Tag Archives: finance

First Quarter Growth Even Better?

The Mortgage Corner The post-pandemic recovery is looking better this year, as higher estimates for 2024 economic growth come in. The job market is still hot, which is why consumers keep shopping until they drop, to use a common expression … Continue reading →

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Economic Facts Can Win

Financial FAQs Here’s another reason we have avoided a recession. Regardless of the looming tax bills due in April that traditionally causes consumers to save more and spend less, consumers are spending more and saving less, per the BEA’s Personal … Continue reading →

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Fourth Quarter Growth Even Better

The Mortgage Corner Economic growth is picking up and the housing market is following suit, which means the post-pandemic recovery is looking even better this year. The final reading of Q4 2023 U.S. Gross Domestic Product growth adjusted for inflation … Continue reading →

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Irrational Exuberance vs. Irrational Pessimism?

Popular Economics Weekly I don’t believe Wall Street investors are irrationally exuberant at present, contrary to those that say we are now in a stock market bubble with the record level S&P and DOW indexes. It’s as easy to be … Continue reading →

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Too Much Irrational Exuberance?

Popular Economics Weekly Are Wall Street investors irrationality exuberant? Former Bond King and CEO of the PIMCO bond fund Bill Gross thinks so. Irrational exuberance is a term coined by former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan in 1996 to describe the … Continue reading →

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Strong Growth Will Continue

Financial FAQs There’s a good reason we have avoided a recession, I said last week. Consumers’ personal financial conditions have improved, so they continue to shop, and they are responsible for 70 percent of economic activity. Now the Conference Board’s … Continue reading →

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Retail Inflation Is the Problem

Popular Economics Weekly There is a reason the Biden administration wants to prevent the merger of Kroger and Albertsons Supermarket chains. It lowers competition at a time when the largest retailers are now responsible for much of the inflation that … Continue reading →

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Consumers Confident No Recession

Financial FAQs There is a good reason why we have avoided a recession. Consumers don’t believe it will happen. And consumers drive some 70 percent of US economic activity. So their attitudes tend to make or break economic growth. When … Continue reading →

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It’s A Soft Landing

Popular Economics Weekly A terrific February employment report is further evidence the US economy has made a soft landing. FREDemployment Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 275,000 in February, and the unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 3.9 percent from … Continue reading →

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More Jobs Ahead?

Financial FAQs  The US economy hasn’t slowed. Fourth quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was revised downward from 3.3 percent to 3.2 percent in the second estimate, and predictions for first quarter 2024 GDP growth are hovering between 2-3 percent. … Continue reading →

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