Bill Losey’s Weekly Economic Update for June 28, 2010

Highest consumer confidence since January 2008
That is what the final University of Michigan/Reuters survey for June reveals. The index came in at 76.0, an improvement from the final 73.6 reading for May. (For the record, the survey has averaged 84.5 across the past ten years.) The poll’s index of consumer expectations (the “better or worse six months from now?” question) improved 1.0 points to 69.8.

Home sales swoon in May
New and existing home sales plunged dramatically last month as federal homebuying credits left the picture. Economists expected new home sales numbers would dip, but the 32.7% decline announced by the Commerce Department surprised Wall Street and the real estate industry. The National Association of Realtors stated that existing home sales were down 2.2% last month.

Durable goods orders fall, but corporate profits revised north
The Commerce Department noted an overall 1.1% decline in durable goods orders for May; minus transportation orders, there was actually a 0.9% gain in the category. It put 1Q GDP slightly lower at +2.7% in its final 1Q snapshot, but it also revised 1Q corporate profits north to +8.0%. Corporate earnings were 34.0% better than a year before – the largest year-over-year climb in 26 years, and a signal that both hiring and business investment are due to accelerate. The consensus 2Q forecast of a Wall Street Journal survey estimates second-quarter GDP will come in at +3.6%.

BP, financial reform concerns weigh on Wall Street
The DJIA wrapped up Friday at 10,143.81, ending a rough week. The S&P 500 closed at 1,076.76 Friday, while the NASDAQ closed at 2,223.48. All three indices wound up in the red for 2010 as of Friday’s close, but the Russell 2000 remained positive (+3.15% YTD).