Economic indicators

U.S. purchases of new homes unexpectedly dipped to the weakest pace in nine months.

Initial claims U.S. state unemployment benefits fell by 2,000 to 210,000 in the August 18 week, below the 215,000 level expected by analysts.

Existing home sales fell 0.7% to a seasonally adjusted 5.34 million-unit rate in July.

The region's services sector “continued to expand” but at a slightly slower pace in August.

As director of the Fed's Division of Research and Statistics, David Wilcox is responsible for briefing the Federal Open Market Committee on the outlook for the national economy.

The University of Michigan's preliminary August consumer sentiment index reading was 95.3.

The composite of the Leading Economic Index was up 0.6% in July following a 0.5% gain in June.

Initial jobless claims declined by 2,000 to 212,000 in the August 11 week, below the 214,000 level expected.

The pace of housing starts rose by 0.9% to a 1.168 million seasonally adjusted annual rate in July, below expectations for a 1.270 million rate.

Manufacturers report expanding at a slower rate in August.

New York service sector activity “expanded at a solid clip” In August, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Business Leaders Survey, released Thursday.

The value of business inventories in June was up 0.1%, as expected by analysts.

The National Association of Home Builders' housing market index dipped to 67 in August.

Industrial production grew 0.1% in July, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday.

U.S. retail sales rose by more than forecast in July as Americans snapped up clothes and headed to restaurants.

Productivity gains in the U.S. accelerated by more than expected to the fastest pace since 2015 while labor costs fell.

Selling prices remained elevated, while business activity expanded at a faster pace in August.

Household debt increased by $82 billion in the second quarter, the 16^th quarterly gain in a row, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday.

Import prices were flat in July, below the 0.1% reading expected and following a 0.1% decline in June.

The 107.9 reading was a tick away from the record set in July 1983, and was up 0.7 points from June.