DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Wall Street will try to maintain AI-fueled momentum in the final week of February, as inflation concerns linger
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

In the final week of February, Wall Street will strive to maintain its AI-fueled rally even as economic concerns linger and the Federal Reserve's favorite inflation measure is on deck. But many worry the writing is on the wall for these market leaders as economic and inflation risks linger. The 'lone cloud' of inflation The Fed's preferred inflation gauge will also be released in the week ahead. Investors are concerned that sticky inflation will mean that the Fed will hold onto its higher-for-longer interest rate policy. Next week will also be the final week of February, with stocks headed for another strong month of gains.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Patrick McDonough, Europe's, PGIM's McDonough, McDonough, Charlie Ashley, Dhaval Joshi, Joshi, Ashley, John Williams, TJX Cos Organizations: Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Nvidia, Japan's Nikkei, Catalyst Funds, BCA Research, CPI, PPI, Dow, New, Dallas Fed, Fidelity National Information Services, Richmond Fed, eBay, Enterprise, Cruise Line Holdings, New York Federal Reserve Bank, York, Monster Beverage, Paramount Global, PCE Deflator, Chicago PMI, . Kansas City Fed Manufacturing, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Autodesk, Body, Hormel, PMI, Manufacturing Locations: U.S, Lowe's, Chicago, . Kansas, Michigan

The economy has been doing surprisingly well so far this year, and it's pushing mortgage rates back up. Average 30-year mortgage rates rose 13 basis points to 6.90% this week, according to Freddie Mac. Average 15-year mortgage rates also increased to 6.29% this week, a 17-point jump. Once the Federal Reserve starts lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Tech stocks surge as Nvidia bolsters optimism on Wall Street
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —US stocks soared higher on Thursday morning after a strong earnings report from tech giant Nvidia bolstered investor optimism on Wall Street. The S&P 500 hit a record high during morning trading on the pop in big tech and the Nasdaq is tracking towards a new all-time high as well. Nvidia (NVDA), one of the largest companies on Wall Street, led gains after reporting extraordinary earnings growth, fueled by the artificial intelligence boom. Profits of the chipmaker grew to nearly $12.3 billion in the three months ended January 28 — up from $1.4 billion in the year-ago quarter, a gain of 769% year-over-year and even stronger growth than Wall Street analysts had expected. Shares of the stock were 15.3% higher in morning trading, a reversal from earlier in the week when the company logged its worst day since October.

Persons: Jensen Huang Organizations: New, New York CNN, Dow, Nasdaq, Nvidia, Wall, Wall Street, AMD, Microsoft, Fed, Traders Locations: New York

☆ The Fed cutting rates too early risks sparking a worst-case scenario of resurgent inflation, 'The Big Short' investor Steve Eisman says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The investor of "The Big Short" fame said inflation could rise if the Fed cuts rates too early. AdvertisementThe best thing the Fed can do right now is nothing, because cutting interest rates too early risks sparking a "worst-case" scenario, according to "The Big Short" investor Steve Eisman. That caused inflation to skyrocket past 14% in 1980, while effective interest rates in the economy notched 19% the following year. The Fed has been fighting inflation since March 2022, when central bankers began their campaign to aggressively raise interest rates and tighten financial conditions. Fed officials have said they aren't poised to cut interest rates until they're more confident inflation will return to the 2% price target.

Persons: Steve Eisman, —, Eisman Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Fed, Deutsche Bank

In its latest forecast, the Mortgage Bankers Association predicts that 30-year mortgage rates will fall to 6.1% by the end of this year. This means we'll likely have to deal with high mortgage rates for at least a few more months. 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 Back Below 6% (-0.12%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.91%, down just 12 points from last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: Mike Fratantoni, MBA's, you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: Mortgage, Association, Survey, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ An under-the-radar recession indicator in the bond market is sounding the alarm for a hard landing
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An under-the-radar recession indicator in the bond market is raising alarm that the economy could be heading for a hard landing, according to ING Economics. Strategists at the analytics firm pointed to a tight correlation between US Treasury yields and Bund yields in Europe, with both yields slipping in recent weeks as markets reprice their interest rate expectations over the short-run. That was the case in the Silicon Valley Bank crisis in early 2023, when a sell-off fueled by the collapse of SVB led Treasury yields and Bund yields to tumble in tandem. "The correlation between UST and Bund yields is significantly elevated, which usually points to a hard-landing narrative," strategists said in a note on Wednesday. New York Fed economists, meanwhile, are pricing in a 61% chance the economy could tip into recession by January of next year.

