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☆ Biden's plan to give millions of student-loan borrowers who fell behind on payments a fresh shot at debt relief is working
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Biden announced a "Fresh Start" plan to return borrowers behind on payments to good standing before reentering repayment. Data from the New York Fed found less than 1% of borrowers are in default due to the plan. The Education Secretary recently confirmed that payments will resume this year, with or without broad debt relief. This progress is important given that student-loan payments are expected to resume this year after what will be an over three year pause. The Education Department is also in the process of implementing a new income-driven repayment plan, which it says would be "the most affordable repayment plan ever."

☆ New York Fed: Household debt rises by 0.9% in Q1, smallest gain in two years
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNew York Fed: Household debt rises by 0.9% in Q1, smallest gain in two yearsCNBC's Steve Liesman reports on household debt data from the New York Federal Reserve.

☆ Consumer debt passes $17 trillion for the first time despite slide in mortgage demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Total consumer debt hit a fresh new high in the first quarter of 2023, pushing past $17 trillion even amid a sharp pullback in home borrowing. A series of Fed rate cuts helped push 30-year mortgage rates to a low around 2.65% in January 2021. The higher rates helped push total mortgage debt to $12.04 trillion, up 0.1 percentage point from the fourth quarter. Despite rising rates, mortgage foreclosures remained low. Delinquency rates for all debt increased, up 0.6 percentage point for credit cards to 6.5% and 0.2 percentage point for auto loans to 6.9%.

☆ Oil prices ease in cautious trade ahead of US inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Emily Chow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Tuesday, relinquishing some of the strong gains of the previous two sessions with the market cautious ahead of U.S. inflation figures for April, which will be key to the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision. "Oil prices have rebounded somewhat in the last two sessions, so now is time for a pause ... with no real positive data coming out," said Suvro Sarkar, lead energy analyst at DBS Bank. "The market is cautious today ahead of the inflation data.... With net long positions declining sharply over the last two weeks, a lot of traders are already out of the market, so volumes are low." "If tomorrow's CPI data remains at around 5% by market consensus, and if the core CPI does not drop significantly, it will likely continue to support the rise in oil prices," said CMC Markets analyst Leon Li. While oil markets fell sharply last week, prices rose on Friday and Monday as fears of recession eased in the U.S., the world's biggest oil consumer, and some traders saw crude's three-week slide on demand worries as overdone.

TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Tuesday, relinquishing some of the strong gains in the previous two sessions while the market remained cautious ahead of U.S. inflation figures for April, which will be key to the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision. "Oil prices have rebounded somewhat in the last two sessions, so now is time for a pause ... with no real positive data coming out," said Suvro Sarkar, lead energy analyst at DBS Bank. "The market is cautious today ahead of the inflation data.... With net long positions declining sharply over the last two weeks, a lot of traders are already out of the market, so volumes are low." While oil markets fell sharply last week, prices rose on Friday and Monday as fears of recession eased in the U.S., the world's biggest oil consumer, and some traders saw crude's three-week slide on demand worries as overdone. "Oil prices won't be able to rise that much from here given all the growth demand fears, but expectations are high for OPEC+ to try to keep prices above the $70 a barrel level," Moya's note said.

☆ Gold holds ground as investors brace for U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A five hundred gram gold bar, left, and a a one kilogram gold bar, produced by Swiss manufacturer Argor Hebaeus SA, in Budapest, Hungary. Gold prices flitted in a narrow range on Tuesday ahead of U.S. inflation data, which investors will scrutinize for clues on the Federal Reserve's policy path. If the inflation report comes hot and fans worries of another Fed rate hike in June, gold prices could eventually drop to $1,950-$1,920 level, said Ajay Kedia, director at Kedia Commodities in Mumbai. Besides economic data, market participants are also monitoring developments surrounding the U.S. banking sector and debt ceiling. "If there is news of further stress in the banking sector, we will see gold move towards the $2,100 level," Kedia added.

Spot gold was little changed at $2,023.41 per ounce, as of 0232 GMT. If the inflation report comes hot and fans worries of another Fed rate hike in June, gold prices could eventually drop to $1,950-$1,920 level, said Ajay Kedia, director at Kedia Commodities in Mumbai. Bullion is considered an inflation hedge, but higher rates dent the non-yielding asset's appeal. Besides economic data, market participants are also monitoring developments surrounding the U.S. banking sector and debt ceiling. "If there is news of further stress in the banking sector, we will see gold move towards the $2,100 level," Kedia added.

