Tag Archives: interest rates

High Productivity the Key

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs There is a major reason the US economy is doing well in so many ways—with plunging inflation, surging consumer spending, and the highest economic growth of developed countries—that is often overlooked in economic reports. Labor productivity has been … Continue reading →

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No Recession Next Year?

Posted on December 30, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Fortune Magazine has come up with the most interesting reasons for a looming recession in a recent edition. “Here are six reasons why a recession remains Bloomberg Economics’ base case. They range from the wiring of the human … Continue reading →

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It Wasn’t the Fed

Posted on December 26, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly What more does Chairman Powell and the Federal Reserve Governors need to know to announce the inflation battle has been won? Its preferred inflation indicator has shown zero monthly increases for two months. The rate of U.S. … Continue reading →

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How Low Can Interest Rates Go?

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Stocks and bonds are rallying after Chairman Powell sounded dovish for the first time at his December press conference following their last FOMC meeting of the year. “The question of when it will be appropriate to begin … Continue reading →

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Higher Productivity Lowers Inflation

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Why has the Fed got it so wrong with inflation, even though the inflation rate has been falling steadily for more than a year? Paul Krugman in a recent NYTimes Op-ed said the personal consumption expenditure deflator (PCE) … Continue reading →

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Too Many New Jobs?

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly FREDavghourlywages The Fed Governors won’t like this morning’s unemployment report. The U.S. Census Bureau just reported that 263,000 nonfarm payroll jobs were created in November and average hourly wages are still rising 5.1 percent annually. To make … Continue reading →

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Home Prices Keep Rising

Posted on October 28, 2021 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Calculated Risk I said last month the housing market was cooling with the fall weather, but maybe not yet. Because housing prices are still rising in double digits, although they may be leveling off. The S&P CoreLogic … Continue reading →

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No Real Slowdown in US Recovery

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly FRED The latest survey of US businesses shows little diminishing of economic activity in the near future. A survey of senior business executives in service-oriented companies, such as retailers and banks, rebounded to a three-month high of … Continue reading →

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Why the Housing Shortage?

Posted on September 28, 2020 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Calculated Risk Booming Realtors’ existing-home sales are showing there is a very severe housing shortage with record sales and a record low housing inventory. Calculated Risk says the for-sale inventory is was down 18.6 percent year-over-year (YoY) … Continue reading →

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Should The Fed Boost Inflation?

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs FRED10yrInflation The Federal Reserve is so desperate to support growth in this pandemic that it wants to allow inflation to rise above its 2 percent target range. Why? Inflation and rising prices are usually a sign of economic … Continue reading →

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