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☆ Gold slips as dollar firms, traders brood on rate cut timing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Spot gold was down 0.1% at $2,311.07 per ounce as of 0235 GMT. The dollar index rose 0.1%, making greenback-priced gold more expensive for other currency holders. If the upcoming reports show scary inflation, then the Fed can't cut rates and it will pressure gold, he added. Bullion is used as a hedge against inflation, but higher rates reduce the appeal of holding the non-yielding asset. Markets are currently seeing a 65% chance of a U.S. rate cut in September, as per CME's FedWatch Tool.

Persons: Ilya Spivak, Neel Kashkari, Spivak Organizations: University of, Minneapolis Locations: U.S, China's, China

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 7.22% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.47% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a three-basis-point increase from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which is likely to happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Freddie Mac Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Reserve, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates dipped slightly late last week but remain relatively high. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. But because inflation has been somewhat sticky in recent months, mortgage rates have remained elevated so far this year. Lower mortgage rates will bring more buyers onto the market, putting upward pressure on prices.

Persons: Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

☆ Wall Street Cruel Summer: Stock Market Crash, Inflation Ends Vacation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Linette Lopez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Inflation canceled that, and now it's almost certain that Wall Street's summer is canceled, too. That means Wall Street's fantasies of decamping to the Hamptons for the summer have shattered. You can see why this tug-of-war will keep Wall Street on its toes and off Georgica Beach. There is a certain set on Wall Street that does not get to "rosé all day" on Hamptons summer water when currencies trade that way. The simplicity that Wall Street hoped for is one of the few options that's no longer on the table.

Persons: —, Justin Simon, decamping, Jerome Powell, opportunistically, Jamie Dimon, Torsten Slok, Slok, Powell, we'd, David Lefkowitz, dory, McDonald's, Silas Myers, Wall, Zuck, Simon, they're, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Jasper Capital, Nasdaq, Hamptons, JPMorgan, Fed, Pepsi, Mar Vista Investments, Wall, Nvidia, Tesla, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, EU Locations: Georgica, Japan

Mortgage rates trended down a bit late last week, with 30-year mortgage rates dropping just below 7%, according to Zillow data. This is a sign that the economy is coming into better balance, which is good news for mortgage rates. Once inflation slows enough that the Federal Reserve is able to start lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates should trend down. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Investors, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ US food insecurity: The rising cost of living makes it hard for people with jobs to feed their families
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Tami Luhby | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The mix of local residents visiting the Enfield Food Shelf in Connecticut has changed a lot in the last few years. It now seems that one unexpected expense tips people’s finances.”Between 300 and 400 households visit the Enfield Food Shelf in Connecticut each week. Khamphay Khen shops at the Enfield Food Shelf to help feed his family of six. The Enfield Food Shelf serves between 300 and 400 households a week. “Even though there are a lot of jobs available, and the unemployment rate is low, we’re seeing food insecurity increasing,” said East.

Persons: Kathleen Souvigney, Souvigney, ”, “, Jason Jakubowski, Khamphay, he’s, Khen, Honda, it’s, Enfield, Chloe East Organizations: CNN, Enfield Food, Survey, Connecticut Foodshare, Enfield Food Shelf, Urban Institute, The Hamilton, Brookings Institution Locations: Connecticut, Enfield, America

☆ Why fast-food price increases have surpassed overall inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Ryan Baker | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Fast food has become increasingly expensive — and some consumers are changing their spending habits because of it. Fast-food chains such as Chick-Fil-A and Taco Bell are included in the limited-service meals and snacks category in the consumer price index report, which shows prices are up nearly 28% from 2019 to 2023. The full-service meals and snacks category, which covers sit-down restaurants with servers, meanwhile, has increased about 24% and overall CPI was up by about 19% in the same time period. "There were increased commodity costs. "But what continues to be ahead of historical averages is the increase in labor costs that restaurants are seeing."

Persons: Taco Bell, We've, Stephens, Jim Salera, McDonald's Organizations: Yum Brands, KFC, Taco Bell Locations: California

☆ Restaurants are competing for frugal diners’ dollars
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

For some restaurants, it feels like a battle to get them to spend. Olive Garden-parent Darden Restaurants saw same-restaurant sales dip during its most recent quarter. Darden saw sales from households with incomes above $150,000 climb from the prior year. What to expect in Friday’s jobs reportThe US job market has been on a roll for the past three years. That’s about 25,000 more jobs per month than last year and 111,000 more per month than in 2019.

