Tag Archives: Janet Yellen

Iran Agreement Means Low Inflation, Higher Growth

Financial FAQs Although economists haven’t yet begun to crunch the numbers, Iran’s agreement not to produce atomic weapons or weapon-grade plutonium for at least 10 years will result in much lower oil prices, thus keeping inflation in check and interest … Continue reading

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Three % Plus YoY Economic Growth Is Here

Popular Economics Weekly We are finally back to 3 percent plus GDP growth on an annual basis. And it is largely fueled by consumer spending that has been increasing as more jobs are created. Retail and Food service sales ex-gasoline … Continue reading

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Home Prices Increase With Jobs

The Mortgage Corner The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index is the bell weather for real estate and home prices these days. It not only reports housing prices, but what affects those prices, and jobs have to be the most important … Continue reading

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Greece’s Great Depression

Financial FAQs This may seem facetious some 6 years into recovery, but many policy makers don’t seem to understand the severity of the Great Recession, or its consequences. It is the major reason why Greece, and many other Eurozone countries … Continue reading

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A Good Jobs Report

Financial FAQs Should we push back the first Fed rate hike to the presidential election year of 2016, because of June’s softer-than-expected employment report? Nonfarm payroll growth came in at 223,000 vs expectations for 230,000 and above. It included downward … Continue reading

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Housing In Recovery-Pending Home Sales Soar

The Mortgage Corner February Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 3.1 percent to 106.9 in February from a slight downward revision of 103.7 in January and is now 12.0 percent above February 2014 (95.4). … Continue reading

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Labor Force Participation Improving

Popular Economics Weekly One lament by Fed Chairperson Janet Yellen and others has been the low labor participation rate of the prime-age workers—those 25 to 54 year-olds that have dropped out of the labor force, or are working part time.  … Continue reading

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Good Employment Report for Most

Financial FAQs The stock market plunged on news total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 295,000 in February, and the unemployment rate edged down to 5.5 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The DOW fell 279 points, and … Continue reading

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Fed Chair Yellen Still Dovish, Economy Still “Sluggish”

Popular Economics Weekly Federal Reserve Chairperson Yellen wants to keep interest rates as low as possible for at least the “next couple of FOMC meetings”, even as there are signs that economic growth is accelerating. This is in the face … Continue reading

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January Existing Home Sales, Mortgage Applications Dip

The Mortgage Corner Oh, the winter freeze! It seems to put the housing market into a deep freeze, as well. Total existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, fell 4.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted … Continue reading

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