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The latest data on jobs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a still-robust labor market in the US. With inflation continuing to soar in the US, the Federal Reserve has moved aggressively to combat high prices by hiking interest rates. But on Friday, new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the labor market continues to be strong. As Insider previously reported,the Fed's high interest rates would cause companies to slow their hiring plans, and therefore lead to smaller pay gains for workers. Looking ahead, all eyes are on the Fed's December meeting when it will announce its next round of interest rate hikes.

Inflation and tightening Fed policy have helped push mortgage rates up to 20-year highs, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate now above 7%. 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. Whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect.

☆ The White House is touting a huge boost to Social Security checks. It's happening because inflation is sky high.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jason Lalljee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

That's despite Social Security cost of living adjustments being directly tied to inflation since 1972. The boon to Social Security is accurate, but it's one that would happen regardless of Biden's stewardship. The direct relationship between inflation and Social Security has existed since 1972, when President Richard Nixon signed automatic benefit adjustments. It's the largest rise in Social Security payments in about that same amount of time, and will increase monthly Social Security checks by about $145 per month on average, according to the AARP. And protecting Medicare and Social Security are top issues for them, according to an AARP survey analysis.

☆ Crypto winter ‘only going to get worse,’ blockchain firm CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

There's something about the latest crypto crash that makes it different from previous downturns. Artur Widak | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesThe ongoing crypto winter is "only going to get worse" as the industry recalibrates to a higher interest rate world, according to the chief executive of blockchain firm Tezos. "Crypto hasn't been evaluated by that metric, and neither has technology in the last 10 years that we've had low interest rates," Breitman told CNBC. "It remains to be seen, but basically I think what you'll find is the things that are useful are going to thrive." The notion of the end of the era of easy money in crypto is one that analysts have been discussing in recent months amid the downturn.

After spiking early last week, 30-year fixed mortgage rates have remained below 7% for the past several days. Because markets have already priced in the likelihood of another large hike, mortgage rates shouldn't be impacted by the Fed's announcement. Whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Mortgage rates have risen rapidly over the past few months, though recently they've been more volatile. As the Federal Reserve gears up for another hike to the federal funds rate on Wednesday, mortgage rates remain elevated. 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. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

☆ Halloween eve: Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay Packers struggles continue as team loses fourth straight against Buffalo Bills
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —On the eve of Halloween, Aaron Rodgers and his Green Bay Packers’ nightmare season went to a new level of scary as they lost 27-17 on Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills. The defeat is the Packers’ fourth straight loss, as they slip to 3-5 for the season. Rodgers threw for 203 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while running back Aaron Jones continued his excellent season as he added 143 yards on the ground. However, the Packers defense once again struggled and could not withstand potential MVP candidate Josh Allen for the whole game. However, after the defeat – in which Green Bay were down 24-7 at halftime – Rodgers was more measured in his response.

☆ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ first reactions herald ‘Marvel's most poignant and powerful film’
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Disney and Marvel Studios finally unveiled Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” at the film’s world premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday evening. Anticipation for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” has been sky high. “Black Panther” also became the first comic book movie nominated for best picture at the Oscars. The Hollywood Reporter’s Brian Davids hailed the film as “Marvel’s most poignant and powerful film to date,” praising all elements from the performances to the crafts. The Wrap’s Drew Taylor said that the film “prioritizes sentiment over spectacle” and praised Ludwig Göransson’s score as “an all timer.”“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" opens in theaters nationwide Nov. 11.

☆ ECB policymakers stick with hike plans even as recession looms
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Signage is seen outside the European Central Bank (ECB) building, in Frankfurt, Germany, July 21, 2022. But policymakers on Friday appeared to be on message that rates will keep going up. Investors now see ECB rates peaking at around 2.75%, above levels near 2.5% seen on Thursday after the ECB's rate hike and language tweaks. RECESSIONThe policymakers' reinforcement of the rate hike message comes as a recession now looks almost certain, and will likely prompt a barrage of further criticism from European leaders. But ECB chief Christine Lagarde pushed back on the criticism on Thursday, arguing that breaking inflation was the ECB's chief mission and governments could help by providing targeted support for the most vulnerable.

