Monthly Archives: May 2013

A Greater Recession, if Fed QE Ends Too Soon

Posted on May 31, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The stock and bond markets are sinking because of Fed Chairman Bernanke’s seemingly offhand remark that the Fed could slow down its QE purchases of securities as early as its June FOMC meeting. Now Organization for Economic Development … Continue reading →

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Housing Prices at Seven-Year High

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index just reported home prices were accelerating strongly going into  a very strong April start to the Spring housing season. The Case-Shiller 20-city data show a very strong 1.1 percent monthly adjusted … Continue reading →

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Ben Bernanke and the Fragile Recovery

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs We know how fragile is the U.S. economic recovery just from the past 48 hours, because both U.S. and Japanese stock prices plummeted, and interest rates jumped on a seemingly offhand remark made by Fed Chairman Bernanke in … Continue reading →

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Existing-Home Sales, Inventories Climbing

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 0.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million in April, reports the National Association of Realtors. This could … Continue reading →

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Consumer Sentiment, Leading Indicators Signal Higher Growth

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Both the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment survey and Conference Board’s Index of Leading Indicators rose in May, signaling that employment and growth may be stronger than forecast by most economists. How can that be with 7.5 … Continue reading →

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S. California RE Sales Return to 2006 Levels

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner DataQuick just reported Southern California homes sold at the fastest pace for an April in seven years amid the release of pent-up demand for move-up homes and high levels of investor purchases. This is while April new-home … Continue reading →

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Consumer Debt Falls to Pre-Recession Level

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The total amount of debt held by Americans fell again in the first three months of 2013 and stood at the lowest level since the middle of 2006, the New York Federal Reserve said Tuesday. The level of … Continue reading →

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Saving Fannie and Freddie—Part II

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The Federal Housing Finance Authority that supervises the so-called Government Supervised Enterprises (GSE), now including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, just announced restrictions that not only weaken Fannie and Freddie’s mandate, but the mortgage and housing markets in … Continue reading →

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Bank Lending Still Stingy

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The Federal Reserve just published its quarterly Senior Loan Officer survey on lending standards by the largest banks. They basically adhere to the strictest Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines for residential loans, such as minimum 620 … Continue reading →

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Payrolls Rising with Lower Labor Productivity

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Suddenly it looks like the U.S. economy isn’t stalling. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 165,000 in April, and the unemployment rate fell slightly to 7.5 percent from 7.6 percent in March, reported the U.S. Bureau of … Continue reading →

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