The name speaks for itself - this report provides a measure of the level of sales of existing home sales. The report is considered a decent indicator of activity in the housing sector. Housing starts precede this report each month, but starts are a supply rather than demand-side indicator. Existing home sales precede the other key demand-side indicator of housing - new home sales - thus boosting the visibility of this report. Sales are highly dependent on mortgage rates, and will tend to react with a few months lag to changes in rates. Sales are also determined by the level of pent-up demand for housing - immediately after a recession, sales are typically quite strong due to the demand which accumulated through the recession.
The survey sample for existing home sales is larger than that of new home sales, making it somewhat less susceptible to large revisions. Both reports can see huge month-to-month swings in winter, when bad weather can significantly affect sales.
Aside from total sales, two other indicators are worth watching in this report -- the inventory of homes for sale and the median price. The inventory of homes for sale at the current sales pace is the inventory/sales ratio of the housing sector. For example, a 5.0 figure for inventory/sales indicates that the supply of homes for sale would be depleted within five months at the current sales pace. The lower this figure goes, the greater the need for new housing starts. The year/year change in the median price provides a good indication of inflation in home prices.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
US Import and Export Price Indexes
The index of Industrial Production is a fixed-weight measure of the physical output of the nation's factories, mines, and utilities. Manufacturing production, the largest component of the total, can be accurately predicted using total manufacturing hours worked from the employment report. One of the bigger wildcards in this report is utility production, which can be quite volatile due to swings in the weather. Severe hot or cold spells can boost production as increased heating/cooling needs drive utility production up.
In addition to production, this monthly report also provides a measure of capacity utilization. Though the rate of capacity utilization is seen as a critical gauge of the slack available in the economy, the market does not completely trust this measure. Capacity is very difficult to measure, and the Fed essentially assumes that growth in capacity in any given year follows a straight line. One can therefore predict the capacity utilization rate quite accurately based on the assumption for production growth. The 85% mark is seen as a key barrier over which inflationary pressures are generated, but given revisions to these data and the difficulties with capacity measurement, the 85% mark should be viewed cautiously. It would be appropriate to look for corroborating inflation indications from commodity prices and vendor deliveries.
In addition to production, this monthly report also provides a measure of capacity utilization. Though the rate of capacity utilization is seen as a critical gauge of the slack available in the economy, the market does not completely trust this measure. Capacity is very difficult to measure, and the Fed essentially assumes that growth in capacity in any given year follows a straight line. One can therefore predict the capacity utilization rate quite accurately based on the assumption for production growth. The 85% mark is seen as a key barrier over which inflationary pressures are generated, but given revisions to these data and the difficulties with capacity measurement, the 85% mark should be viewed cautiously. It would be appropriate to look for corroborating inflation indications from commodity prices and vendor deliveries.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Processors Intel® Core™2 Quad
The ultimate multi-core performance
Introducing Intel® Core™2 Quad processor for notebook and desktop PCs, designed to handle massive compute and visualization workloads enabled by powerful multi-core technology. Optimized for the longest possible battery life without compromise to performance, Intel Core 2 Quad processors for notebooks allow you to stay unwired longer while running the most compute-intensive applications.
Providing all the bandwidth you need for next-generation highly-threaded applications, the latest four-core Intel Core 2 Quad processors are built on 45nm Intel® Core™ microarchitecture enabling faster, cooler, and quieter mobile and desktop PC and workstation experiences.
Plus, with optional Intel® vPro™ technology, you have the ability to remotely isolate, diagnose, and repair infected desktop and mobile workstations wirelessly and outside of the firewall, even if the PC is off, or the OS is unresponsive.
Features and benefits
With four processing cores, up to 12MB of shared L2 cache,¹ and up to 1066 MHz Front Side Bus for notebooks, and up to 12MB of L2 cache² and up to 1333 MHz Front Side Bus for desktops, the Intel Core 2 Quad processor delivers amazing performance and power efficiency enabled by the all new hafnium-based circuitry of 45nm Intel Core microarchitecture.
Whether you're encoding, rendering, editing, or streaming HD multimedia in the office or on the go, power your most demanding applications with notebooks and desktops based on the Intel Core 2 Quad processor.
Plus, with these processors you get great Intel® technologies built in:
Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution
enabling delivery of more instructions per clock cycle to improve execution time and energy efficiency
Intel® Intelligent Power Capability
designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance
Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT)
enabling greater security, manageability, and utilization
Dual Intel® Dynamic Acceleration technology
improving four-core performance by utilizing power headroom of idle cores by dynamically boosting frequency of active cores
Intel® Smart Memory Access
improving system performance by optimizing the use of the available data bandwidth
Larger Intel® Advanced Smart Cache
optimized for multi-core processors, providing a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystem
Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost
accelerating a broad range of applications along with Intel® HD Boost utilizing new SSE4 instructions for even greater multimedia performance
Future Ready
designed to perform in highly threaded programs with powerful Intel® multi-core technology
Learn More About Processor Intel® Core™2 Quad Numbers
Introducing Intel® Core™2 Quad processor for notebook and desktop PCs, designed to handle massive compute and visualization workloads enabled by powerful multi-core technology. Optimized for the longest possible battery life without compromise to performance, Intel Core 2 Quad processors for notebooks allow you to stay unwired longer while running the most compute-intensive applications.
