Quikrete Industry Dashboard

The latest version of the Quikrete Industry Dashboard shows strength in the housing market. Total starts and single starts continued to climb. Single-family starts posted the highest seasonally adjusted rate since Sept. 2006.

Meanwhile, December’s existing home sales came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.76 million, up 22.2% from the year ago rate -- also a high mark for the past 15 years. 

"Home sales rose in December, and for 2020 as a whole, we saw sales perform at their highest levels since 2006, despite the pandemic," said Lawrence Yun, the National Association or Realtors chief economist. "What's even better is that this momentum is likely to carry into the new year, with more buyers expected to enter the market."

The stocks tracked on the Roundup are paced by DE, up more than 80% from last year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is running at near-record highs in excess of 30,000.

Elsewhere on the Quikrete Industry Dashboard, gas prices are creeping up closer to year-ago levels. The average price for a gallon of regular, according to the AAA, is $2.40, up from $2.24 last month.

Coming next week: Consumer Confidence is expected Jan. 26.