Homebuilder ETFs are on a tear in 2012 and could see action in the coming week as investors get reports on U.S. housing prices and pending home sales.
The iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction (NYSEArca: ITB) is the best-performing sector ETF with a year-to-date gain of 50%. SPDR S&P Homebuilders (NYSEArca: XHB) is up 36%.
The S&P/Case-Shiller home price index for June will cross on Tuesday. The S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city composite rose 2.2% in May, MarketWatch reported.
Also, markets will get a report on July pending home sales on Wednesday. In June, pending home sales fell 1.4%.
“Buyer interest remains strong but fewer home listings mean fewer contract signing opportunities,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, in the June release. “We’ve been seeing a steady decline in the level of housing inventory, which is most pronounced in the lower price ranges popular with first-time buyers and investors.”
The homebuilder ETFs were little changed last week as luxury builder Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) reported strong quarterly earnings.