Persons: SVB Organizations: ING Economics, Treasury, Business, European Central Bank, ING, Bank, UST, Bund, ECB, New York Fed Locations: Europe, Silicon

Mortgage rates jumped up last week following the release of some hotter-than-expected inflation data. Once it looks clearer that inflation is coming down to the Fed's 2% target, mortgage rates should ease. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThis week's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.77%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 6.12% last week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: Mary Daly, agilely, Daly, Price, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's, they've Organizations: Federal Reserve, National Association for Business, San Francisco Fed, Index, Fed, Zillow Locations: Chevron

The economy has been doing surprisingly well so far this year, so it may be a bit longer before we see mortgage rates start trending down. Higher mortgage rates will likely temper demand, meaning that those who are able to take on higher rates will be up against less competition. 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 RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.12%, a 22-basis-point increase from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ Steep rate cuts are coming as the job market looks poised to weaken, Wells Fargo strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewSteep rate cuts from the Federal Reserve could be coming later this year thanks to weakening in the job market, which likely isn't as robust as some of the latest data has made it out to be, according to Wells Fargo strategist Erik Nelson. Advertisement"We need a catalyst, we need some data that shows these recent, strong data were just a blip. But much of that strength may be seasonal and no longer reflected in upcoming job reports, Nelson said. Other market commentators have warned that hiring activity could weaken in 2024 as tighter financial conditions take a toll on businesses. Though the jobless rate is low, continuing unemployment claims are hovering around 1.9 million, according to Fed data.

Persons: —, Wells, Erik Nelson, Nelson, Paul Dietrich Organizations: Service, Federal, Bloomberg, Business, Fed, New York Fed, Yale School of Management

☆ The Fed is set to cut rates this year. Here are the Asian currencies that stand to benefit
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Brent Lewin | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesThe U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates later this year and, while that may not be good news for the dollar , some Asian currencies stand to benefit. Higher interest rates boost a country's currency, attracting foreign investment and increasing demand for the country's currency. A weak U.S. dollar is generally positive for emerging markets, which is often the case when the Fed cuts interest rates outside of an economic crisis. Experts told CNBC currencies such as the Chinese yuan , the Korean won and the Indian rupee stand to benefit from the Fed loosening monetary policy. So those are also positive for the Indian currency," said Anindya Banerjee, vice president of currency and derivatives research at Kotak Securities.

Persons: Mahatma Gandhi, Brent Lewin, Yuan, Arun Bharath, Bharath, Simon Harvey , , Anindya Banerjee, Banerjee, South Korea's, Monex's Harvey Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, . Federal, CNBC, Korean, Bel Air Investment Advisors, People's Bank of, FX, U.S, Kotak Securities, Bank of, Korea's, South Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, China, People's Bank of China, U.S, Bank of India, India, Europe, America

☆ Dollar steady as sticky inflation dents rate cut expectations
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

United States one dollar bills are curled and inspected during production at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Washington. The dollar was steady on Monday after data last week showing U.S. inflation remained sticky cast doubts on when the Federal Reserve would start its easing cycle, while the yen remained rooted near the psychologically key 150 per dollar level. Chandler said there appears little on the charts to deter a test to last year's low of 152 per dollar level. Several Fed officials including Christopher Waller and Raphael Bostic are also due to speak this week. The Australian dollar rose 0.29% to $0.655, while the New Zealand dollar advanced 0.34% to $0.614.

Persons: Marc Chandler, Chandler, Christopher Waller, Raphael Bostic, Christopher Wong, BOE Organizations: Engraving, Federal Reserve, of Finance, Bannockburn Global, Data, Citi, Investor, Bank of England's, New Zealand Locations: United, Washington, Bannockburn, Bannockburn Global Forex

Average 30-year mortgage rates started the month low, but they've since ticked up and are now back near their mid-December levels. Once we see more data showing that inflation is slowing, mortgage rates could start to come down as well. 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. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 6.12% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a 22-basis-point increase from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit.

Persons: it's, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates have been trending up this month in response to strong economic data. Most major forecasts expect mortgage rates to go down in 2024, but when they'll actually start dropping depends on the economy. Once the Fed starts lowering the federal funds rate, mortgage rates should start to come down, too. 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. This is good news for mortgage rates — as inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to trend down as well.

