Key economic events for the week of Nov. 25 This week, economy-watchers can discuss several pieces of housing data over Thanksgiving dinner or while standing in line outside their favorite store. Updates on home prices, housing starts and pending home sales are scheduled. First up, pending home sales for October are expected to increase by 1.1 percent, after a fall of more than 5 percent the previous month. Sales fell in September because of higher mortgage rates. The Census Bureau releases a joint September/October report on housing starts this morning (September's report was delayed by the government shutdown). The number of homes under construction is expected to reach 920,000 in October and the number of building permits is expected to reach 930,000. August's housing starts figure was 891,000 units, up nearly 1 percent from July. Next, the Federal Housing Finance Agency's home price index for September is out. Prices are expected to increase by 0.4 percent from the previous month. The Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller home price index is also released this morning. Analysts predict that September home prices rose by 13 percent compared with a year ago. Prices grew at an annual rate of 12.8 percent the previous month. Durable goods orders for October are out at 8:30 a.m. They are forecast to fall by nearly 2 percent from the effects of the government shutdown. Orders increased by close to 4 percent the month before. The number of weekly jobless claims is expected to rise to 330,000, from 323,000 last week. Markets are closed on the Thanksgiving holiday. The New York Stock Exchange will close early, at 1 p.m., on Black Friday.