Category Archives: Weekly Financial News

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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Don’t Forget the Millennials!

Posted on July 17, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s current congressional testimony is saying the Fed could keep rates low for a long time to come. Why? Because unemployment is still too high, and economic growth too slow at present. The CBO … Continue reading →

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Economic Recovery Is For Real

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly We are already in July, and can now see that the US economic recovery is for real, in spite of the past winter. Even economic growth is picking up, so that second quarter Gross Domestic Product might … Continue reading →

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Where is Housing Affordable?

Posted on July 14, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Why aren’t there more home buyers? It seems that housing can’t really recover until household incomes recover, and household incomes are barely keeping up with inflation at the moment. We also know that can’t happen until we … Continue reading →

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We Need Some Inflation!

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs How much inflation is too much inflation? Germany thinks any inflation is too much, based on their 1920s inflation experience when burning money for fuel was cheaper than burning wood. It has led to the EU’s draconian austerity … Continue reading →

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What is Yellen’s Real Unemployment Rate?

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen spoke with IMF President Christine Lagard at an epoch-making conference yesterday. It was epoch-making (with luminaries such a ex-Fed Chair Paul Volcker in attendance), because Ms. Yellen told us which unemployment rate she and … Continue reading →

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Pending Home Sales Up—A Better 2014?

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Is the housing market finally beginning to thaw from the polar winter? Pending home sales rose sharply in May, with lower mortgage rates and increased inventory accelerating the market, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Pending … Continue reading →

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Austerity Must End With Q1 GDP Plunge

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly The final Q1 2014 GDP growth estimate of minus (-2.9) percent, down from the second (-1) percent drop, was a shock for several reasons. Firstly, it means our domestic economy is still sputtering, five years after the … Continue reading →

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Will Housing Now Lead the Recovery?

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner There is still hope that housing may help this economic recovery, as it has in past recoveries. But that is only if Fed Chairman Janet Yellen succeeds in keeping interest rates—mortgage rates in particular—at their current low, … Continue reading →

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