1) Existing home sales fall 4.3%. Playing devil's advocate, it's still on a torrid pace nonetheless. See this article at CNNmoney.com.
http://money.cnn.com/2003/03/25/news/ec ... /index.htm
2) Consumer confidence sinks to a 10 year low. See this article at Bloomberg.com.
3) Home foreclosure is on the rise. See this article at Yahoo.com.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/030324/economy_ ... es_10.html
4) Durable order falls 1.2%, ex-transport, down further to 2.1%. Manufacturing is still mired in a big slump. Companies still cutting back and not expanding hence not hiring! See this article at Bloomberg.com.
5) GDP grew 1.4% in 4thQ 2002. How much of that is defense spending? See this article CNNmoney.com.
http://money.cnn.com/2003/03/27/news/ec ... /index.htm
6) Jobless claim has not stabilized or subsided but have slowed considerably since February's report. See this article at Bloomberg.com.
7) Less available jobs compare to last year. See this article at Yahoo.com.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/030327/economy_ ... ngs_1.html
The administration's tax cut proposal was slashed in half thus reducing the supposed spending stimulus that consumers need to keep this economy going. See this article at msnbc.com.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/884208.asp?0si=-
9) Credit card delinquency is troublesome. See this article at NYTimes.com.
http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login?URI=h ... redit.html
10) Still higher gas prices on the horizon ? Possible. See this article at the BostonGlobe.com.
http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/086/b ... raq+.shtml
Finally:
11) Mortgage and refinance application fell 9% and 13% respectively. See this article at CNNmoney.com.
http://money.cnn.com/2003/03/26/news/ec ... /index.htm
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"To buy or not to buy".......
