The Economy Struggles Through a Slow Patch

Consumers retrenched in June, cutting retail sales 0.5 percent from May, the second monthly reduction in a row. Nonetheless, sales were still up 4.9 percent from a year earlier. Courtesy of Lil' Angels Attic Children's Consignment Sale

The dejected spirits of builders and consumers have not been helped by recent indications that the economy is slowing down. Industrial production rose a mere 0.1 percent in June, though it was still up a healthy 8.2 percent from a year earlier. Meanwhile, capacity utilization held steady at 74.1 percent, its highest level over the last year and a half.

Even small movements in consumer spending, which is responsible for two-thirds of the gross domestic product (GDP), can have major implications for growth. NAHB believes that consumer spending will slowly increase over coming months, helping to support the economic recovery. Hopefully more consumer spending will translate into more landscape improvements for home owners.

- Courtesy of NAHB