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☆ Home sales: Prices in the US housing market continue to climb
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —Rising US home prices are heightening the housing affordability crisis for Americans, especially first-time buyers. Housing affordability takes into account prices, household incomes and mortgage rates. Sales fell in April for the second month in a row as mortgage rates surged past 7%. Mortgage rates track the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note, which moves in anticipation of the Fed’s decisions on interest rates. Low housing affordability typically crimps demand.

Persons: it’s, ”, Lawrence Yun, Freddie Mac Organizations: Washington CNN —, National Association of Realtors, Global, NAR, Federal Reserve, Fed, Treasury Locations: San Diego, Chicago, Detroit, America, ”

☆ Massachusetts' millionaire tax is earning more than expected and could help make up for the last few years of high earners fleeing the state
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Massachusetts' new tax on the wealthy generated $1.8 billion, exceeding expectations. The increased revenue comes amid high-income earners leaving the state. AdvertisementMassachusetts' new tax on the wealthy has become a bigger boon for the state than expected. It could help make up for the loss of high-income earners in recent years. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Boston Globe, Business Locations: Massachusetts

☆ 5 investments Morgan Stanley recommends making as US stocks surge by up to 19% — and why a prominent Wall Street bear just abandoned his downbeat view
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Since then, several major investment firms have lifted their long-term S&P 500 price targets. The firm recommends pairing cyclicals and growth stocks with those attributes so that investors are prepared for stronger or weaker growth. Technology firms using AI need more power, which is a major long-term tailwind for utility companies, Wilson wrote. "We see the recent pullback as an attractive entry point and an opportunity to formally upgrade the sector to overweight," Wilson wrote. "Small-cap valuation is relatively cheap but earnings growth is highly concentrated," Wilson wrote.

Persons: —, Brian Belski, Binky, Morgan Stanley, Long, Mike Wilson, subpar, Wilson, Wilson's, Goldman Sachs, Morgan, Morgan Stanley's Organizations: Service, Business, BMO Capital, Deutsche Bank, optimist, Consumer, Utilities

☆ Iran begins days of nationwide funeral rites for President Ebrahim Raisi after helicopter crash
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

People attend funeral ceremony, held for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his senior officials died in a helicopter crash, in Tabriz, Iran on May 21, 2024. Thousands of mourners descended on Tabriz on Tuesday for a funeral ceremony honoring Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who perished in a helicopter crash over the weekend, leaving an indelible void in the country's leadership succession plans. Some mourners are shown brandishing photographs of Raisi, while others trooped behind lines awaiting the procession. Services for Raisi will be held between Tuesday and Thursday in Tabriz, Qom, Birjand and Iranian capital Tehran. "Our honorable Raisi worked tirelessly," Khamenei said on the X social media platform on Monday.

Persons: Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Amirabdollahian, IRNA, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Raisi, Khamenei, Butcher, Mahsa, Amirabdolahian, Bashar Assad Organizations: Iranian, Islamic Republic News Agency, CNBC, Raisi, Human Rights Watch, Palestinian, Hamas Locations: Tabriz, Iran, Qom, Birjand, Tehran, Mashhad, Azerbaijan, East, Israel

☆ Wall Street advisors are flocking to this small law firm to claw back pay from wealth giants like Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Hayley Cuccinello | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For Ajamie LLP, a Houston law firm with 11 attorneys, taking on banks with billion-dollar war chests is becoming a booming business. This ruling was used by a lawyer on another case, Ohio-based Alan Rosca, to secure a $3 million judgment against Morgan Stanley on March 25. He said he has been contacted by advisors hailing from "really any financial firm that offers deferred compensation to financial advisors." During that suit, Ajamie was contacted by Matt Shafer, the lead plaintiff in the Morgan Stanley case. The Morgan Stanley suit inspired Kelly Milligan, now the named plaintiff in the Merrill Lynch class action, to reach out.

Persons: —, Jack Edwards, Edwards, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley's, Alan Rosca, Merrill Lynch, Sen, Ted Cruz, Wells Fargo, Wells, Ajamie, Matt Shafer, Kelly Milligan, It's Organizations: Service, Ajamie LLP, Business, University of Virginia School of Law, Big Law, RBC Capital Markets, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Locations: Houston, Ohio, Ajamie, Texas, Carolina

☆ Learning how to use AI could boost your pay by 25%, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Jobs that require artificial intelligence skills offer significantly higher wages than those that don’t, according to new research published Tuesday. Consultancy PwC studied advertisements, posted last year, for a range of jobs, including app programmers, lawyers and accountants. It found that wages for AI-related roles were on average 25% higher in the United States than for comparable jobs in the same field that did not require those skills. Between 2012 and 2023, the number of jobs requiring AI skills grew 3.5 times faster than the total of all jobs across the countries studied, according to the report. “AI could be the missing piece of the UK’s productivity puzzle, bringing a boost to the economy, wages, and living standards,” said Sahneh at PwC.

