Overview:  Fourth quarter GDP growth was revised upwards to 5.9%.  Durable orders rose 3.0% in January.  New home sales fell 11.2% in January while existing home sales fell 7.2%. Consumer confidence fell 10.5 points to 46.0 in February.  Initial jobless claims rose by 22,000 to a level of 496,000 for the week ended 2/20.

Fourth quarter GDP growth was revised upwards to an annual rate of growth of 5.9%, from an advance estimate of 5.7% growth. 

Durable orders rose 3.0% in January.  Excluding transportation, durable orders fell 0.3%. 

New home sales fell 11.2% to a record-low annual pace of 309,000 units in January.
 
Existing home sales fell 7.2% to an annual pace of 5.05 million units in January.  January’s decline follows a 16.2% decline in sales in December. 

Consumer confidence plunged 10.5 points to 46.0 in February, marking the lowest level in confidence since April of 2009.

Initial jobless claims jumped up 22,000 to 496,000, for the week ended February 20th.