Persons: ”, Laxman Narasimhan, “, we’ve, Ian Borden, Ricardo Cardenas, Scott Sheffield, “ Mr, —, Matt Egan, Read, Alicia Wallace, ” Julia Pollak, ZipRecruiter Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Starbucks, Darden, OPEC, Federal Trade Commission, Sheffield, Organization of, Petroleum, Saudi Arabia, Regulators, Pioneer Natural Resources, CNN, of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, China, Olive, American, Saudi, Sheffield, Texas, OPEC, Russia

☆ Stocks' bull run will end in a bubble or recession, says Bank of America strategist
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Stocks are in a "late secular bull market," BofA's Michael Hartnett said in a Friday research note. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThe bull market that's pushed stock prices higher for the past year and a half will probably end in tears, Bank of America's Michael Hartnett warned. Equities are in a "late secular bull market" that likely "ends with [a] bubble and/or recession," the bank's chief investment strategist wrote in a Friday research note seen by Business Insider. Hartnett's bearish stance clashes with the view held by BofA's head of US equity and quantitative strategy, Savita Subramanian, who has predicted that stocks' bull market will last.

Persons: BofA's Michael Hartnett, —, of America's Michael Hartnett, Hartnett's, Hartnett, Marko Kolanovic, BofA's, Savita Subramanian, stagflation Organizations: Service, of America's, Business, JPMorgan

☆ The economy needs to take one of these 2 paths before the Fed cuts interest rates, Powell says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The labor market has continued to be strong, dampening any urgency the Fed might have to cut rates. AdvertisementThe Fed's decision to hold rates steady prompted some pushback from Democratic lawmakers who are worried that continued high rates will hurt Americans. "The Fed must remember its dual mandate and avoid keeping these rates too high for too long," Boyle said. And he won't risk easing up on the Fed's restrictive policy too early. Advertisement"We believe it is restrictive, and we believe over time it will be sufficiently restrictive," Powell said.

Persons: —, Jerome Powell, Powell, We've, we're, Julia Pollak, Brendan Boyle, Boyle, he's Organizations: Service, Federal, Market Committee, Business, Fed, Democratic, Rep

☆ The Fed once again holds interest rates steady — with cuts expected later this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewThe nation's central bank offered no surprises in its latest interest rate decision. On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee announced that it would be holding interest rates steady, continuing the pause on rates that began in September. While the FOMC projected three interest rate cuts for 2024, inflation is not quite where the Fed needs it to be. "It looks to me like he's trying to lower interest rates for the sake of maybe getting people elected," Trump said. "Inflation has continued to run hot and there is no compelling need for the Fed to cut interest rates until they're comfortable with where inflation is headed," Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate, said in a statement.

Persons: —, It's, Jerome Powell, Powell, Donald Trump, Trump, Greg McBride Organizations: Service, Federal, Market Committee, Federal Reserve, Business, Fox News, Street Journal, Trump, Fed Locations: Washington

☆ Lock in attractive real yields with this inflation-protected investment, says UBS
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors can lock in some juicy real yields with Treasury inflation-protected securities, according to UBS. "The result has been rising real yields further out the curve, offering the opportunity to lock in attractive real yields ahead of expected falling nominal yields later this year," she added. Treasury yields are expected to decline when the Federal Reserve starts reducing the fed funds rate. Nominal yields have been rising as the market reassesses those interest rate expectations. "Our expectation of declining nominal yields in the second half of the year will be a tailwind to performance," she said.

Persons: Leslie Falconio Organizations: Treasury, UBS, Federal Reserve, Treasury Department Locations: UBS Americas

☆ Federal Reserve interest rate verdict: Central bankers meet to decide on next move
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —The Federal Reserve is expected to announce Wednesday that it is keeping interest rates at a quarter-century high for the sixth-straight meeting. Other Fed officials have already introduced the possibility of a rate hike, in addition to the chance of no rate cuts this year. Williams later said that another rate hike is possible if economic data warrants it. That combination eerily resembled stagflation, which triggered a broad stocks selloff on Wall Street Thursday. The threshold for a rate hike is ‘extremely high’Another interest rate hike is back in the conversation, but at the moment, it’s still not likely the Fed will do that.

