Fitch Ratings believes single-family housing starts will increase 10% in 2012, while new home sales will rise 8%, according to the firm’s latest U.S. homebuilding update. Still, the ratings giant sees an erratic homebuilding market after witnessing disappointing results for 2011. “Single-family housing finished well below expectations at the beginning of the year,” Fitch said in its update. “Single-family starts...

Ginnie Mae issued $29.2 billion in mortgage bonds in March, up roughly 21% from the same month last year. Ginnie packages Federal Housing Administration and Veterans Affairs home loans into securities and guarantees timely payment of principal and interest to investors. The Ginnie Mae II single-family pools increased to $21.5 billion in March from $15.8 billion last year. Single-family Ginnie Mae I securities dipped to $5.3 billion from...

The U.S. economy is sliding sideways with consumer sentiment down on higher gasoline prices and economists realizing a mild winter stimulated early economic activity, according to CoreLogic. A weather-related upswing in economic activity during the winter can result in a sluggish spring since buyers spend earlier, creating a potential drop off in spring activity. Meanwhile, the housing sector continues to reflect two opposing trends: On one...

A look at stories across HousingWire’s weekend desk, with more coverage to come on bigger issues: A swath of monthly housing data hits the economic scene this week, as mortgage industry players look for more signals of the direction of the market. It starts Monday with the National Association of Home Builders housing market index, which reached a four-year high in February at a reading of 29. Analysts polled by Econoday expect the...

The United States account deficit widened in the fourth quarter, showing another area of economic weakness for the nation. Still, signs of a housing turnaround are emerging, analysts with Capital Economics say. As economists continue to track slow sales and a lagging real estate market, analysts also are studying international trade since fewer exports can suggest slower economic growth for the nation. The United States account deficit,...