Consumer spending grew 0.8 percent in February, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. The latest numbers are fueling expectations for a stronger first-quarter economic surge than economists had forecast. Consumer spending grew faster than the 0.6 percent market consensus. However, personal income grew just 0.2 percent in February, which was half the growth rate expected by economists. In dollars, spending increased $86 billion in February while income grew $28.2 billion. Consumer spending represents about 70.6 percent of the nation's gross domestic product.

Real gross domestic product - the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States - increased at an annual rate of 3.0 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Wednesday, unchanged from the estimate issued a month ago, consistent with market expectations.

First time claims for unemployment insurance fell 5,000 to 359,000 for the week ended March 24, the Labor Department reported Thursday. However, the previous week's report and all data reports back to 2007 - were revised to show a jump for the week ended March 17 to 364,000 instead of the originally reported 348,000.

The Case-Shiller Home Price Indexes fell for the fifth straight month in January, with the 10- and 20-city composites each dropping 0.8 percent from December, Standard & Poor's, which compiles the indices, reported Tuesday morning. The 10-city index slid to its lowest level since May 2003 and the 20-city index dropped to its lowest level since December 2002. Home prices fell in 16 of 19 major cities during the month of January.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) edged down February to 96.5 from January’s 97.0 which had been the highest level since April 2010, the National Association of Realtors reported Monday. The index slipped for just the second time in the last five months, but was 9.2 percent ahead of the level in February 2011. It remains down 26 percent from the April 2005 level.

New homes sales fell 1.6 percent in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 313,000, the second straight monthly decline, the Commerce Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported jointly Friday. Sales for January were revised downward from 321,000 to 318,000.

First time claims for unemployment insurance fell 5,000 to 348,000, a four-year low in the week ended March 17 and the second straight weekly decline, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Data for the prior week was revised upward, to 353,000 from 351,000, making the decline larger. The last time initial claims fell below 350,000 was in April 2008. Continuing claims, reported on a one-week lag, also fell, dropping 9,000 to 3,352,000 for the week ended March 10, after dropping 63,000 one week earlier. Continuing claims reflect the other part of the employment picture, hinting at hiring.

Existing-home sales fell in February from an upwardly revised January sales pace, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported Wednesday. February sales - completed transactions - were down 0.9 percent from January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.59 million. January's total was revised up to 4.63 million from 4.57 million. The February 2012 sales pace was up 8.8 percent from February 2011. The median price of an existing home in February was $156,600, up 0.1 percent from the previous month and up 0.3 percent from February 2011. The month-over-month price increase was the first since last June.

Housing starts fell 1.1 percent in February to 698,000, compared with market expectations for a smaller decline, the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported jointly Tuesday. Single family starts plunged 9.9 percent to 457,000, the steepest decline in a year.

Builder confidence was flat in March, matching a downwardly revised February index of 28, the first time in six months the index has not increased, the National Association of Home Builders reported Monday. The builder assessment of present home sales conditions actually dipped in March, falling to 29, the first decline since last September. The outlook for home sales in the next six months rose to 36 - the highest level since June 2007 - from 34 in February. Buyer traffic was flat in March at 22.