for educational and informational purposes only, and readers agree to Wall Street Sector Selector’s Disclaimer, Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy before accessing or using this or any other publication by Wall Street Sector Selector or Ridgeline Media Group, LLC.

Mixed News on New Home Sales

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:50:03 -0500

New home sales dipped in December but flew higher through 2012.

The report from the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau on December New Home Sales indicated a decline to 368,000 from November’s 398,000 at a Seasonally-Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR). Economists had been expecting the total to reach 388,000. Because the totals for the three previous months were revised upward, the annual total for 2012 was estimated to be 367,000. Although there was a decline between November and December the total sales for 2012 rose 19.9 percent above the 2011 figure of 306,000. This was the most significant annual increase since 1983. Although that may sound impressive, the 2011 total was the lowest recorded since the Commerce Department began keeping track of this statistic in 1963. The second-lowest total was reached in 2010 and the 2012 amount was the third-lowest. Not surprisingly, the year with the fourth-lowest total was 2009.

Home prices increased by 13.9 percent from 2011 and the median price for a new home rose by 1.3 percent in December to $248,900.

There was a slight increase in the months of supply in December to 4.9 months compared with 4.5 months in November, although both figures were within the normal range, which is less than 6 months. Median Household Incomes: Down 0.5% in 2012

The estimated total of new homes for sale, including homes which have not yet been built, is 151,000. This is considered to be low. Warning: Dangerous Curves Ahead

From the report:

Sales of new single-family houses in December 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 369,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 7.3 percent (±15.3%)* below the revised November rate of 398,000, but is 8.8 percent (±24.8%)* above the December 2011 estimate of 339,000.

The median sales price of new houses sold in December 2012 was $248,900; the average sales price was $304,000. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of December was 151,000. This represents a supply of 4.9 months at the current sales rate.

An estimated 367,000 new homes were sold in 2012. This is 19.9 percent (±4.8%) above the 2011 figure of 306,000.

The major ETFs expected to respond to the report on December New Home Sales are:

SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (NYSEARCA:XHB) +0.97%

iShares US Real Estate ETF (NYSEARCA:IYR) +0.41% Learn More About iShares ETFs

iShares Dow Jones Home Construction ETF (NYSEARCA:ITB) +1.68%

Vanguard REIT ETF (NYSEARCA:VNQ) +0.57%

PowerSharesDynamicBuilding and Construction ETF (NYSEARCA:PKB) +1.23%

Bottom line: Although new home sales declined during December, the nearly 20 percent increase between 2011 and 2012 was the most significant annual advance since 1983. Unfortunately the 2011 total was the lowest recorded since the Commerce Department began tracking this statistic.

Sign up for Wall Street Sector Selector’s FREE Stock Market Timing Indicator!

Fiscal Cliff ETF Rally Still Hot

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:00:59 -0500

Almost as soon as the confetti stopped falling on election night, the popular news media began focusing almost incessantly on the fiscal cliff that would occur on December 31 of 2012. A combination of tax cut expirations and automatic spending cuts, the fiscal cliff was created by Congress as an unacceptable outcome [see Visual History Of The S&P 500]. Congress being Congress, there was much sound and fury, but ultimately the fiscal cliff technically occurred. Very shortly thereafter, though, Congress passed a compromise bill (which President Obama signed into law on January 2, 2013). Markets cheered on the agreement, as major benchmarks had been hinging on the fate of the situation. But some securities were able to outshine others during this period of economic rejoice. Below, we outline five ETFs that were able to cash in on the initial fiscal cliff solution [for more ETF news and analysis subscribe to our free [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

ETF Insider: The Ascent Continues

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:02:05 -0500

Bearish sentiment has been all talk since the start of the new year as made evident by the ongoing bullish price action seen across equity markets. While many were expecting for corporate earnings to serve as a nasty reminder of the slow recovery at hand, quite the opposite has proved true thus far as financial bellwethers have been reporting upbeat results. The spotlight will remain fixated on the corporate earnings front this week as well as several tech giants make the scene, including reports from Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOG) [see Free 7 Simple & Cheap All-ETF Portfolios]. Weekly Outlook Below, we highlight ETFs that may see an increase in trading activity as relevant market data is released and evaluated by investors: SPDR Homebuilders ETF : Homebuilders stocks will likely make an appearance in headlines on Wednesday as investors digest the latest FHFA home price index data. CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust : The Canadian loonie [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

