Saturday, April 4, 2026

U.S. Home Sales Likely to Hit Record High of $2.5 Trillion In 2021

Tue, 11 May 2021  |  housing real estate 

Redfin forecasts a record $2.53 trillion worth of home sales in America in 2021—a 17% year-over-year gain that would mark the largest annual increase in percentage terms since 2013. Redfin made the prediction in a new report out today. To put $2.53 trillion into perspective, it's roughly equal to the value of Amazon.com Inc. and Facebook Inc. combined, or the 2020 gross domestic product (GDP) of France.

The U.S. housing market has undergone a meteoric rise during the coronavirus pandemic, fueled by record-low mortgage ... Read More

Why Does U.S. Customer Satisfaction Keep Falling?

Tue, 11 May 2021  |  consumers 

Overall customer satisfaction, tracked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®), fell in the first quarter. It has now dropped in nine of the past 10 quarters and puts ACSI at its lowest level in 15 years (73.6 out of 100).

The collapse in customer satisfaction began in late 2018, well before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

ACSI and GDP growth are related, primarily via consumer spending which accounts for about two-thirds of GDP. For discretionary goods and services, satisfied consumers tend to spend more than dissatisfied consumers.

The decline i... Read More

U.S. Workers Show Resilience Amid Pandemic

Tue, 11 May 2021  |  employment workplace 

The Travelers Companies, Inc. announced the results of the Travelers Mental Wellness Checkup, a national survey of 2,000 employed adults across more than 10 industries. Most respondents reported experiencing some type of negative effect on their mental health since the pandemic began last year: 59% have worried about losing a loved one, 50% have suffered from loneliness and 37% said their level of personal stress has worsened.

However, respondents have remained resilient, as most reported that their mental state appears to be recovering, with 73% describing their current mental h... Read More

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index™ (ETI) Increased in April

Mon, 10 May 2021  |  employment 

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index™ (ETI) significantly increased in April, after an increase in March. The index now stands at 105.44, up from 102.65 (an upward revision) in March. The index is currently up 45.7 percent from a year ago.

"Despite the disappointing April jobs report, the Employment Trends Index significantly increased in April, suggesting strong employment growth in the coming months," said Gad Levanon, Head of The Conference Board Labor Markets Institute. "Most of the Index's components are rapidly improving.... Read More

Majority of Americans Report Pandemic Personality Changes

Mon, 10 May 2021  |  pandemic 

The global pandemic has changed our personalities according to a new study by Oracle. The representative survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers found that the circumstances created by COVID-19 have made many people feel smarter and more open to new experiences, but also more conscientious and disconnected from their personal relationships.

Nicer, More Open Personalities Emerge

The global pandemic has changed people's personalities, with Americans reporting increased conscientiousness, openness to new experiences, and agreeableness.

• A majority of respondents (86 perce... Read More

  Demand for Second Homes Is More Than Double Pre-Pandemic Levels

  Mon, 10 May 2021  |  real estate 

  The number of buyers who locked in mortgage rates for second homes soared 178% year over year in April, marking the 11th straight month of 80%-plus growth, per a new report from Redfin. The record increase should be taken in context: It is likely exaggerated because demand for second homes dropped 24% year over year last April, the month after the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. and real estate activity in the country nearly ground to a halt. Still, second-home mortgage rate locks are holding steady at more than double pre-pandemic levels.

  The rise in demand for second homes is ... Read More

  
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