Market Update Report 12/17/2013

The KUIK Market Update for Tuesday, December 17:
Markets are mixed.
Index Direction Change Units Last Time Change
Dow Up                     11 points           15,895 7:49 AM
S&P500 Down -0.38% percent             1,780            (6.75)
Nasdaq Composite Down -0.31% percent             4,017           (12.36)
30 Year Treasury Up                       0 Basis Points               3.90 Annual Yield
The consumer price index was unchanged in November on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Labor Department said. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a 0.1% increase.  The price of gasoline fell, as it usually does after the end of the summer driving season, to pull down the energy index, helped by natural-gas prices which fell for fifth time in six months.  Electricity costs rose and food prices rose .1% mostly because of dairy costs.   Excluding food and energy core consumer prices rose 0.2%. The cost of housing, which makes up about one-third of the CPI, jumped 0.3%.
A bipartisan budget deal cleared a key hurdle in the Senate this morning, and advanced toward final passage. A procedural motion on the two-year agreement drew 67 yes votes and 33 no votes. The bill sets spending levels for the current and next fiscal years at just over $1 trillion and is estimated to cut the deficit by $85 billion over 10 years. A final vote is expected later this week. The House passed the agreement last week. 
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo housing-market index reached 58 this month, up from 54 in November and is the highest level in four months led by views on current sales of single-family homes. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a December level of 56. Results above 50 signal that builders are optimistic about sales trends.
Serving the West Side first, I am Bill Roller of BR Capital for AM 1360 KUIK.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/consumer-prices-unchanged-in-november-2013-12-17
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/two-year-budget-deal-advances-in-senate-2013-12-17-10912848
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/home-builder-confidence-highest-in-four-months-2013-12-17
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