US initial jobless claims dropped -16k to 212k in the week ending May 11, below expectation of 220k. Four-week moving average of initial claims rose 4.75k to 225k. Continuing claims dropped -28k to 1.66M in the week ending May 4. Four week-moving average of continuing claims rose 1.5k to 1.668M.
Building permits rose 0.6% mom to 1.296k annualized rate. Housing starts rose 5.7% to mom to 1.235M.
Philadelphia Fed Business Outlook diffusion index jumped to 16.6 in May, up from 8.5 and beat expectation of 9.0.
