Category Archives: Weekly Financial News

Lower Household Debt, Housing, Now Boosting Growth

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner In another sign that this could be a better growth year, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose two points to 55 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index … Continue reading →

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Consumers Healthier with Lower Household Debt

Posted on August 17, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Household debt continues to decline, which will free more disposable income for consumers, which should be a sign that consumer spending, the main driver of economic growth, will continue to grow. That has to be why Q2 … Continue reading →

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Don’t Forget the Millennials—Part II

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs We have talked before about the upcoming Millennial, or Gen Y generation that will number more than 80 million eventually, 7 percent higher than their baby boomer parents that gave us such high economic growth in the 1980s … Continue reading →

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More Jobs–What About Incomes?

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly The U.S. in July added 209,000 jobs last month outside the farm sector, the Labor Department said Friday. Although hiring tapered off after a 298,000 gain in June, the U.S. has generated at least 200,000 jobs in … Continue reading →

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Consumer Confidence In A ‘Goldilocks’ Economy

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Once upon a time, the U.S. was considered to have a “Goldilocks” economy that was neither too hot nor too cold; where inflation was moderate, yet there was full employment. This last happened in the late 1990s … Continue reading →

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Pending Home Sales Remain Strong

Posted on July 29, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, declined 1.1 percent to 102.7 in June from 103.8 in May, and is 7.3 percent below June 2013 (110.8), reports the National Association of Realtors. … Continue reading →

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Restricted Credit Will Impede Housing Recovery

Posted on July 24, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs As if we need more evidence that the Consumer Protection Finance Bureau and government regulators have listened to the wrong people when drafting their Qualified Mortgage requirements (that lowers the maximum debt-to-income ratio to 43 percent for non-agency … Continue reading →

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Existing-Home Sales On Rise Again

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The NAR just reported total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, climbed 2.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million in June from an upwardly-revised 4.91 … Continue reading →

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Don’t Forget the Consumer!

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly “It’s the Consumers, Stupid,” is an oft-repeated mantra being echoed currently by Internet advocates who want to keep Internet access free. But there’s a more important reason to worry about consumer health. Consumers are still way too … Continue reading →

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Why Such Low Interest Rates?

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Fixed 30-year conforming interest rates have once again dropped slightly below 4 percent for a 1 pt. origination fee in California, after being as high as 4.50 percent earlier this year. Why the drop when most economic … Continue reading →

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