Tag Archives: finance

U.S. Economy Still Too Hot?

Financial FAQs The battle is intensifying between the Fed Governors’ inflation doves and hawks as we approach November. Chairman Powell says inflation is getting closer to the Fed’s 2 percent target when we enter the 3rd quarter 2024, but he’s … Continue reading

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Consumers Not So Confident?

The Mortgage Corner What are we to make of the Conference Board’s latest confidence survey? “The decline in confidence between May and June was centered on consumers aged 35-54. By contrast, those under 35 and those 55 and older saw … Continue reading

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Retail Sales Falter–What May Follow?

Financial FAQs American consumers are tiring after two years of no relief from higher prices and interest rates. They are now looking for bargains everywhere in the latest retail sales report from the Census Bureau. It’s the second month of … Continue reading

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No More Inflation?

Popular Economics Weekly It will probably be hard to believe for those scarred by the post-pandemic inflation scare that inflation isn’t declining, but there was no inflation increase in May for both wholesale (PPI) and retail (CPI) inflation indexes. Yes, … Continue reading

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Fed’s Preferred Inflation Indicator Softens

Popular Economics Weekly The latest economic data show the US economy slowed in Q1 2024, but economic growth should increase in the second quarter because consumers will continue to spend. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), the best measure of overall consumer … Continue reading

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Where’s the Recession?

Financial FAQs The most recent Harris-Guardian poll found 56 percent of those surveyed thought the US was in a recession. And 49 percent believed unemployment was at a 50-year high. How is that possible when the economic facts are exactly … Continue reading

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Q2 Economic Growth Any Better?

The Mortgage Corner The initial estimate of first quarter 2024 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was less than expected (1.6%), causing financial markets to panic, even though economic growth is better than the initial estimate is reporting, I said last … Continue reading

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Retail Sales Decline Worrying

Financial FAQs The bad news might be good news, though it presages further grief for some consumers. Retail sales didn’t increase at all in April, and the Consumers Price Index showed lower inflation, with its annual rate dropping to 3.4 … Continue reading

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Why the Inflation Confusion?

Popular Economics Weekly Most pundits (and propagandists) don’t know who to blame for ‘sticky’ inflation, so they blame those who haven’t caused it—such as the current administration or the Federal Reserve. But the sudden rise in prices of the past … Continue reading

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Less Need to Worry in 2024?

Financial FAQs It’s time to catch our breath. Wars and protests can unsettle economies, but much of the economic uncertainty in 2024 is for more mundane reasons. The last few weeks have unsettled the financial markets, to say the least. … Continue reading

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