Lots of economic data out today, including: 

• Initial claims were down 89,000 to 803,000.  Continuing claims were also down 170,000 to 5.337  million. 
• New home sales were down 11% to 841,000 in November from the prior month, but are up 20.8% year over year, as supply remains constrained.
• Mortgage applications increased 0.8% from the 1.1% increase in the previous week; refinancing  was up 3.8% and 124% from the prior year, while applications to purchase a home dropped 4.6%, but are still higher by 26% year over year.
• The FHFA Housing Price Index rose 1.5% in December from November’s 1.7% increase.
• The final read of the December University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment was lowered to 80.7 from the preliminary reading of 81.4, but it is still better than November’s 76.9.
• New Orders for manufactured durable goods in the U.S. rose 0.9% in November. Excluding transportation, new orders were up 0.4%, and excluding defense, +0.7%.  A proxy of for business spending plans, orders for non-defense capital goods, excluding aircraft, rose 0.4%.

The major indices are in the green after all the data.  The Dow is up .83%, with the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 both up about .22%.  The only sector in the red is Technology after there run up and there is some profit taking.  Energy is the best performing sector.  WTI is up 2.5% to $48.20.

As we are winding down, breadth is positive, and advancers are far exceeding decliners.