Source: Window & Door

Company acquisitions, Energy Star Version 6.0, tax credits and new product developments topped the news in 2013 for the window and door industry. Following is a look back at the year in review.

Source: National Association of Home Builders

Led by a solid increase in both single-family and multifamily starts, nationwide housing production rose 22.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.09 million in November, according to figures released today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. 

Source: 4-Traders   by U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee 

Report shows manufacturing exports up 38 percent since 2009, now exceed pre-recession peak

Source: FINANCIAL POST

This new report, which aims to put global housing markets in perspective, puts Canada at the top of the overvalued scale, 85% above the historic average of house prices to rent.

Source: The USGlass News Network

Flat glass prices climbed 1.3 percent from October to November, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report issued by the U.S. Labor Department.

Source: DOOR & WINDOW MAGAZINE

North American and global softwood lumber markets are forecast to continue expanding in 2014, but at a slower rate than was previously forecast, according to the report Wood Markets 2014—The Solid Wood Products Outlook: 2014 to 2018, released by International Wood Markets Group. The rapid expansion of North American lumber demand and an imbalanced supply chain that occurred in the second half of 2012 and first quarter of 2013 became more balanced (but still somewhat volatile) for the remainder of 2013, allowing supply to catch up and prices to moderate (but still at favorable levels), states the company in a release.

Source: The USGlass News Network 

The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) says more commercial manufacturers need to come on board if they want to assure consumers that their products are good for saving energy and lowering costs.

Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Housing starts in Canada were trending at 194,014 units in November compared to 195,274 in October, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The trend is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR)1 of housing starts.

Source: Window & Door

Despite apprehension regarding the fragile economy, window and door dealers and manufacturers anticipate moderate economic growth in 2014, defined as gains of 2 percent to 2.9 percent, according to the 2014 Industry Pulse, Window & Door's exclusive annual survey of industry executives. More than 50 percent of dealers and manufacturers said they expect to see moderate gains in the coming year, with 21 percent of dealers and 19 percent of manufacturers predicting slow growth of less than 2 percent in 2014.

Source: Home Channel News

The latest release from the Trulia Price Monitor and the Trulia Rent Monitor positions the arc of rising home prices well above that of rents going into the new year.