Tag Archives: interest rates

The Confused Consumer

Financial FAQs The Conference Board’s index of consumer confidence sank to 98.7 this month from a revised 105.6 in August the Conference Board said Tuesday. Consumer confidence dropped in September to near the bottom of the narrow range that has … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, housing market, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Inflation Still in Decline

Popular Economics Weekly The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, the same increase as in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over the last 12 months, the all items … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Housing, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

U.S. Economy Has Landed

Popular Economics Weekly GETTY It’s about time. Fed Chairman Powell has finally admitted in so many words that the U.S. economy made a ‘soft landing’; economists’ term for inflation to have declined sufficiently that the Fed can begin to ease … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Prices Are Falling!

Popular Economics Weekly Today could be historic for inflation watchers. It’s the first time since July 2022 that retail prices as measured by the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) have declined. It will be history making and effect the financial … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Whose Inflation Is Too High?

The Mortgage Corner Declining inflation has stalled in the first quarter, which is hurting prospects for any Fed rate cuts, and causing consumers to buy less. The inflation rate is currently stuck in the 3 percent range, though much lower … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What Should the Fed Do?

Popular Economics Weekly The big surprise at Federal Reserve Chairman Powell’s last press conference was despite strong job numbers and inflation still above the Fed’s 2 percent target rate, the Fed governors are acting more dovish. Why? They don’t want … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

March Payrolls Soaring

Popular Economics Weekly I said last week 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. That’s … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Macro Economics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment