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☆ The housing market has about 40% fewer homes for sale than before the pandemic, and listings keep falling
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The current housing market offers 39% fewer homes for sale than pre-pandemic, Redfind said. Homeowners are unwilling to part ways with low mortgage rates secured before borrowing costs went up. Mortgage rates are now hovering close to 7%, nearly double where they were at in 2021, when ultra-low rates fueled a home-buying boom. "People who are sitting on the sidelines, waiting for mortgage rates to decline, should know that's unlikely to happen in the foreseeable future. Edward Seiler, the associate vice president for housing economics at the Mortgage Bankers Association, told Insider earlier that the housing market has never been this unaffordable for new buyers.

Persons: Redfind, —, Chen Zhao, Redfin, Edward Seiler, Seiler Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Mortgage Bankers Association Locations: homebuilding

☆ Ukraine's offensive against Russia is missing a key element because no allies sent F-16 jets fast enough: expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Kieran Corcoran | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But an expert said it will likely suffer from a significant capability gap: close air support. Because this is where they'll feel their lack of aircraft to attack those, the close air support which F-16s would do very well." Close air support is pretty much what it sounds like — aircraft working closely with ground units, usually to clear out obstacles or damage key positions or weapons so that foot soldiers and armor can advance. The F-16 has distinguished itself in the past in close air support, including in the Kosovo War, the First Gulf War and in the US invasion of Afghanistan. As a Pentagon spokesman said in a recent briefing, F-16s to Ukraine is a "long-term" endeavor and "will not be relevant to the upcoming counter offensive."

Persons: —, Michael Clarke, Per Clarke, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ryan Pickrell Organizations: Service, of, King's College London, The Times, NATO, —, Biden Administration, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, Russian, London, Russia, Kosovo, Afghanistan

☆ Zelensky, Ukraine's president, plans to appear in person at Japan's G7 summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

G7 member countries, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, include the largest backers of Ukraine’s defense. Diplomatic pushEarlier this week, Zelensky completed a whirlwind European tour, where he made a bid to restock Ukraine’s military arsenal during stops in Italy, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Zelensky will also attend the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday, two Arab diplomats confirmed to CNN. Zelensky met with envoy Li Hui earlier this week, China’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry earlier that day had confirmed Li met Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and discussed “ways to stop Russian aggression.”

☆ How the debt ceiling showdown could play into China’s hands and weaken US global power
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

One way to raise the debt ceiling might be to build a coalition of Republicans and moderate Democrats to isolate the extremists in his own party. “I cannot in good conscience support a debt ceiling proposal that pushes people into poverty,” Fetterman said. The length of a debt ceiling raise could also be an issue. Many Democrats want a deal that pushes the politically perilous need to raise the debt ceiling past the next election. Potentially, both chambers could vote on a short-term extension to raise the debt ceiling to allow time for more negotiations.

☆ The trendiest thing that adds value to your home – and livens up your summer BBQ: a pizza oven
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Pizza ovens tend to add more value to a home than they cost, with pricier models reaching $11,000. According to the report , having a pizza oven in your listing description can score you extra dough at selling time. Courtesy of the WatanabesThe desire for pizza, and pizza ovens at home, is only growing. Why pizza oven popularity is panning outKristi Jenkins, a Seattle-area broker for The Agency, showed her clients a $3.4 million home in Fall City, Washington — a 30-minute drive east of Seattle — with a large outdoor living space equipped with a Forno Bravo pizza oven. Douglas Elliman RealtyBianculli's pizza oven is a part of his kitchen and is connected to one of six fireplaces in the house.

☆ Brazil woos sceptical foreign investors with new fiscal plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Rebounding commodity prices and a hawkish, independent central bank made Brazil an emerging market investor darling last year. But stocks are in the red in dollar-terms (.MIBR00000PUS) in 2023 compared to small gains in wider emerging markets (.MSCIEF) and a more than 20% rise in Mexico's equities (.MIMX00000PUS). "It feels to me like there are a lot of things that can go wrong," said William Jackson, chief emerging markets economist with Capital Economics. Ronaldo Patah, chief investment officer Brazil at UBS Wealth Management, said that despite uncertainties, Lula's fiscal reform suggested he had shifted his focus to the future -- and away from unravelling previous reforms. "Foreign investors have goodwill for Brazil - they want to invest."

☆ Dollar muted as traders await Fed rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. dollar index , which measures the currency against six peers, was at 103.19, just above the five-week low of 102.99 touched overnight. Markets are now pricing in about a 15% chance of the Fed not increasing rates, with a roughly 85% chance of a 25 basis point hike, showed the CME FedWatch tool. Just a month earlier, the market was pricing in a 24% chance of a 50 basis point hike. Such circumstances would usually be ripe for a return to a 50 basis point hike were it not for worries over financial stability, he said. The Australian dollar rose 0.36% to $0.6694, while the New Zealand dollar gained 0.11% to $0.6199.

