Diana Olick at CNBC mentioned a remodeling index from BuildFax this week:
A remodeling index from Texas-based BuildFax shows a national surge in remodeling work toward the end of the year, which appears to be continuing now.
It seem to me that requires a graph!
The BuildFax Residential Remodeling Index is based on the number of properties pulling residential construction permits in a given month.
Sure enough – as Diana Olick noted – there has been a “surge in remodeling work” with November close to the levels of 2004 through 2006, and the strongest December since BuildFax started the index in 2004.
Note: permits are not adjusted by value, so this doesn’t mean there is more money being spent, just more permit activity.
With high unemployment , fears of Fed tightening and worries about Europe’s sovereign debt casting a pall over the market a year ago, I went shopping for stocks. As I said then, I didn’t want to be distracted by interesting but extraneous issues of global finance, focusing instead on the bread and butter of stock investing: revenue and earnings.
I’m glad I did. Stocks have rallied since then, with the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index up 25% through Thursday. The five stocks I recommended last year (and bought myself) were Amazon.com ( AMZN ) , United Therapeutics ( UTHR ) , Under Armour ( UA ) , Salesforce.com ( CRM ) and Chipotle Mexican Grill ( CMG ) . This may be the best portfolio I’ve ever picked: As a group, they have more than doubled, gaining a collective 111%.
Today investors are still fretting about high unemployment, the prospect of higher interest rates and Europe’s debt crisis. So I figured it was a good time to revisit my methodology, both to reassess last year’s picks and come up with some new recommendations.
Unemployment out of the double digits in some states, but many Americans are filing taxes while unemployed for the first time. Tax laws are governed by the state of the economy, and the government makes amendments from time to time mainly with a view to giving relief to tax payers.
Even if you have been unemployed for more than a year you still need to file a federal income tax return. It is important to remember that all unemployment compensation is taxable. In addition, because you may be in a lower income bracket, you may qualify for more deductions or different types of deductions than you have in the past. Also, keep in mind that certain job search expenses can be deductible for some taxpayers.
For 2010, all unemployment compensation is taxable. Unlike wages, no tax is withheld from unemployment unless you specifically request it by submitting a completed Form W-4V – Voluntary Withholding Request. Once your request is processed, 10% of your benefits will be withheld for federal taxes. A
Twice in the last year we’ve reported on the Obama Administration announcing investments in high-speed passenger train travel. But the $25 million allocated last August and even the $50 billion “roads, railways, and runways” transportation stimulus announced last September pale beside this week’s news.
Vice President Joe Biden, a staunch supporterand userof Amtrak, rode the rails from Washington to Philadelphia to declare a $53 billion six-year investment in a national high-speed and intercity passenger rail network. The White House touted the efficiencies and environmental benefits of building what it termed “the equivalent of 1,900 miles of new highway, but with trains zipping along at up to 220 miles per hour in our most densely populated corridors.” The U.S. Department of Transportation also cites this project as a major jobs stimulus.
The Administration’s ultimate goal is to provide 80 percent of Americans with access to high-speed rail lines. Currently Amt
Commentary this week: Tuesday: A Dab of Color: Transportation Thursday: Ranking Economic Data Note: This is a first cut at ranking economic data. I’ve marked several indicators with ‘***’ indicating I think this data is currently more important than usual. For each indicator I’ve included a link to the source, and a link to the current graph gallery. Saturday: Participation Rate Update
Earlier: