Category Archives: Consumers

Why the Record Low Interest Rates?

Posted on February 26, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner fred.stlouisfed.org The 30-year fixed rate conforming mortgage rate fell to a 1-year low, according to Freddie Mac, the GSE still in government conservatorship, and major purchaser of conforming conventional mortgages. The 30-year fixed-rate averaged 4.35 percent in … Continue reading →

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What If No Brexit Deal?

Posted on February 20, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Equalitytrust.org We know why the UK voted to exit the EU—UK working class anger at not gaining many of the benefits from joining the EU, while experiencing its downside with the influx of eastern EU citizens that … Continue reading →

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More Job Creation Coming

Posted on February 14, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Wrightson-ICAP The number of job openings reached a series high of 7.3 million on the last business day of December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday. Over the month, hires and separations were little changed … Continue reading →

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Can U.S. Economy Weather Trade Wars?

Posted on February 5, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Econoday.com Why is manufacturing doing so well in the face of rising tariffs—in January when mid-winter business activity tends to slow? Consumers flush with cash from rising wages and full employment are powering higher domestic demand. Exports, on … Continue reading →

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Very Strong January Employment

Posted on February 1, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly MarketWatch.com Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 304,000 in January, and the unemployment rate edged up to 4.0 percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in several industries, including leisure and hospitality, construction, … Continue reading →

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Best Wage and Benefit Rise in 11 Years

Posted on January 31, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs MarketWatch.com Workers’ wages and benefits are finally rising at a decent clip from being fully employed, said the Labor Department. Total compensation, including health and pension benefits, rose in 2018 2.9 percent, up from 2.8 percent in 2017. … Continue reading →

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What is a Living Wage?

Posted on January 28, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Answering the Kennedys Call The Washington Post published a recent interview with new Democratic House Member Alexandria Octavia-Cortez in which she said, “I think it’s wrong that a vast majority of the country doesn’t make a living wage, I think … Continue reading →

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What Happened to Consumers’ Confidence?

Posted on January 24, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs http://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/ Consumer sentiment declined in early January to its lowest level since Trump was elected, reported the December U. of Michigan sentiment survey. It’s down for a number of reasons—too many reasons, and economists are consequently beginning to … Continue reading →

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Why Falling Home Sales?

Posted on January 22, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Econoday.com Total existing-home sales, https://www.nar.realtor/existing-home-completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, decreased 6.4 percent from November to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.99 million in December. Sales are now down 10.3 percent from a … Continue reading →

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A Week of Conflicting Growth Signals

Posted on January 19, 2019 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Econoday How do we reconcile the fact that industrial production in 2018 was very good, probably due to producers stocking up before more new tariffs are announced, and consumer sentiment has plunged to a 2-year low because … Continue reading →

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