Data

First-time claims for unemployment insurance dropped 9,000 to 346,000 for week ending June 22, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected 345,000 claims. Claims filings for the week ended June 15 were revised up to 355,000 from the originally reported 354,000.

Micoley.com is hosting an online auction featuring 20 residential and multifamily properties in Northwest Illinois.

A new index from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and AllRegs shows credit availability opened up slightly from April to May.

Radian Group Inc. announced the appointment of Derek Brummer as EVP and chief risk officer. The position was previously co-managed by Brummer, who oversaw risk management for Radian Asset Assurance, and Scott Theobald, who oversaw risk management for Radian Guaranty Inc. Departing his former co-management post, Theobald will assume the newly created role of EVP for lender and structured products at Radian Guaranty.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) put GDP growth a 1.8 percent annual rate in the first quarter, a drop from the previous estimate of 2.4 percent. The downward revision to GDP came amidst positive news about the economy. Home prices, according to the Case-Shiller Index released Tuesday, rose at their fastest pace ever in April and consumer confidence, as reported by the Conference Board, increased for the third straight month. Residential fixed investment was reported as $399 billion, up slightly from the second report.

Butler & Hosch, P.A., a multistate law firm focused on the legal needs of the mortgage banking industry, purchased the majority of assets from three former subsidiaries of Prommis Solutions, which filed for bankruptcy in March.

The Texas Mortgage Bankers Association (TMBA) announced the election of Susan Stewart at president for 2013-2014. Stewart is the president and CEO of SWBC Mortgage Corporation, a full-service mortgage banking firm. During her time there, she has guided the company through multiple acquisitions and the approval processes to become Fannie Mae and Ginnie Mae seller servicers.

April home sales in Connecticut dropped on a yearly basis for the third straight month as prices continued to ascend, the Warren Group reported.

Consumer confidence saw a sizable jump in June, the Conference Board reported in its monthly Consumer Confidence Survey. Based on responses to the Nielsen survey, the index improved for the third consecutive month to 81.4, the highest level since January 2008. May's index was revised downward to 74.3. The Present Situation Index increased to 69.2 from April's revised reading of 64.8, while the Expectations Index rose to 89.5 from the previous month's downwardly revised reading of 80.6.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reported a 0.7 percent increase in its House Price Index (HPI) from March to April.