Category Archives: Economy

The Hunger Games Are Coming…

Financial FAQs Was the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre the sign of an apocalyptic future? Or the Aurora Theatre shootings by a cold-blooded killer? The Hunger Games is a riveting portrayal of how the young see the modern world, where … Continue reading

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Mortgage Quality Highest in Decade

The Mortgage Corner Record low interest rates and low prices, are making housing more affordable than ever. This is also helping lower default rates, as average credit scores have soared, and Debt to Income Ratios used to quality borrowers have … Continue reading

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January Housing Inventory Declines 24 Percent

The Mortgage Corner The surest sign that property values will increase this year is the large decline in homes for sale. This is in part due to increasing sales, with existing-home sales up some 6 percent, year-over-year. But there is … Continue reading

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Unemployment—Why Still So High?

Popular Economics Weekly What will bring US back to full employment is a very big question among economists. The problem is that the 155,000 per month nonfarm payroll average in 2012 isn’t enough to either absorb new entrants, or those … Continue reading

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Happy New Year—A 2013 Recovery!

Popular Economics Weekly Any doubts how dependent the rest of the world is on U.S. growth was dispelled on ratification of the ‘fiscal cliff’ bill by Congress. The world’s stock markets rallied on the news. The DOW was up + … Continue reading

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Our Tragedy of the Commons—Austerity That Doesn’t Work

Popular Economics Weekly There is a longer term fiscal crisis that current budget negotiators are ignoring. It is called the Tragedy of the Commons — the long term neglect of common resources and facilities used by all, including our air, … Continue reading

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Housing Prices In “Sustained Recovery”

Popular Economics Weekly The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index October headline was “Sustained Recovery in Home Prices”, as housing inventories continue to drop, while the latest estimates of household formation for young adults in particular are as high as 1.3 million … Continue reading

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Home Sales Surging

The Mortgage Corner Total existing home sales are accelerating, and prices are rising along with declining inventories. Sales that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 5.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million in November … Continue reading

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Q4 GDP Growth Improving

Financial FAQs We are seeing faster economic growth in the fourth quarter, even after the upward revision of Q3 GDP growth to 2.7 percent from 2.0 percent. The reason? The 146,000 jump in November payroll jobs, soaring retail sales, and … Continue reading

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2013 Year of Housing Recovery

The Mortgage Corner Wall Street is jumping on the real estate band wagon. Not only are hedge funds now buying foreclosed homes in bulk, reducing the ‘shadow inventory’ of homes with delinquent mortgages, but the record low interest rates are … Continue reading

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