☆ Recession risk looms large over euro zone, ECB policymaker says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VILNIUS, Oct 28 (Reuters) - The likelihood of a euro zone recession is rising but the European Central Bank needs to keep raising interest rates as inflation remains high and projections may even need to be raised, Lithuanian policymaker Gediminas Simkus said on Friday. "It seems they will be revised upwards again, especially for next year," said Simkus, who sits on the rate-setting Governing Council. Simkus also suggested that growth forecasts may need to be cut to account for a recession, as the bloc struggles with sky high energy costs. "The likelihood that the euro zone enters a technical recession has grown," Simkus said. The ECB currently reinvests all cash from bonds maturing in the scheme and the expectation is that instead of outright bond sales, the ECB would wind down the debt pile by not reinvesting all funds.

☆ Fact Check-Alexander Gleason’s map of the world does not prove the earth is flat
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

One Instagram user (here) shared a TikTok video which tries to challenge the fact that that Gleason’s map is a projection of the earth as a globe. Gleason argued that the earth is flat in his 1890 book “Is the Bible from Heaven? ALL 2D MAPS DISTORT EARTHAs Gleason’s map is centered on the north pole, the edges indicate the south pole. “A projection of a person on a page is also flat (see Jeff Brown’s ‘Flat Stanley’ character), but people aren’t flat,” Bennett said. Gleason’s map is a depiction of the earth as a globe in a north-polar azimuthal equidistant projection and is not proof that the earth is flat.

Thanks to high inflation and large rate hikes from the Federal Reserve, mortgage rates have increased dramatically this year. 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. Whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect.

Average 30-year fixed mortgage rates are holding steady above 7%. And, in general, we see mortgage rates fall when there is a weak economy or a recession." Whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Mortgage rates have been inching up over the past few days. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage 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. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased just 0.02 points this week, from 6.92% to 6.94%, according to Freddie Mac. 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. Whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect. ARMs typically start with lower rates than fixed-rate mortgages, but ARM rates can go up once your initial introductory period is over.

Mortgage rates have calmed over the past couple of weeks after some volatility earlier this month. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. Whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control. If the Fed acts too aggressively and engineers a recession, mortgage rates could fall further than what current forecasts expect. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

☆ Man City miss a trick as Arsenal just will not go away
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-17 | by ( Peter Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MANCHESTER, England, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Liverpool's recent jitters meant they were there for the taking by Manchester City on Sunday, but the unusually conservative champions missed a trick, falling further behind Premier League leaders Arsenal who must be taken seriously as title contenders. While champions City, chasing a fifth league title in six seasons, travelled to Anfield unbeaten, having plundered 33 goals in nine league games at the start of the new campaign, Liverpool trailed in their wake. Liverpool looked nervy in possession, giving the ball away with regularity, but a normally ruthless City could not capitalise. With a four-point league lead, and having won 12 of their 13 games this season in all competitions, a first Premier League title since 2004 could be a realistic prospect. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Peter Hall Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ America’s biggest banks now pay attractive dividend yields, so long as they're safe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Scott Schnipper | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Given the downdraft in bank stock prices this year, some of the biggest financial companies in the U.S. are all of the sudden offering sky high dividend yields. Those lofty payouts are attractive in absolute terms, and even when compared with prevailing Treasury yields. Even Wells Fargo yields about 2.5%, far above what banks pay on savings or checking accounts. Q3 bank earnings playbook All eyes turn to bank earnings for clues on slowing U.S. economy after Dimon's recession warning Treasury yields in some instances may be higher, but the "volatility of bank dividend yields have traditionally been far less than that of Treasuries," Evercore ISI wrote. As a result, today's above-average financial dividend yields "present an opportunity - particularly given banks' still-solid earnings power (despite eventual credit normalization), robust capital levels, and historical dividend progression," Evercore ISI said.

☆ Australia's Scarborough project: Race and power collide in a fight over sacred rock art in remote Australia
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Hannah Ritchie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +21 min

More than a million drawings are etched onto rocks on Murujuga peninsula on the Western Australia coast. Resources extracted from the region have powered Australia’s economy and helped create some of the world’s largest mining and energy multinationals. Today, the fight for Murujuga’s rock art reflects long-standing and unresolved issues of race and power. Woodside Petroleum's Pluto development on Murujuga, Western Australia, June 2008. Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Peter Jeffries.

