US DATA: Dec NAHB/Wells Fargo housing mkt index +2 to 21, marking a
third month of gain (its first 3mo run since mid-2009). All three
component indexes registered a third consecutive month of improvement.
Current sales conditions rose two points to 22, while sales expectations
in the next six months edged up one point to 26. Buyer traffic gained
three points to 18, its highest level since May 2008. Builder confidence
primarily gained strength in the South in December, where a four-point
gain to 25 brought that region’s HMI score to its highest level since
March of 2008. A one-point gain to 16 was registered in the West, while
the Midwest held unchanged at 24 and the Northeast slipped one pt to 15.