Two studies recently conducted both point to sustained growth in home valuations. But according to another source data, the prices are not high enough to cause a housing bubble similar to earlier in the 2000s. And the GSEs are not going away just yet: there’s a bill in place in the House to extricate the federal government from the housing market, but it’s unlikely to be passed before the 2014 election.

Domestic banks are claiming to have eased their lending standards, and have experienced stronger demand for loans over the past three months. And economic activity in the non-manufacturing sector—in which most people work—grew for the 43rd consecutive month in July.

Although the monthly unemployment numbers for July were relatively weak, some sectors of the economy are hiring at a fairly healthy rate, but for low-paying jobs. And personal income increased 0.3 percent in June.