The Home Builder Index is Unchanged Since October at its Lowest Level Ever

The bad news in the housing market continues with no let up. From CNNMoney:

A December reading of U.S. homebuilders' sentiment remained at a record low for the third straight month.

The National Association of Home Builders said Monday its housing market index, which gauges builders' perceptions of conditions and expectations for home sales over the next six months, came in at 19 in December. The number was at the lowest level since the index began in January 1985.

Index readings higher than 50 indicate positive sentiment. The seasonally adjusted index has been below 50 since May 2006, and declined for eight straight months this year, and has been unchanged since October.

Tighter lending standards, rising defaults among borrowers with weak credit and a sense of worry about the housing market's future have meant fewer buyers for hard-hit homebuilders.. . . . .

Many builders are "bracing themselves for the winter months when home buying traditionally slows, scaling down their inventories and repositioning themselves for the time when market conditions can support an upswing in building activity," David Seiders, the trade group's chief economist said in a statement.

Confidence dropped in the northeast, but inched up in the Midwest and South. It remained unchanged in western states.