☆ US consumers' inflation expectations mixed in April, NY Fed report shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO: People walk outside the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in New York City, U.S., March 18, 2020. The regional Fed bank reported as part of its April Survey of Consumer Expectations that respondents see inflation one year from now at 4.4%, down from 4.7% in the March survey. The Fed has been pressing forward aggressively with interest rate rises to lower some of the highest inflation pressures in decades. The U.S. central bank raised rates last week in an action that may be the last of its current tightening campaign, as inflation pressures have started to ease. Survey respondents also said they expect higher unemployment and a greater probability of losing their jobs, as well as a harder time finding new work.

☆ Why First Republic failed, and what it means for the rest of the banking industry
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

First Republic's failure is a stark reminder that the banking crisis is far from over. But despite a speedy takeover by JPMorgan, First Republic's failure shows the banking crisis is far from over. At the end of 2022, two-thirds of First Republic's deposits were uninsured. When SVB and Signature Bank failed, these wealthy customers fled First Republic in droves for fear of losing their cash. The combined failure of SVB, Signature and First Republic is a reminder of the problems affecting the banking system.

☆ Morning Bid: Global pulse picks up, rates creep higher again
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets from Mike DolanWith investors largely assuming recession ahead, an accelerating global economic pulse challenges the narrative and is seeing interest rates tick back higher again as the March banking wobble subsides. With March starts and permits numbers out later, there was also signs of a troughing in the U.S. housing market. Confidence among U.S. single-family homebuilders improved for a fourth straight month in April as a dearth of previously owned homes and falling mortgage rates boosted demand. Wall St futures were higher again on Tuesday, with European bourses and most Asia indices advancing too. With euro zone and UK rate expectations pushing higher too, the dollar slipped back again against the euro and sterling .

☆ US homebuilder sentiment improves further; NY state manufacturing rebounds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Other data on Monday showed manufacturing activity in New York state increased for the first time in five months. Housing and manufacturing have been hammered by the Federal Reserve's fastest interest rate hiking campaign since the 1980s. The survey's measure of current sales conditions rose two points to 51. The survey's measure of future business conditions rose to 6.6 from 2.9 in March. The capital spending index rose 3.2 points to 16.5, while the technology spending measure fell to 10.3 from 13.3 in March.

☆ There's no clear sign of a US credit crunch yet, a top Fed official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

There's no clear signs of a US credit crunch yet, according to Fed official John Williams. We haven't seen any clear signs yet of credit conditions tightening and we don't know how big those effects will be," he said. The collapse of SVB and Signature Bank has stoked fears that lending standards to obtain a loan will become harder. We haven't seen any clear signs yet of credit conditions tightening and we don't know how big those effects will be," he added at a New York University event Monday. Other commentators have blamed the Fed's aggressive interest rate hikes as a key factor in the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank.

☆ NY Fed raises one-year inflation expectations to 4.7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNY Fed raises one-year inflation expectations to 4.7%CNBC's Steve Liesman reports on the latest inflation target from the New York Federal Reserve.

☆ Americans are already feeling the effects of a credit crunch
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A Monday New York Fed survey found that Americans' feel like their access to credit is deteriorating. Fed Chair Jerome Powell previously said the banking stress that started with Silicon Valley Bank could trigger a credit crunch. New York Fed Survey of Consumer ExpectationsAdditionally, the survey found that the perceived probability of missing a minimum debt payment in the next three months climbed 0.3% to 10.9%. "The credit crunch has started," Torsten Slok, chief economist at Apollo Global Management, said in response to the report. Tighter credit conditions means lenders raise the bar for borrowers, and households have to meet stricter parameters to obtain a loan.

☆ Outlook for credit access hits record low while inflation expectations jump, NY Fed survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Wholesale egg prices have begun declining more than 50% since December record highs according to Urner Barry data. Consumers are getting more pessimistic about inflation and their access to credit, according to a survey the New York Federal Reserve released Monday. That's the first time the near-term outlook increased since October and runs counter to the narrative from Fed officials that they expect inflation to subside as a series of interest rate increases take hold. In their most recent economic projections, policymakers said they anticipate inflation including food and energy prices to decline to 2.5% in 2024. The current one-year outlook is down from 6.6% from the same time in 2022, but is running well ahead of the Fed's 2% inflation goal.

☆ 'The credit crunch has started': Here's what tighter lending standards mean for American consumers and businesses as banks navigate the SVB wreckage
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"Each bank is going to apply those credit standards differently," a source told Insider. Requiring higher minimum credit scores and minimum repayments and curbing credit limits were among tweaks banks were making. Lending to consumers dropped and credit standards and terms "continued to tighten sharply," with marked rises in loan pricing. A "dramatic worsening of firm and consumer access to bank credit," is how a 2014 paper on the Federal Reserve's website describes a credit crunch. Tighter lending standards may have a big impact on floating-rate loans versus fixed loans, CFRA equity analyst Alexander Yokum told Insider.