Persons: Jerome Powell, ” Powell, Powell, John Williams, Williams, Neel Kashkari, Austan Goolsbee, “, can’t, it’s, Goldman Sachs, Wall, ” Oren Klachkin Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal, Index, New York Fed, Bloomberg, Minneapolis, Chicago Fed, Commerce Department, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Nationwide, CNN Locations: New, Chicago, Wells Fargo

☆ Ron Insana: The 2024 inflation scare has arrived, but there are still signs of hope for investors
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ron Insana | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Elizabeth Frantz | ReutersIt appears the great inflation scare of 2024 is upon us. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the core personal consumption expenditures price index, grew 2.8% from a year earlier in March. The recent inflation numbers have reduced the expected number of cuts down to one or two, with the first cut anticipated to arrive much later this year. Some recent signs of cooling emergeCommodity prices, like cocoa , coffee and copper , have been on a tear in 2024. Despite all the military activity in the Middle East, oil prices have been reasonably well behaved, taking into consideration the energy shocks of years past.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Elizabeth Frantz, –, specter Organizations: Federal, Committee, Reuters, Fed, Hamas Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel

☆ Treasury yields rise ahead of Fed meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

ET, the yield on the 10-year Treasury was up by around two basis points to 4.6343%. The 2-year Treasury yield was last at 4.9809% after rising by less than one basis point. U.S. Treasury yields were slightly higher on Tuesday as investors looked to economic data for hints about the state of the economy ahead of the Federal Reserve's meeting. Investors awaited economic data and looked to the Federal Reserve's meeting, which is due to begin Tuesday and conclude Wednesday with a fresh interest rate decision and press conference. Last week, the personal consumption expenditures price index, the Fed's favored inflation gauge, came in slightly above expectations for March.

Organizations: Treasury, Investors, Headline

☆ Home prices soar even higher in February, despite higher mortgage rates, says S&P Case-Shiller
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Strong demand and tight supply continue to push home values higher, even though mortgage rates are now moving higher again. "For the third consecutive month, all cities reported increases in annual prices, with four currently at all-time highs: San Diego, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York." The second decline followed the peak in average mortgage rates last October," he added. This index records prices on a three-month moving average, so they go back as far as December, when mortgage rates hit their recent lows. Since that time, however, mortgage rates have jumped nearly a full percentage point.

Persons: Brian Luke, Dow, Luke Organizations: Dow Jones, D.C, Federal Reserve Locations: U.S, Diego , Los Angeles , Washington, New York, San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, Portland , Oregon, Boston , New York, Washington

☆ Here's everything to expect when the Fed wraps up its meeting Wednesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Recent commentary from policymakers and on Wall Street indicates there's not much else the committee can do at this point. But they're still hopeful that they will be in a position to cut rates later." Markets actually have held up pretty well since Powell made those comments on April 16, though stocks sold off Tuesday ahead of the meeting. Some on Wall Street, though, are still hopeful that inflation data will show progress and allow the central bank to cut. The Wall Street bank's economists are preparing for the possibility that the Fed could be on hold for longer, particularly if inflation continues to surprise to the upside.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Kent Nishimura, Guy LeBas, Janney Montgomery Scott, they're, Powell, We've, there's, specter, LeBas, There's, Goldman Sachs, David Mericle, —, Donald Trump, Goldman, Mericle Organizations: Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, Getty, Federal Reserve, Federal, Market Committee, Fed, Dow Jones, Department, Labor Department, Republican

☆ US home prices rose in February at the fastest pace in more than a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —US home-price growth accelerated in February at the fastest annual pace since November 2022, a sign that America’s housing market remains tough amid elevated mortgage rates. Of the 20 cities, San Diego saw the biggest increase in home prices in February, a steep 11.4% rise, followed by Chicago and Detroit. America’s housing market began to recover in the beginning the year as home sales surged from decades-lows in the fall and homebuilders began to feel to more upbeat about the economy. Mortgage rates have followed suit, since they track the 10-year yield. Economists don’t expect mortgage rates to drop meaningfully this year, and they could continue to climb if inflation remains stuck.

Persons: homebuilders, Freddie Mac Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Treasury Locations: San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, Portland , Oregon

Average 30-year mortgage rates continue to hover around 7% after spiking up earlier this month, according to Zillow data. This means we could see mortgage rates improve somewhat as we approach fall. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. Lower mortgage rates will bring more buyers onto the market, putting upward pressure on prices.