Persons: PwC, ” Mehdi Sahneh, Barret Kupelian, ”, ” Randall Kroszner Organizations: London CNN, PwC, Bank of Locations: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, North America, Europe, Asia, PwC

☆ Wilson deal: Caitlin Clark just did something no athlete has done since Michael Jordan
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Breakout basketball star Caitlin Clark has a new achievement that hasn’t been accomplished since Michael Jordan. The WNBA player signed a multiyear deal with Wilson Sporting Goods Co., the league’s official basketball supplier, for “signature basketball collections celebrating Clark’s continued legacy,” the company announced Tuesday. In addition, she will “creatively direct her first-ever signature basketball line” that will roll out later this year. Wilson, which has produced the basketballs for the NBA for several decades, became the official game ball of the WNBA in 2020. Nike is also reportedly on the verge of signing Clark to design her shoe line, but no official deal has been formally announced.

Persons: Caitlin Clark, hasn’t, Michael Jordan, Clark’s, Wilson, Clark, “ Wilson, ” Clark, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, WNBA, Wilson Sporting Goods Co, CNN, NBA, Indiana Fever, ESPN2, ESPN, Nike, Farm, Gatorade, Panini Locations: New York

☆ Trump Media Reports Lackluster Revenues and Large Losses
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Monday, former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company reported taking in $770,000 in advertising revenue in the first three months of the year, largely from its Truth Social platform, as it continued to incur hefty losses. The company, Trump Media & Technology Group, completed a long-awaited merger in March with Digital World Acquisition Corporation, a cash-rich shell company that served as a vehicle for taking Trump Media public. After the merger, Trump Media said it had about $274 million in cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet, which would enable the company to “fund operations for the foreseeable future.”The public debut of Trump Media has been a boon to Mr. Trump, who owns a nearly 65 percent stake, worth about $6 billion. In a regulatory filing, the company said that it took in $770,000 in the past quarter, compared with $1.1 million in revenue in the year-ago quarter. The company said that much of the revenue “decrease was attributable to a change in the revenue share with one of our advertising partners.”

Persons: Donald J, Trump, ” Organizations: Trump Media & Technology Group, Acquisition Corporation, Trump Media

☆ How Apple's AI push could do more than just reignite iPhone sales
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"I think the iPhone next generation has to incorporate far more AI than it does now," Jim said on Monday. The Club's belief is that doing so will prompt iPhone users to upgrade to the newer model, helping reignite topline growth for Apple following a prolonged period of sluggishness. The majority of Apple's installed base of more than 2.2 billion devices is iPhones, Melius said in its note Monday. AAPL YTD mountain Apple (AAPL) year-to-date performance AI can boost more than just iPhone sales, according to Melius. In the three months ended March 30, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max held the No.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Jim, Melius, Max, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Melius Research, Apple, Conference, Cupertino, Reuters, Huawei, CNBC, Citizens, Nurphoto, Getty Locations: China, Melius, India, Shanghai

☆ There’s more than one way to access this asset offering tax-free income. How to make the right choice
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-20 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Muni bonds are beloved by wealthy investors because they offer income that's free of federal taxes. Muni bond ETFs and mutual funds, meanwhile, don't have a definite maturity date and their price can fluctuate while the investor is holding them. Liquidity needs are also a major factor, with individual bonds potentially being hard to sell if an investor has a cash need. Since these funds offer a fixed number of shares, they trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value. Some of these funds hold municipal bonds and are trading at sharp discounts to their net asset value, potentially making them an attractive purchase.

Persons: Kathleen McNamara, there's, muni, he'll, Beth Foos, James Ritzema, Baird, Jon Browne Organizations: Federal Reserve, UBS, tradeoffs Investors, SEC, Investors, Morningstar, RiverNorth Locations: Americas, –

☆ AI is leading to the 'revenge of the liberal arts,' says a Goldman tech exec with a history degree
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Meghan Morris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Goldman's George Lee said AI will empower non-technical workers, including those in risk management. The history major turned tech banker said AI enhances skills like critical thinking, creativity, and logic. Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementA longtime tech banker with a history degree says AI could be a boon for non-technical workers. George Lee, the co-head of applied innovation at Goldman Sachs, told Bloomberg Television on Tuesday that he thinks AI will lead to the "revenge of the liberal arts" in the workforce.