☆ Putin's call-up won't make a dent in Ukraine for months and is already sowing panic at home with protests and people racing to get out of the country
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Putin on Wednesday announced a partial military mobilization order seven months into the Ukraine war. Ukraine, on the other hand, ordered full military mobilization just days after the war began and is just now reaping the benefits. It could take more than a month for reservists to deployOne of the major obstacles to Russia's mobilization aspirations is the country's depleted military infrastructure. Photo by Contributor/Getty ImagesResistance from the Russian public is growingIt's not just military experts who have their doubts about Russia's mobilization. Russians across the country took to the streets following Putin's speech, sparking protests and chants of "no to war."

Luis Alvarez/Getty ImagesHere's what: Now is a good time save and invest strategicallyThe Federal Reserve hiked interest rates once again this week, by 0.75 percentage points. "Rates reset every six months, but if inflation and interest rates continue to be high, Series I Bonds will continue to pay very attractive interest." "The benefit of a fixed-rate mortgage is that your interest rate will never change, but with an adjustable-rate mortgage, your interest rate can increase if interest rates continue to rise," she says. Now is also a good time to consider balance-transfer offers on your credit cards, since your monthly interest rate may change as the Fed raises rates. "Don't let the Fed's interest rate movements and subsequent equity market volatility scare you into any rash, large-scale portfolio allocation changes."

☆ ECB wants banks to review capital plans given downturn, Enria says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Andrea Enria, chairperson of the European Banking Authority, speaks at Reuters Summit interview in London, Britain, September 25, 2017. REUTERS/Afolabi SotundeFRANKFURT, Sept 19 (Reuters) - The euro zone banking sector is robust ahead of a possible recession but the European Central Bank is still asking lenders to review capital projections given what is likely to be a difficult winter, ECB supervisor Andrea Enria said on Monday. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"So, we are asking banks to review their capital projections under severe, adverse scenarios and we will engage in a dialogue with them." "Then there is also the issue of exposures to energy derivatives clearing that we've seen as an issue in the recent times," Enria said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Balazs Koranyi; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ That's not a real job opening: Some companies are posting 'ghost jobs' but don't actually plan to hire you — or anyone
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-18 | by ( Rebecca Knight | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The number of job openings has been sky high over the past year in the red-hot labor market. That could be because some firms are posting "ghost jobs" that they're not actually hiring for. While many employers can't find enough workers, some qualified candidates are applying to open jobs and aren't hearing anything back. Some recruiters say that ghost jobs are on the rise due to the heightened level of uncertainty that's persisted for the past two and a half years. "There are too many jobs posted"Andrew Flowers, a labor economist at Appcast, the recruitment advertising technology company, expressed skepticism that "ghost jobs" are a widespread problem.

This week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate surpassed 6% for the first time since 2008, according to Freddie Mac. 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 would impact your monthly payments. 30-year fixed mortgage ratesThe current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.02%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-year fixed mortgage ratesThe average 15-year fixed mortgage rate is 5.21%, an increase from the prior week, according to Freddie Mac data.

☆ The US Air Force is getting new tech that will make it easier for pilots to pee in flight
▼ + stars: | 2021-12-01 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US Air Force is getting new technology that will make it easier for its fighter pilots, especially female pilots, to urinate in flight, potentially alleviating a longstanding problem for pilots needing to answer nature's call in a cramped cockpit. The Air Force will be receiving the Omni Gen. 3 Skydrate in-flight bladder-relief device in the near future, Air Combat Command announced in a press statement Wednesday. "The Air Force recognized that current devices were not optimized for long-duration sorties, and as a result, aircrew were routinely dehydrating themselves to delay the need for bladder relief," ACC explained. This was a big problem for pilots, particularly female pilots, who the Air Force said previously would "resort to 'tactical dehydration' to avoid the difficulties and potential dangers of having to relieve themselves inflight." The first shipments of the new Skydrate system will arrive early this month, and aircrews will have access to them by spring of next year.

Persons: Sharon Rogers, Nikki Yogi Organizations: US Air Force, Air Force, Omni, Air Combat Command, Business, Sky High, ACC, 46th, Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base Locations: Turkey, Florida

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