☆ US lawmaker in Kyiv: Momentum shifting toward ATACMS, F-16s for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, Feb 21 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. lawmaker said during a visit to the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday that momentum in Washington was shifting toward sending the long-range missiles and fighter jets coveted by Kyiv as it battles Russia's invasion. Michael McCaul, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Biden administration and National Security Council were still split over "how fast and what weapons" to send Ukraine, which wants ATACMS missiles and F-16s. "But I'm seeing increasing momentum towards getting the artillery and the planes in," he told reporters in central Kyiv. Washington has provided $24 billion in security assistance since Russia's Feb. 24 assault but has so far held back from sending planes and long-range missiles. Reporting by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ There's nothing but 'zombie arguments' for not giving Ukraine fighter jets, one of its closest partners says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine has placed advanced Western fighter jets at the top of its military hardware wishlist. He said the way some Western countries approach giving Ukraine weapons needs to be altered, saying there's "certain psychological taboos and I think we need to revise this negative approach." RADOSLAW JOZWIAK/AFP via Getty ImagesAmong the countries that initially rejected the idea of sending fighter jets to Ukraine are the US and UK. On Wednesday, the British government said it would offer to train Ukrainian pilots to fly "sophisticated" NATO-standard fighter jets in the future. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that the UK was considering the provision of fighter jets.

☆ Now that Ukraine is finally getting the tanks it wants, it's already looking for the next big thing — fighter jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jake Epstein | John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukraine is finally getting the tanks it wants, but there's more on the wishlist. Kyiv says the next thing it wants is fighter jets. Yuriy Sak, an advisor to the Ukrainian defense minister, concurred, telling Reuters that "the next big hurdle will now be the fighter jets." Throughout Russia's 11-month-long war, Ukraine has repeatedly pressed the US and other partners to provide Western fighter jets. This pattern has been seen with rocket artillery, high-profile air defense systems, armored fighting vehicles, and, most recently, tanks.

☆ The Kremlin gave a defiant response to Ukraine getting its first Western tanks, saying they 'will burn like the rest'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Over the weekend, the UK promised to send Ukraine multiple Challenger 2 tanks. In response, the Kremlin said the tanks "will burn like the rest" in Ukraine, Reuters reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said the delivery will not change the situation on the ground. But the Kremlin has responded harshly, saying the tanks will "burn" on the battlefield, Reuters reported. Other countries including France and Poland have also pledged to send tanks to Ukraine while Finland has said it is considering following suit.

Others, like China, have criticized the war without meaningfully reducing ties with Russia. The war prompted condemnation in the United Nations and saw Russia booted from the UN Human Rights Council. Beijing has walked a careful line since the invasion began, at times exhibiting impatience with Russia's war in Ukraine. Putin in September acknowledged that China had "questions and concerns" about the war while meeting with Xi in Uzbekistan. "Putin's allies are not 'turning on him,' only expressing dissatisfaction at the difficulties his war in Ukraine is causing them," he added.

☆ Why Subtle, Logo-Free Handbags Will Reign in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Fiorella Valdesolo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Three versatile handbags that exude plenty of chic but no tacky flash. WHEN KRISSY JONES was choosing a handbag to put on her holiday wishlist, she thought of her friend’s enviable carryall: a Park tote from minimalist brand the Row. “It’s well-made, gets better with time—hers is five years old and looks incredible—and is inconspicuous,” said Ms. Jones, 34, the co-founder of New York’s Sky Ting yoga studio. A similar quest for quality, versatility and (crucially) anonymity is driving a new trend: the anti-It Bag. Today’s sleek, simple anti-It Bags, on the other hand, telegraph a less meretricious sort of chic.

☆ Elon Musk's Tesla, the world's leading EV maker, is capping off 2022 as one of the S&P 500's worst-performing stocks.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

But to Musk, prices have already started dropping, which eliminates the need for the Fed to keep rates so high. If it was all [interest] rates, NDX would be down a similar amount," Black tweeted at Musk. Ultimately, Tesla investors shouldn't feel alone in their pain amid downtrodden stock prices this year. How has your view of Tesla stock changed since October? Their managers told us how they overcame a brutal year for the stock market, and shared the stock picks that worked best.

☆ Congress created an actual safety net for Americans during the last crisis. Don't expect that to happen again.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Congress enhanced unemployment benefits and gave parents monthly checks during the first two years of the pandemic. For Maggie Lopez, a single mother in Texas, the checks meant some breathing room for her and her newborn. The enhanced unemployment had a ripple effect, according to Evermore: People were able to stay home safely. In the case of enhanced unemployment, some states decided to end their participation in federal programs early, leaving many workers in dire straits. After Congress failed to renew a reduced version of the child tax credit at the end of 2021, child poverty once again ticked up.

But the visit also leaves several key questions unanswered, including how U.S. military support could evolve, whether Congressional support for the war will endure and - crucially - how the war will end. Biden announced that the United States would provide another $1.85 billion in military aid, including a Patriot missile defense system. The United States and its allies have been unwilling to provide other advanced weapons Ukraine has pleaded for. The next steps for Kyiv, the officials added, would be to receive additional air defense systems from the United States and other western countries along with better integrating them. "No more blank checks to Ukraine," Republican Representative Andy Biggs wrote on Twitter hours before Zelenskiy's visit to Washington.