Persons: Goldman's George Lee, Banks, —, George Lee, Goldman Sachs, Lee Organizations: Service, Bloomberg Television, Business

☆ BlackRock's COO said he gave his staff a memo written by ChatGPT and they couldn't tell AI wrote it
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewEmployees at the investment behemoth BlackRock couldn't tell that a strategy memo they were reading was actually written by ChatGPT, the company's COO said on Thursday. BlackRock COO Robert Goldstein recounted the anecdote during an interview with Fortune's Lee Clifford. Goldstein said he'd worked with his team to prepare a memo on the company's generative AI strategy for a board meeting that took place "several months ago." But instead of drafting it themselves, Goldstein decided that the team should get ChatGPT to write the memo instead. Last month, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said in an earnings call that the company's investments in AI would bolster productivity.

Persons: —, BlackRock, ChatGPT, Robert Goldstein, Fortune's Lee Clifford, Goldstein, he'd, BlackRock didn't, Larry Fink, Fink, Kristalina Georgieva, Georgieva Organizations: Service, BlackRock, Finance, Business, BI, IMF, Swiss Institute of International Studies Locations: New York, BlackRock, Zurich

☆ This startup used its own AI avatar technology, instead of a pitch deck, to help raise its Series B. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA startup has showcased its AI platform by using it to pitch potential investors while trying to raise its Series B. These AI avatars can answer real-time questions, give presentations, and ask questions. Touchcast's platform allows people to ask these digital twins questions asynchronously. Since the launch of ChatGPT-3 in November 2022, startups creating AI avatars have caught investor attention. Segal said this investor frenzy was being driven by the "huge market potential" of AI avatar technology.

Persons: —, Touchcast, asynchronously, Edo Segal, Ziv Navoth, Navoth, Segal, Touchast, Sky Fernandes Organizations: Service, Business, VU Partners, Accenture Ventures, VU Ventures Partners, Sky, McKinsey, NVIDIA, BI, Google Locations: New York, San Francisco

☆ OpenAI unveils newest AI model, GPT-4o
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-13 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The new model, called GPT-4o, is an update from the company’s previous GPT-4 model, which launched just over a year ago. Rivals including Google and Meta have been working to build increasingly powerful large language models that power chatbots and can be used to bring AI technology to various other products. The OpenAI event came one day ahead of Google’s annual I/O developer conference, at which it’s expected to announce updates to its Gemini AI model. OpenAI executives demonstrate the company's latest large language model, GPT-4o. Free ChatGPT users will have a limited number of interactions with the new GPT-4o model before the tool automatically reverts to relying on the old GPT-3.5 model; paid users will have access to a greater number of messages with the latest model.

Persons: OpenAI, Mira Murati, ” Murati, ChatGPT, “ You’re, Scarlett Johansson, ”, Sam Altman, it’s Organizations: New, New York CNN, Monday, San, Rivals, Google, Gemini, Apple, Worldwide Developers Conference, Microsoft Locations: New York, ChatGPT, San Francisco

☆ Trump asked top oil execs for $1 billion campaign cash in exchange for environmental policy rollbacks, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The transactional campaign promise indicates what a second Trump presidency would mean for the White House's environmental agenda. Pornsak Na Nakorn/EyeEm/GettyWhile Biden has positioned the climate crisis as an existential threat and championed aggressive environmental regulations, Trump has dismissed it as a hoax and systematically dismantled environmental protections during his tenure. Related storiesSince taking office in 2021, Biden has swiftly reversed many of Trump's environmental actions, including blocking future oil drilling in the Alaskan Arctic. However, despite oil industry grievances over Biden's policies, the US has experienced record oil production, leading to substantial profits for major energy companies like ExxonMobil and Chevron, said The Post. As the campaign trail heats up, Trump's message to the oil industry remains clear: support him, and he'll deliver on their demands.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Joe, Trump, Getty, Biden, BI's Benji Jones, he'll Organizations: Service, Lago Club, The Washington Post, Business, Democratic, Post, Keystone XL, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Trump, Fox News, Iowa Locations: Gulf of Mexico

☆ China’s Xi Jinping highlights Europe’s divisions ahead of expected Putin visit
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Chinese state media played up the warm diplomacy, with headlines proclaiming China’s “ironclad” bond with Serbia and “golden friendship” with Hungary. Both are sure to closely watch any summit between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin in China, expected to happen soon. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is welcomed at the airport in Belgrade on May 7 for his two-day state visit. Xi also marketed a shared worldview during his meeting with Orban in Hungary, which is a member of both the EU and NATO. Chinese leader Xi Jinping talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest on May 9.

