Category Archives: Consumers

Has dismantling of American health care system begun?

Posted on May 25, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial fAQs We now know that the revised Republican repeal of Obamacare is really intended to dismantle and perhaps destroy any federally-funded health care program, which would return health care coverage to either cash-starved states or private industry; to the … Continue reading →

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What Creates Higher Growth?

Posted on May 23, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Amidst all the talk of Republicans promise to cut regulations and taxes to boost growth, there is one problem. Where are the workers that would boost growth? We are already close to full employment, and in fact … Continue reading →

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Higher Industrial Production Sign Increased Growth?

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Industrial production in April grew at the fastest monthly rate in more than three years on the back of broad-based gains in the manufacturing sector, reports the Federal Reserve. Industrial production grew 1 percent in April led … Continue reading →

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Builder Optimism + Affordability Higher

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Some good news is that rising wages and moderating home prices offset a rise in mortgage interest rates to give housing affordability a slight boost in the first quarter of 2017, said the National Association of Home … Continue reading →

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April Employment Up, Q1 Consumer Spending Weak

Posted on May 6, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 211,000 in April, and the unemployment rate fell to 4.4 percent from 4.5 percent in March, reported the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics today. Job gains occurred in leisure and hospitality, health … Continue reading →

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Housing Recovery Still Uneven

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Fresh data from real-estate website Trulia show that just 34.2 percent of homes have returned to the peak levels registered before the onset of the recession in 2008, reports Marketwatch’s Andrea Requier. What’s more, Trulia estimates it could … Continue reading →

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Consumer Spending Down, Recession Looms?

Posted on May 2, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Wow! First-quarter GDP was paltry enough at 0.7 percent but consumer spending was even more paltry, at only 0.3 percent for the most embarrassing annualized pace since 2009. Unemployment is unusually low and consumer confidence unusually high … Continue reading →

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Slow Q1 GDP Growth Means What?

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 0.7 percent in the first quarter of 2017, according to the “advance” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2016, real … Continue reading →

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Why Is Mortgage Lending Still Restricted?

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner We can thank the Great Recession for most of it. Banks have become much more conservative, and builders are building approximately 50 percent fewer residences vs. the 2 million housing units at the height of the housing … Continue reading →

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Return To Low Interest Rates Boosts Housing

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The conforming 30-year fixed rate mortgage is now 3.50 percent and the so-called Hi-Balance conforming 30-year fixed rate is 3.75 percent these days for a 1 percent origination fee. And this is what has kept the demand … Continue reading →

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