No one knows what they need better than they do, and gift cards give them the ability to choose it. Gift cards are requested for people in needGift cards can get a bad reputation. But, when it comes to charitable giving, I've realized that gift cards hold a lot of merit. Featured Partner Offer Cash App - Send Gift Cards to Friends and Family Instantly A tooltip *Cash App is a financial platform, not a bank. However, if a customer does not have a Cash App Card, they can instead convert their gift card to cash in the app.

☆ Why North Korea’s missile tests are going higher and further
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +14 min

North Korea missiles Stronger, faster, higher North Korea has made steady progress in expanding its missile programme, developing weapons that can strike across the globe - or hit critical targets closer to home. North Korea has forged ahead in developing ballistic missiles, testing new capabilities, honing existing weapons and putting them into service. Like most North Korean long-range ballistic missile tests, both ICBMs were fired on lofted trajectories. Trajectories of some of North Korea’s long-range missile testsNuclear warheads South Korea and the United States have warned since early 2022 that North Korea may resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017. Same missiles, different locationsAmong North Korea's ballistic missiles, SRBMs appear to be the most likely to be deployed, Panda said.

In March and November, North Korea sent ballistic missiles soaring more than 6,000 km (3,700 miles) into space. Although long-range weapons get more attention, North Korea has been pouring resources into shorter-range systems too, analysts say. South Korea and the United States have warned since early 2022 that North Korea may resume nuclear testing for the first time since 2017. More mundane technology such as rocket fuel is also undergoing intense testing in North Korea. On Dec. 16, scientists in North Korea tested what they called a “high-thrust” solid-fuel motor that appeared aimed at perfecting a large engine for an ICBM.

☆ PE wants to see some cash flow before it starts making deals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

As the markets continue to sour, and a recession looms, everyone's wondering when PE firms will begin scooping up assets. High on Bae's wishlist are "all things digital," he said, with one giant caveat: profitability. There are plenty of companies doing fascinating things in the digital space, but many have yet to reach profitability (*cough* fintechs *cough*). Goldman Sachs is going dumpster diving for crypto companies. Chaos in the crypto markets is creating investing and acquisition opportunities for the bank, according to Matthew McDermott, Goldman's head of digital assets.

☆ How Nike's Air Jordan 1 became — and remained — the most prized lifestyle sneaker
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Matthew Kish | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Nike on Saturday will release the Air Jordan 1 Chicago "Lost and Found"Some collectors consider it the "most iconic sneaker of all time." "The Air Jordan 1 is the most iconic sneaker of all time," said Jordan Geller, a sneaker collector and former owner of the ShoeZeum who in 2020 sold a pair worn by Jordan for a record $560,000. Michael Jordan wearing the Air Jordan 1 in 1985. AP Photo/Marcio Jose SanchezScarcity, storytelling, collaborations and the "Last Dance"After 1985, The Air Jordan 1 didn't re-release in original specs until 1994. "All of those releases are coveted by sneaker collectors and the 'Lost and Found' Air Jordan 1 will be as well," Geller said.

☆ Do You Have to Wear an Underwire Bra to Work? Really?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Fiorella Valdesolo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

BRA-STRUCK Going back to the office—and back to bras—doesn’t mean you have to relinquish the comfort of sporting a soft bra (or none at all). BRAS ARE RARELY COMFORTABLE—which is why a lot of us relate to those memes depicting women rapturously ripping theirs off after an overly cinched day at work. During the pandemic, many women declared their home offices constriction-free zones, and consciously uncoupled from their bras. “When they did [wear them], they opted for wire-free, comfortable styles,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, an intimates expert at market research firm NPD Group. At one retailer, Bare Necessities, sales of wireless bras doubled between 2020 and 2022.

LAST SEPTEMBER Adi Sigler, 28, wore track pants to a business meeting for the first time. Ms. Sigler felt uneasy—were her pants too laid-back for work? Her office wardrobe now includes a pile of track pants, which she often pairs with Isabel Marant tops and a black Lady Dior bag. Track pants, a gym staple roughly defined as loose athletic pants, have new legs thanks to a one-two punch of runway dominance at labels like Gucci and Max Mara and the rise of postpandemic “bleisure” (a sloshy portmanteau for “business leisure”) that embraces soft fabrics and slouchy silhouettes. Track pants sate the appetite for easy clothes that are still style-forward.

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Amazon Prime Day 2022 is running now until July 13, and there are great deals on baby and parenting products at Amazon and its competitors. Right now, we're seeing discounts on essentials like feeding supplies and strollers as well as tech, like the lowest price we've seen on the Fisher-Price Luminate Bassinet and the Cubo Ai Plus Smart Baby Monitor. Whether you're trying to use Prime Day deals to save some money outfitting a new nursery, stocking up on prenatal essentials, or finally justifying the cool life upgrade stuff on your wishlist, we'll be adding the best deals here for the entire event. The best Prime Day 2022 baby deals

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