The (Nasdaq +1.7%) and (S&P 500 + 0.5%) posted a fourth straight week of gains, but the Dow ended the week in negative territory, down 0.5%. On the commercial real estate front Real Capital Analyitcs reported that U.S. commercial property sales rose 57 percent to more than $220 billion in 2011 and CoStar Group released its year end report of the U.S. office market.
Below are links to the top economics news for the week:
- Consumer Confidence Higher Due to Job Gains
- Texas Economy Continues to Grow
- U.S. Rig Count is unchanged from last week at 2008
- Oil price wavers on Persian Gulf supply concerns
- Real GDP increased 2.8% annual rate in Q4
- U.S. Commercial Property Sales Climb to More Than $220 Billion
- U.S. Office space absorption doubled during 2011
- U.S. businesses increased their investments as 2011 Ended
- The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.4 percent in December
- New-home purchases fall, 2011 worst ever for sales
- Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims increase to 377,000
- Federal Open Market Committee: January Press Release
- Pending Home Sales Decline in December
- In December, 1,384 mass layoff actions affected 145,648 workers
- Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary
