Economy
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Banks tighten standards in first quarter and expect trend to continue, Fed survey finds
The numbers: Lending officers at major banks told the Federal Reserve on Monday that in the first three months of the year they tightened standards and saw reduced demand. The banks said they expected the tightening trend to continue all year. Key details: In the first-quarter Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey, respondents reported tighter standards…
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Stocks end mixed ahead of inflation data
U.S. stocks posted a mixed finish Monday, struggling for direction as investors weighed a Federal Reserve survey of loan officers for signs of a credit crunch, awaited inflation data due this week and tracked choppy trading in shares of regional banks. A small rise for the Nasdaq Composite, however, was enough to see the index…
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Would-be home buyers are more optimistic about the housing market — for one big reason, says Fannie Mae
Consumers expect mortgage rates to drop, so they’re feeling a lot more optimistic about the housing market, according to a Fannie Mae FNMA poll published Monday. After the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate increase last week, the Fed Chair signaled a potential pause in hikes. Rates dipped after the news, and economists are expecting mortgage rates…
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Recession fears fuel investors’ search for havens. Is bitcoin a good choice?
Investors are increasingly worried that a recession may begin in the U.S. later this year, as the Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised its key interest rate for the 10th time in a row, while growing evidence points to a slowing U.S. economy. In search of a “safe haven”, some investors have turned to bitcoin BTCUSD,…
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Big Tech has made earnings look better, but here come Disney and PayPal
Most of the first-quarter earnings blizzard has passed, and the results, overall, haven’t been as bad as expected — thanks in large part to the nation’s biggest tech companies: Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc. and Microsoft. The S&P 500 index SPXhas largely moved sideways over the past few weeks, as markets try to stomach concerns about…
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Recession fears hang over market insisting on rate cuts as Fed loan survey looms
Parts of the U.S. financial markets are bracing for a hard landing for the U.S. economy, as investors await insights into credit conditions from the Federal Reserve’s upcoming loan officer survey due this week. The Fed’s aggressive interest rate hikes over the past year to tame high inflation has led to recent regional-banking trouble that…
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‘People are making a big deal about the increase in wage growth’: Economists cast a skeptical eye over ‘strong’ jobs report
Some economists are drawing the battle lines between the Federal Reserve’s rate hikes and future U.S. economic growth. The U.S. created 253,000 new jobs in April, surpassing the 180,000 forecast by economists polled by the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate fell to 3.4% from 3.5%, the government said Friday. “While there… Source
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Should I invest $20,000 in cash or stocks? The stock market is volatile, and the Fed hiked rates (again).
I just moved to the U.S. to join my family, and I have about $20,000 in my bank account, and I’m not sure how to invest it. I have no need for the money at the moment, but I’ve applied for a master’s program and want to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student…
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The party’s over for America’s housing market, but this real-estate CEO believes it will recover
The pandemic home-buying frenzy came to a screeching halt when the U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates last June. Rates have since doubled, remaining firmly above 6%. After home sales plunged, the housing sector has recovered somewhat, but it is now facing a shortage of homes for sale, leading the market into a bidding frenzy…
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I’m 65 with more than $5 million saved and I can’t figure out how to spend it fast enough to avoid an RMD disaster
Got a question about the mechanics of investing, how it fits into your overall financial plan and what strategies can help you make the most out of your money? You can write me at [email protected]. I think I have an uncommon problem. I’m a 65-year-old recently retired education administrator. I think I might have saved…