Category Archives: Weekly Financial News

Why Falling Home Sales?

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

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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Is There Too Little Inflation?

Financial FAQs The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) declined 0.1 percent in December on a seasonally adjusted basis after being unchanged in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. Over the last 12 months, the … Continue reading

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America’s Immigration Problem

Popular Economics Weekly CalculatedRiskBlog The Calculated Risk graph says it best in the Labor Department’s latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). There are still about one million more job openings (yellow line) than hires (blue line). There have … Continue reading

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A Gangbusters December Employment Report

Popular Economics Weekly MarketWatch.com Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 312,000 in December, and the unemployment rate rose to 3.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, food services and drinking places, … Continue reading

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Why the Fed’s Obsession With Inflation?

Popular Economics Weekly tradingeconomics.com/FRED The Federal Reserve’s December FOMC statement, said, after increasing their overnight rate another one-quarter percent: “Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The Committee judges that some further … Continue reading

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Where Goes the Housing Market?

The Mortgage Corner Calculated Risk WASHINGTON (December 19, 2018) – Existing-home sales increased in November, said the National Association of Realtors®, marking two consecutive months of increases. Three of four major U.S. regions saw gains in sales activity last month. … Continue reading

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Why Isn’t Inflation a Problem?

Popular Economics Weekly us.econoday.com It looks like inflation will no longer be a problem holding back consumer spending for the forseeable future; or in any other economy in the developed world as well. It’s not a problem because economies today … Continue reading

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It’s the Third Largest Housing Boom Ever!

The Mortgage Corner fred.stlouisfed.org The 10-year Treasury bond yield has fallen back to 2.86 percent, which is usually recession territory. And the 30-year conforming fixed rate is 4.125 percent again with a 1-point origination fee. This is unheard of in … Continue reading

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Weaker Employment Report Due to Trade Wars?

Financial FAQs MarketWatch.com Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 155,000 in November, and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, in manufacturing, and in transportation … Continue reading

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