☆ The housing market is a total paradox now, and these recent mixed signals are adding to the confusion
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Housing indicators have sent mixed signals, muddying the picture on where the market is headed. Regional differences have also been playing a considerable role in the data. Meanwhile, Adams added that national averages can obscure stark regional differences, which have varied significantly, potentially causing diverging viewpoints. Here are some recent mixed signals:The US housing market is crashing and soaring at the same timeThe regional divide in the housing market is exemplified in this east-west split. "Existing-home sales, pending contracts and new-home construction pending contracts have turned the corner and climbed for the past three months."

☆ Factbox: The biggest financial crises of the last four decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Fears of banking contagion remain, and investors are worried that global economies will suffer if the effects of higher interest rates torpedo more lenders. Michael Milken had helped popularize the financial instrument, with many using it as a way of funding leveraged buyouts. The country ended up getting external financial support from the International Monetary Fund and a $50 billion bailout from the United States. GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 2008The biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression was rooted in risky loans to shaky borrowers, which started to lose value after central banks raised interest rates in the period leading up to the crisis. EUROPEAN DEBT CRISISSpurred by the 2008 financial crisis, surging debt at some of the major European economies led to a loss of confidence in the region's businesses.

☆ Real estate leader on NY Fed board warns on commercial real estate risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The real-estate sector has also been hard hit by Fed rate rises and commercial real estate has also been hobbled by the shift away from in-office work during the pandemic. Rechler serves as what’s called a Class B director on the 12-person panel of private citizens who oversee the New York Fed. Each of the quasi-private regional Fed banks are also operated under the oversight of the Fed’s Board of Governors in Washington, which is explicitly part of the government. The boards overseeing each of the regional Fed banks are made up of a mix of bankers, business and non-profit leaders. Their most visible role is helping regional Fed banks find new presidents, although bankers who serve as directors are by law not part of this process.

☆ New York Fed board member warns of commercial real-estate risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

☆ The 7 best college majors to choose if you want to make a lot of money in your first job — and no surprise, they're are all in STEM
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The highest-earning graduates majored in engineering and science, and earned a median salary of at least $70,000, according to an analysis by the New York Federal Reserve. STEM graduates typically earn more than their liberal arts counterparts. Nitat Termmee/Getty ImagesThe New York Federal Reserve collated data on how much recent college graduates earned, between the ages of 22 to 27 in 2021. The New York Federal Reserve found the seven highest-paying majors were in the STEM industries, specifically engineering and science majors. Out of the seven best-earning majors, six were in engineering fields, while one was in science.

☆ The US dollar is at a crossroads
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Wall Street investors are reaching for their neck braces in preparation for yet another volatile swing in stock markets: A surging US dollar. What’s happening: The US dollar “finds itself at a significant crossroads yet again,” said Krosby. Don’t forget the debt ceiling: Another significant threat to the dollar is looming in Congress — the ongoing debt ceiling fight. “It would certainly undermine the role of the dollar as a reserve currency that is used in transactions all over the world. Initial claims have come in lower than expected in recent weeks and remain well below their pre-pandemic levels.

☆ Mark Zuckerberg is turning Facebook into Instagram as part of his self-declared “year of efficiency.”
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He chatted with a woman who was locked out of her Apple account minutes after her iPhone was stolen. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is structurally changing Facebook to mimic Instagram. The restructuring — which will likely include layoffs, as Insider reported — is part of Zuck's planned "year of efficiency." 8. iPhone users could soon send iMessages through PCs. These are the best MagSafe battery packs for iPhone users.

☆ The 6 worst college majors to choose if you want to make a lot of money in your first job, from psychology to hospitality
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Barry Austin PhotographyThe analysis, published in February, took into account the earnings of recent college graduates and explored the labor market according to their college major. The New York Federal Reserve's data analyzed the median salaries of graduates aged between 22 to 27 years old in 2021. The New York Federal Reserve found the six lowest-paying majors fall under social sciences and liberal arts. Take a look at how much the lowest-paying majors are earning, according to the New York Federal Reserve's data. Entrants are arranged from the highest median salary to the lowest.

☆ The highest-paying college majors, top jobs in 2023 and who’s hiring right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Cindy Perman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Tech jobs are still hotOnce again, if you just followed the headlines (layoffs at Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, etc.) Jobs in the sector ranked among the Best Jobs for 2023, according to job site Indeed.com: Full-stack developer Data engineer Cloud engineer Senior product manager Back-end developer Almost half, 44%, of the top 25 jobs on that list were tech jobs. "I'm sure there are plenty of unfilled positions for tech workers in financial services or state and local governments. Tech workers laid off by tech companies may end up there." *MINDBLOWN*), plus jobs where you're a top applicant and some jobs that you might have missed.

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