3 ETFs To Watch This Week: 1/18

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 04:00:41 -0500

With the fourth quarter earnings season well on its way, investors once again faced a slew of mixed reports last week. Bellwether Goldman Sachs (GS) rallied after the company posted fourth quarter earnings that nearly tripled expectations. JP Morgan Chase (JPM) shares, however, declined even after the financial giant exceeded earnings estimates, in part due to the company’s increased mortgage lending profit. Financial giants Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C) both missed expectations, while BlackRock (BLK) and Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) beat analysts’ forecasts. Meanwhile in economic news, U.S. housing starts popped in December, bucking economists’ expectations. Despite the plethora of seemingly positive data, investors remain cautious as Washington continues its talks concerning the nation’s debt ceiling. Below, we outline three ETFs that should see a fair amount of activity during the week ahead [see also 7 Simple & Cheap ETF Model Portfolio]: 1. CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust Why FXY Will Be In Focus: This [...]

Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.

News about

Homebuilder ETFs In Focus After New Home Sales Data

Related Posts:

Builder ETFs in Focus on New, Existing Home Sales

ETFdb Weekly Watchlist: XHB, TLT, XLI Hinge On Housing, Durable Goods And Bernanke

Related Posts:

Homebuilder ETFs In Focus After Housing Data

Related Posts:

ETFdb Weekly Watchlist: XRT, EWG, XHB Hinge On Retail, Sentiment And Housing Data

Related Posts:

Should Banks Lend More? – Real Time Insight

Homebuilders Battle For Inflows: ITB vs. XHB

Related Posts:

Believe It: A Bear Call on Homebuilder ETFs

Annual rise in U.S. home prices biggest since 2006

Timber ETFs: The Best Housing Recovery Plays? – ETF News And Commentary

Daily ETF Roundup: Buy The Rumor, Sell The Tweet

Related Posts:

New Home Sales Lift Builder ETFs

Homebuilder ETFs Surging Again – ETF News And Commentary

How Picked Over is Housing Sector? One Stock Left

Supply of Homes Catching Up With Demand as Sales Decline

Daily ETF Roundup: Stocks Rebound From Worst One-Day Drop In 2013

Related Posts:

3 ETFs To Watch This Week: 4/12

Related Posts:

Economic Data Disappoints as Stocks Slump in Heavy Turnover

U.S. home-price growth at six-year high

Homebuilder ETFs Rise as Firms Scramble to Meet Demand

3 ETFs To Watch This Week: XRT, XHB, EWC

Related Posts:

Hot Option Plays: Stocks Slump After Hours

Another Important Day for Homebuilder ETFs – ETF News And Commentary

ETF Insider: Correction Pressures Are Mounting

Related Posts:

Home-builder confidence declines in March

Homebuilder ETFs: Can the Rally Continue? – ETF News And Commentary

If Case-Shiller Index is Hot, Why is its Founder Doubting?

February Select SPDR ETF Sector Review

3 ETFs Rallying Before Sequester Storm – ETF News And Commentary

Pending Home Sales Lift Homebuilder ETFs

Stocks Rebound but Volume Falls

Daily ETF Roundup: Housing Data Brings Back The Bulls

Related Posts:

(XHB) Stock Market News for February 26, 2013 – Market News

Keep Your Head When Others Are Fearful Of Precious Metals

Homebuilder ETFs After Housing Data – ETF News And Commentary

Cracking Foundations For Homebuilders ETFs?

Housing starts slump as apartment building slows

ETF Insider: Bulls On Parade

Related Posts:

Homebuilder confidence declines in February

NASDAQ Stalls as Volume Finishes Higher

Top Ranked Homebuilder ETF in Focus: XHB – ETF News And Commentary

Deutsche Bank Raises Price Targets on Homebuilders — Time to Tap the Brakes? (DB, BCS, DHI, MDC, MTH, RYL, PHM, XHB)

Housing Market and Homebuilder ETFs May Slow: S&P

3 Economic Charts Bears Love To Ignore

Related Posts:

S&P Bearish on Home Builders ETF

Stocks Drop on Fourth Quarter GDP Report

Fourth quarter GDP declined by 0.1 percent despite expectations for a 1.1 percent increase.

Mixed News on New Home Sales

New home sales dipped in December but flew higher through 2012.

Fiscal Cliff ETF Rally Still Hot

Related Posts:

ETF Insider: The Ascent Continues

Related Posts:

3 ETFs To Watch This Week: 1/18

Related Posts: