Total U.S. Business Applications were 423,945 in May 2024, down 1.5% from April 2024.

U.S. selected services total revenue for the first quarter of 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation but not for price changes, was $5,534.6 billion, an increase of 2.3 percent (+/- 0.2 percent) from the fourth quarter of 2023 and up 6.7 percent (+/- 0.6 percent) from the first quarter of 2023.

Seasonally adjusted after-tax profits for retail corporations with assets of $50 million and over were $33.8 billion for the first quarter 2024 (the 3 months ending April 30, 2024), down $14.2 (+/- 1.1) billion from fourth quarter 2023 (the 3 months ending January 31, 2024).

Manufacturing corporations' seasonally adjusted after-tax profits were $200.0 billion for the first quarter of 2024, not statistically different from the fourth quarter of 2023.

April 2024 sales of merchant wholesalers were $663.8 billion, up 0.1 percent (+/- 0.4 percent)* from last month. End-of-month inventories were $895.8 billion, up 0.1 percent (+/- 0.4 percent)* from last month.

The nation's international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $74.6 billion in April from $68.6 billion in March (revised), as imports increased more than exports.

New orders for manufactured goods in April, up three consecutive months, increased $4.3 billion or 0.7 percent to $588.2 billion.

Total construction activity for April 2024 ($2,099.0 billion) was 0.1 percent (+/-1.0 percent)* below the revised March 2024 ($2,101.5 billion).

April end-of-month inventories were $896.3 billion, up 0.2 percent (+/- 0.4 percent)* from last month.

The advance international trade deficit in goods increased to $99.4 billion in April from $92.3 billion in March as imports increased more than exports.

April 2024 end-of-month inventories were $790.9 billion, up 0.7 percent (+/- 0.2%) from last month.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in April, up three consecutive months, increased $1.9 billion or 0.7 percent to $284.1 billion.

Sales of new single-family houses in April 2024 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 634,000. This is 4.7 percent (+/- 12.0%)* below the revised March 2024 estimate of 665,000.

Privately-owned housing starts in April 2024 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,360,000. This is 5.7 percent (+/- 11.0%)* above the revised March 2024 estimate of 1,287,000.

U.S. total business end-of-month inventories for March 2024 were $2,539.0 billion, down 0.1 percent (+/- 0.1 percent)* from last month. U.S. total business sales were $1,858.0 billion, down 0.1 percent (+/- 0.2 percent)* from last month.

U.S. retail and food services sales for April 2024 were $705.2 billion, virtually unchanged (+/-0.4 percent)* from the previous month.

The homeownership rate of 65.6 percent was not statistically different from the rate in the first quarter 2023 (66.0 percent). The homeownership rates, compared to the first quarter 2023, were lower in the Midwest, and not statistically different in the Northeast, South, and West.

The rental vacancy rate of 6.6 percent was not statistically different than the rate in the first quarter 2023 (6.4 percent). Compared to first quarter 2023, the rental vacancy rate was higher in the West and not statistically different in the Northeast, Midwest, and South.