Persons: Xi, Peng Liyuan, Aleksandar Vucic, Viktor Orban, China’s, Vucic, Orban –, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der, Vladimir Putin, Orban, Hungary “, ’ ”, Philippe Le Corre, ”, Putin, Le Corre, Xi Jinping, Dimitrije Goll, Xi’s, Serbia’s Vucic, ” Vucic, Bruno Le Maire, BYD, Liu Dongshu, Vivien Cher Benko, Tamas Matura, Mark Rutte, Olaf Scholz, Matura, Von der, “ Orban, Gabor Scheiring Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Russia, Ukraine, China, Europe …, Asia Society, Center for, Forum, Anadolu, Getty, EU, NATO, ”, Xi, Hong Kong’s City University ., Hungarian, Central, Dutch, Georgetown University Locations: Hong Kong, France, Ukraine, China, Belgrade, Budapest, Paris, Serbian, Hungarian, Serbia, Hungary, Europe, Russia, Russian, ”, Europe … Hungary, Center for China, Beijing, United States, EU, Hong, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, Moscow, Qatar, “ Hungary

☆ Energy CEO said he canceled a $100M contract with Neom when he realized the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make space
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Malcolm Aw said he pulled out of a Neom contract because of alleged Saudi human rights abuses. AdvertisementA green energy founder pulled out of a $100 million Neom contract after he realized that the Saudis were bulldozing villages to make way for the megacity. AdvertisementHowever, satellite images analyzed by the BBC showed three villages, including schools and hospitals, were destroyed to make way for Neom. Aw's company uses solar energy for desalination, while most desalination plants burn fossil fuels and have been found to pollute oceans. "You know, we have the technology to solve the [green energy] problem that people are complaining about today.

Persons: Malcolm Aw, —, Neom, Mohammed bin Salman's, Aw, Col Rabih Alenezi, Abdul Rahim al, Aw Boon Haw, Fatima al, Shawarbi, there's Organizations: Solar Water, Service, Solar, Saudi, BBC News, BBC, Neom, UN, BI, Bloomberg Locations: Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar, Neom

☆ Legendary investor Stanley Druckenmiller says copper is a great bet for the next 6 years because EVs, data centers, and missiles all depend on it
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller says demand from EVs, data centers, and even missiles are a boon for copper. Druckenmiller initiated a new position in copper miner Freeport-McMoRan in the fourth quarter. AdvertisementThe price of copper will hit new record highs over the next five to six years, according to billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller. "Copper is a pretty simple story, takes about 12 years, greenfield to produce copper, and you got EVs, the grid, data centers, and believe it or not munitions. At the 2023 Sohn Investment Conference, Druckenmiller said copper was "in the tightest position, well frankly I've ever studied."

Persons: Stanley Druckenmiller, Druckenmiller, —, Druckenmiller's, he's Organizations: Service, CNBC, Investment Locations: Freeport, McMoRan, Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan

☆ Tesla's easy ride in China may be coming to an end
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Nora Naughton | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk appears focused on reinforcing Tesla's China business. AdvertisementTesla is facing tougher years ahead in the Chinese market, and it couldn't come at a worse time for the company. AdvertisementAfter years of steady growth in China, Tesla's sales are slippingTesla sold 62,167 cars in China in April, down 18% from a year ago, according to data released Tuesday by the China Passenger Car Association. Inexpensive Chinese cars are also competing with Tesla in important European and Scandinavian markets, a traditional stronghold for Musk. After his latest visit to the region, Musk appears to be sending reinforcements to the Chinese market.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk, —, Elon, BYD, China couldn't, Musk, Tom Zhu Organizations: Service, Elon Musk's, Shanghai Gigafactory, China Passenger Car Association, China, Tesla, BYD's, Ford, GM Locations: China, Shanghai, California, Mexico, Tesla's

☆ How Corporate America is rethinking its sustainability and diversity efforts
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . In today's big story, we're looking at how Corporate America is rethinking its sustainability and diversity efforts amid a push to avoid being labeled "woke." The rallying cry against companies' progressive campaigns is starting to leave a mark on Corporate America. AdvertisementAfter years of big promises and grand plans around social issues like diversity and sustainability, companies have taken a noticeable step back , Business Insider's Emily Stewart writes. The electric car maker axed more than 3,400 job postings in North America down to just three on Wednesday.