Providing all the bandwidth you need for next-generation highly-threaded applications, the latest four-core Intel Core 2 Quad processors are built on 45nm Intel® Core™ microarchitecture enabling faster, cooler, and quieter mobile and desktop PC and workstation experiences.
Plus, with optional Intel® vPro™ technology, you have the ability to remotely isolate, diagnose, and repair infected desktop and mobile workstations wirelessly and outside of the firewall, even if the PC is off, or the OS is unresponsive.
Features and benefits
With four processing cores, up to 12MB of shared L2 cache,¹ and up to 1066 MHz Front Side Bus for notebooks, and up to 12MB of L2 cache² and up to 1333 MHz Front Side Bus for desktops, the Intel Core 2 Quad processor delivers amazing performance and power efficiency enabled by the all new hafnium-based circuitry of 45nm Intel Core microarchitecture.
Whether you're encoding, rendering, editing, or streaming HD multimedia in the office or on the go, power your most demanding applications with notebooks and desktops based on the Intel Core 2 Quad processor.
Plus, with these processors you get great Intel® technologies built in:
Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution
enabling delivery of more instructions per clock cycle to improve execution time and energy efficiency
Intel® Intelligent Power Capability
designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance
Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT)
enabling greater security, manageability, and utilization
Dual Intel® Dynamic Acceleration technology
improving four-core performance by utilizing power headroom of idle cores by dynamically boosting frequency of active cores
Intel® Smart Memory Access
improving system performance by optimizing the use of the available data bandwidth
Larger Intel® Advanced Smart Cache
optimized for multi-core processors, providing a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystem
Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost
accelerating a broad range of applications along with Intel® HD Boost utilizing new SSE4 instructions for even greater multimedia performance
Future Ready
designed to perform in highly threaded programs with powerful Intel® multi-core technology
Learn More About Processor Intel® Core™2 Quad Numbers
Processors Intel® Core™2 Duo
Great computing starts with Intel inside
Maximum everything. Energy-efficient performance. Multimedia power.
Based on Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor family is designed to provide powerful energy-efficient performance so you can do more at once without slowing down.
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo desktop processors
With Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor, you'll experience revolutionary performance, unbelievable system responsiveness, and energy-efficiency second to none.
Big, big performance. More energy efficient.¹ Now available in smaller packages
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor-based desktop PC was designed from the ground up for energy efficiency, letting you enjoy higher performing, ultra-quiet, sleek, and low power desktop PC designs.
Multitask with reckless abandon
Do more at the same time, like playing your favorite music, running virus scan in the background, and all while you edit video or pictures. The powerful Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor provides you with the speed you need to perform any and all tasks imaginable.
Love your PC again
Don’t settle for anything less than the very best. Find your perfect desktop powered by the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and get the best processing technology money can buy. Only from Intel.
Features and benefits
Delivering the best overall performance. Period
With Intel Core 2 Duo processors powering your desktop PC you'll get the latest arsenal of performance-rich technologies, including up to 6MB of shared L2 cache and up to 1333 MHz Front Side Bus. And, all of the latest additions to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor family are built using Intel’s 45nm technology and Hafnium infused circuitry. You've got the future of computing now, and only from Intel:
Maximum everything. Energy-efficient performance. Multimedia power.
Based on Intel® Core™ microarchitecture, the Intel® Core™2 Duo processor family is designed to provide powerful energy-efficient performance so you can do more at once without slowing down.
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo desktop processors
With Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor, you'll experience revolutionary performance, unbelievable system responsiveness, and energy-efficiency second to none.
Big, big performance. More energy efficient.¹ Now available in smaller packages
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor-based desktop PC was designed from the ground up for energy efficiency, letting you enjoy higher performing, ultra-quiet, sleek, and low power desktop PC designs.
Multitask with reckless abandon
Do more at the same time, like playing your favorite music, running virus scan in the background, and all while you edit video or pictures. The powerful Intel Core 2 Duo desktop processor provides you with the speed you need to perform any and all tasks imaginable.
Love your PC again
Don’t settle for anything less than the very best. Find your perfect desktop powered by the Intel Core 2 Duo processor and get the best processing technology money can buy. Only from Intel.
- Up to 6MB L2 cache
- Up to 1333 MHz front side bus
Features and benefits
Delivering the best overall performance. Period
With Intel Core 2 Duo processors powering your desktop PC you'll get the latest arsenal of performance-rich technologies, including up to 6MB of shared L2 cache and up to 1333 MHz Front Side Bus. And, all of the latest additions to the Intel Core 2 Duo processor family are built using Intel’s 45nm technology and Hafnium infused circuitry. You've got the future of computing now, and only from Intel:
- Dual-Core Processing
combines two independent processor cores in one physical package. Processors run at the same frequency and share up to 6MB of L2 cache and up to 1333 MHZ Front Side Bus for truly parallel computing
Intel® Wide Dynamic Execution
enabling delivery of more instructions per clock cycle to improve execution time and energy efficiency
Intel® Intelligent Power Capability
designed to deliver more energy-efficient performance and smarter battery performance in your laptop
Intel® Smart Memory Access
improving system performance by optimizing the use of the available data bandwidth
Intel® Advanced Smart Cache
providing a higher-performance, more efficient cache subsystem. Optimized for multi-core and dual-core processors
Intel® Advanced Digital Media Boost
accelerating a broad range of applications, including video, speech and image, photo processing, encryption, financial, engineering and scientific applications
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