Business activity in the New York State region declined for the fourth straight month in November, signaling that manufacturing activity remains weak. The New York State Index fell to 10.7 in November, below the -6.0 expected after falling in October. Within the report, it showed that the new orders and shipments components declined, while the employment numbers were also weak.Just in time for the Thanksgiving drive to Grandma's house, gas prices should slip this week after the price of oil fell to near $40 a barrel in trading in New York City. The national average price for a regular gallon of gasoline hit $2.15 this week, down from $2.21 a week ago and $2.28 a month ago. "Americans are finding the cheapest gas prices for this time of year since 2008," said Mark Jenkins, spokesman of AAA - The auto club group. "Now that oil prices are falling again, pump prices should get even cheaper as we approach the holiday travel season."The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports that its Builder Application Survey showed mortgage applications for new home purchases fell by 8% in October from September. The decline was due in part to the new TRID rules that went into effect recently. The survey tracks application volume from mortgage subsidiaries of home builders across the country. Despite the decrease, the MBA's estimate of new single-family housing sales for October was up more than 7% from a year ago.Jesse Stroup California Mortgage Professional www.CaliforniaHomeLoanLender.comwww.JesseStroup.comPacific Funding GroupNMLS# 6229