A look at some of the key business events and economic indicators upcoming this week SPOTLIGHT ON HOUSINGThe National Association of Realtors releases its monthly snapshot of existing U.S. home sales Wednesday. Economists project that sales of previously occupied homes slowed slightly in April from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.18 million homes. The spring homebuying season is off to a sluggish start this year as home shoppers contend with elevated mortgage rates and rising prices. Existing home sales, in millions, seasonally adjusted annual rate: Nov. 3.91 Dec. 3.88 Jan. 4.00 Feb. 4.38 March 4.19 April (est.) 4.18 Source: FactSet FED CLOSE-UPThe Federal Reserve delivers the minutes from its most recent interest rate policy meeting Wednesday. At that meeting, Fed officials emphasized that inflation has remained stubbornly high in recent months and said the central bank doesn’t plan to cut interest rates until it has greater confidence that price increases are slowing sustainably to its 2% target. Several hotter-than-expected reports on prices and economic growth have recently undercut the Fed’s belief that inflation was steadily easing. |
Taiwan earthquake injuries top 1000, missing hotel workers foundPolice call Interpol, ask public to help identify clothes on woman found dead in Gulf HarbourWatch: PM Christopher Luxon speaks at first postImpossible decisions and the job he never got to doWellington job market already tough before public sector redundanciesSenior US diplomat suggests AUKUS will deter any China moves against TaiwanIsrael launches night raid on Gaza al60 migrants die in dinghy in Mediterranean, survivors sayPure Tūroa gets 10Blaze at abandoned building in Wellington