Persons: decelerating, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal, Investors, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

☆ McDonald's and other big brands warn that low-income consumers are starting to crack
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Some of America's best-known corporations are saying their consumers are being pinched by inflation as prices continue rising. "Consumers continue[d] to be even more discriminating with every dollar that they spend as they faced elevated prices in their day-to-day spending." The consumer price index — a broad basket of goods and services — rose at an annual rate of 3.5% in March compared with the same month a year ago. And that tenacious 3.5% annual growth is souring economic sentiment: Even after a period of runaway inflation, prices don't actually fall. That's a problem for McDonald's and a host of other firms serving customers who are feeling sticker shock.

Persons: Chris Kempczinski Organizations: Federal Reserve, Consumers, Conference Board, Fed

☆ Sorry, America, it's looking like higher interest rates are going to stick around longer
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Federal Reserve is expected to once again hold interest rates steady on Wednesday. Some predictions also do not forecast any interest rate cuts until the second half of the year. AdvertisementIt's probably still not time for the nation's central bank to cut interest rates just yet. AdvertisementGiven that inflation is still above the Fed's 2% target, it's looking like rate cuts might not come until the second half of 2024. "Inflation has continued to run hot and there is no compelling need for the Fed to cut interest rates until they're comfortable with where inflation is headed."

Persons: Powell, —, It's, Julia Pollak, Jerome Powell, Gregory Daco, Greg McBride Organizations: Federal, Service, Fed Locations: Washington

☆ Treasury yields fall as investors look to Fed meeting
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The 2-year Treasury yield was last more than one basis point lower to 4.9830%. U.S. Treasury yields declined on Monday as investors looked ahead to the Federal Reserve policy meeting and economic data scheduled for this week. Investors awaited the Federal Reserve's meeting, which is set to begin Tuesday and conclude with an interest rate decision and press conference about policymakers' discussions on Wednesday. While markets are widely expecting interest rates to remain unchanged, investors will be closely watching out for policy guidance from the central bank. This comes as recent economy data has suggested resilience from the economy and persistent inflationary pressures.

Persons: Dow Jones, payrolls Organizations: Treasury, U.S, Federal Reserve, Investors

Currently, 30-year mortgage rates are above 7%, according to Zillow data. Hotter-than-expected economic data has pushed mortgage rates up this year. This would allow more hopeful homebuyers to enter the market and find a home with an affordable monthly mortgage payment. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Fannie Mae, homebuyers, you'll Organizations: Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ What is divestment? And does it work?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-28 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

From Princeton University in New Jersey to the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, the same chant can be heard: “Disclose! The specifics of student protesters’ divestment demands vary in scope from school to school. Other students, like those at Cornell University and Yale, are asking their schools to stop investing in weapons manufacturers. Other common threads include demanding universities disclose their investments, sever academic ties with Israeli universities and support a ceasefire in Gaza. Proponents for divestment counter that its value lies in raising awareness and stigmatizing partnerships with targeted regimes or industries.

Persons: “, ” Israel, Witold Henisz, Henisz, ”, Nicholas Dirks, ” Dirks, Dirks, “ They’ll, Anna Cooban, Michelle Bowman, Eli Lilly, Estee Lauder, Jerome Powell Organizations: New, New York CNN, Palestinian, Princeton University, University of Southern, Columbia University Apartheid, Columbia, Cornell University and Yale, Research, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, CNN, University of California, Columbia’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Dallas Fed, Samsung, AMD, Starbucks, Benz Group, Volkswagen, PayPal, adidas, Diamondback Energy, Restaurant Brands, Pinterest, Caesars Entertainment, PMI, Conference Board, Mastercard, Qualcomm, Pfizer, Marriott, eBay, US Commerce Department, Apple, Novo Nordisk, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Cigna, Universal Music Group, Hershey, US Labor Department Locations: New York, New Jersey, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Columbia, Palestine, Israel, Gaza, South Africa, Berkeley, United States, Europe, DoorDash

Sticky inflation has pushed mortgage rates up in recent months, and we likely won't see them trend down until inflation starts decelerating again. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Go Up (+0.23%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.48%, 23 basis points higher than last week. Mortgage Refinance Rates30-Year Fixed Refinance Rates Fall Slightly (-0.11%)The average 30-year refinance rate is 7.42%, 11 basis points lower than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: decelerating, it's, you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Federal, US, of Economic, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

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