Hawai'i status report
When will it end? O'ahu single-family home and condo prices continued their seemingly inexhaustible ascent in the first quarter, hitting record highs of $625,000 and $309,000, respectively. For both homes and condos, the first-quarter prices were roughly double where they were just four years ago. O'ahu and the rest of the state have experienced some of the fastest real-estate appreciation in the country over the past several years. But rising mortgage rates and slower economic growth already have begun to pull down some of the high-flying real-estate markets in other parts of the country. The big question is whether Hawai'i will follow suit. There is a consensus among market watchers here that local real-estate prices may level off but are not likely to suffer any precipitous declines in the near term.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS POST BIG JUMP
People seeking unemployment insurance benefits must file weekly claims with the state Department of Labor. Changes in total claims show the level of difficulty laid-off workers have in finding jobs —- an indicator of Hawai'i's economic health.
DOMESTIC, FOREIGN ARRIVALS SHOW WEAKNESS
These charts track the six-month trends of visitor arrivals to Hawai'i by air, a key barometer of the health of tourism, the state's largest industry. To smooth out day-to-day bumps, 7-day moving averages are used. Figures for international arrivals do not include visitors from Canada.