Persons: —, let's, wokening Brooks Kraft, Emily Stewart, Emily, ESG, hasn't, Peter Thiel, Donald Trump's, Bud Light, influencer Dylan Mulvaney, Rock, Saul Loeb, Chelsea Jia Feng, Wall, Warren Buffett, It's, Justin Sullivan, Elon, Eric Schmidt, Steve Mnuchin, Kevin O'Leary, salespeople, BI's Rob Price, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover Organizations: Business, Service, wokening Brooks Kraft LLC, Corporate America, Trump Media, Getty Images, of America, Berkshire Hathaway's, People's Bank of China, Chelsea, Microsoft, Google, YouTube, Netflix Locations: America, Beijing, North America, New York, London

☆ Apple wants to give the iPad a boost
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The tech giant's event will reportedly showcase a new family of… iPads and iPad accessories. But Apple's event , which kicks off at 10 a.m. EST, is looking to give the iPad a boost. iPhone sales have noticeably dipped, which is why you're hearing Apple tout its "services" business , writes BI's Peter Kafka. And the new product Apple wants you to be excited about — the Vision Pro — hasn't lived up to the hype. a16z joins the Big Tech "fake work" debate.

Persons: —, Tyler Le, they're, iPads, Antonio Villas, Boas, BI's Peter Kafka, Peter, hasn't, Katie Notopoulos, Wall, Lauren DeCicca, Tim Cook, Katie, aren't, I'd, we'll, I'm, Alyssa Powell, Danielle DiMartino Booth, James Devaney, Roger Kisby, Jack Dorsey's, Elon, Dorsey, Elon Musk, Satya Nadella, OpenAI, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, a16z, Emily Sundberg, Andreessen Horowitz, David Ulevitch, Vladimir Putin, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover Organizations: Service, Business, Apple, Google, Getty, US Treasury, National Bureau of Economic Research, Images, Penske Media, Microsoft, Tech, Paramount, Berkshire, Big Tech, Walt Disney Company Locations: BREIT, New York, London

☆ The US government is paying $2 million of interest a minute as rates stay high
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The US government is shelling out $2 million per minute in interest payments on its debt. The surge in interest rate expenses has coincided with higher for longer interest rates. The US government is on track to pay more than $1 trillion in interest expenses this year. And that in turn means higher interest rates have actually helped fueled inflation rather than tame it. And you're not going to see meaningful downward pressure on shelter costs, until the Fed lowers interest rates," Manley said.

Persons: —, Louis Fed, Jack Manley, Manley Organizations: Service, US Treasury, Bloomberg, Federal Reserve, Fed, Treasury

☆ It's getting really hard to find a job that pays well
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Job growth in April was concentrated in traditionally low-paying sectors like healthcare and retail. Wage growth, though slower, still outpaces inflation, which is still a boon for workers. That's because the industries that led job growth in April are traditionally low-paying. Indeed, job growth is concentrated in industries that are historically low-paying — and continue to pay less than the average across private industries. As Pollak notes, "wage growth has come down sharply, but it's mostly come down in industries where it was very rapid before."

Persons: —, it's, Jobs, that's, Labor Julie Su, Julia Pollak, It's, Kate Bahn, Insider's Aki Ito, Pollak, ALICE, They're, Nick Bunker, Bunker Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Labor, Healthcare, Institute for Women's, North, Business Locations: Bahn, North America

☆ The US could give homeowners a $980 billion stimulus at no additional cost, 'Oracle of Wall Street' says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. That's if Freddie Mac secures approval from its regulator to operate in the market for secondary mortgages, also commonly known as home equity loans. If greenlighted, the scheme would be equivalent to a huge stimulus injection, but without a cent added to the national deficit, the "Oracle of Wall Street" explained. As Freddie Mac is a massive provider of mortgage market liquidity, the move could encourage more banks to extend this financing to customers. The proposal noted that options are limited for homeowners who want to tap their equity, meaning that few are benefiting from the housing market's appreciation.

Persons: —, Meredith Whitney, Whitney, Freddie Mac, Freddie Mac's, Freddie, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae Organizations: Service, Business

☆ 5 indicators that show the US economy is still firing on all cylinders despite slowing GDP
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The US economy is still firing on all cylinders despite slowing GDP growth in the first quarter. "The workhorse of the US economy remains the consumer, and there's really not much sign of a slowdown," Varghese said. AdvertisementThe US economy is firing on all cylinders despite a slowdown in first-quarter GDP growth, according to Carson Group global macro strategist Sonu Varghese. These are the five indicators that give Varghese confidence that the US consumer, and therefore the US economy, remains on solid footing. Income growth is outpacing inflationDespite elevated inflation, wage growth continues to outpace inflation growth, and that's ultimately a boon for consumers.

Persons: Sonu Varghese, there's, Varghese, that's, That's, " Varghese, here's Organizations: Carson, Carson Group

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