Persons: they'll, there's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

If inflation remains near current levels or looks like it's ticking back up, mortgage rates could climb higher. Average 30-year mortgage rates rose 13 basis points to 6.77% this week, according to Freddie Mac. Once the Fed starts lowering its benchmark rate, the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means we might not see mortgage rates fall substantially until the second half of 2024. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, Price, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Nvidia earnings, Fed minutes on deck next week as Wall Street assesses interest rate outlook
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S & P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite each snapped a five-week advance. On average, market strategists on Wall Street anticipate the S & P 500 will end the year at 4,936, according to a CNBC survey . The equal-weighted S & P 500 index is up just 1.7% in 2024, trailing far behind the market-cap weighted benchmark. Initial Claims (02/17) 9:45 a.m. PMI Composite preliminary (February) 9:45 a.m. S & P PMI Manufacturing preliminary (February) 9:45 a.m. S & P PMI Services preliminary (February) 10 a.m. Existing Homes Sales (January) Earnings: Booking Holdings , Live Nation Entertainment , Intuit , Edison International , Dominion Energy , Moderna , PG & E , Keurig Dr. Pepper Friday, February 23, 2024 Earnings: Warner Bros.

Persons: chipmaker, Ayako Yoshioka, Yoshioka, Jerome Powell, Josh Emanuel, everybody's, Emanuel, Russell, They're, Chris Chen, Chen, Dr, Pepper, Nick Wells, Kif Leswing Organizations: Nvidia, CNBC, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Investor, Treasury, Wilshire Associates, American Association of, Insight Financial, Walmart, Home, Alto Networks, Diamondback Energy, Caesars Entertainment, Marathon, Devices, Chicago, PMI, Holdings, Nation Entertainment, Intuit, Edison International, Dominion Energy, Moderna, Warner Bros Locations: U.S, Santa Monica, Calif

Mortgage rates rose following the release of the latest Consumer Price Index data, and they remain elevated today. Though the Fed doesn't directly impact mortgage rates, investor expectations of Fed policy moves can push mortgage rates up or down. 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. Mortgage Rates for Buying a Home30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Up Closer to 7% (+0.24%)The current average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.68%, up 24 points from where it was this time last week. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Back Above 6% (+0.31%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 6.05%, up 31 points from last week.

Persons: they've, we'll, you'll, It's, refinance Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, FHA Locations: reaccelerate, Chevron

☆ Dollar steady as traders weigh economic data, yen fragile
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The dollar was steady on Friday, on track for its fifth straight weekly gain, as investors take stock of economic data and firm expectations of the Federal Reserve cutting rates in June, while the yen traded at the psychologically key 150 per dollar level. But overall market expectations on the timing of the first Fed cut and magnitude of the cut will continue to drive volatility in FX markets." "We will likely soon contemplate the appropriate time for monetary policy to become less restrictive," Bostic said. Investor focus has been on comments from policymakers, with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell due to give the Senate banking committee its biannual monetary policy update on March 7. The Australian dollar eased 0.20% to $0.651, while the New Zealand dollar is down 0.21% to $0.609.

Persons: Christopher Wong, Raphael Bostic, Bostic, Jerome Powell, pare, Kieran Williams, bitcoin Organizations: Federal Reserve, PPI, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Federal, Asia FX, InTouch, Markets, New Zealand Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Singapore, U.S, Japan, Asia, Germany

Tuesday's CPI report suggests we may need to wait at least a few more months before we see rates start to 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 interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThis week's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.64%, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates inched down to 5.90% last week, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's, they've Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ The Fed is going to hold out on rate cuts longer than we think, investment strategist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Aruni Soni | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Fed is going to hold out on rate cuts longer than we think, a John Hancock strategist said. Consumer spending and market momentum are strong, while elevated rates haven't created meaningful cracks in the economy. "We're seeing riskier areas like crypto-related stocks and AI darlings' momentum taking hold in the market." And the flurry of cash is also being fed into the stock market. AdvertisementBitcoin's price has punched past $51,000 to levels last seen in 2021, rallying regardless of hiccups in the stock market like Tuesday's pullback after a hot CPI report.

Persons: John Hancock, —, John, Emily Roland, Jerome Powell, Roland, we're Organizations: Consumer, Service, CNBC, splurging, Nvidia, Fed Locations: YOLO

☆ Why some investors don’t mind waiting longer for rate cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Stocks and bonds both sold off as investors painfully recalibrated their expectations for five to six interest rate cuts this year to align more with the Fed’s projected three cuts. For example, Yardeni Research has pushed back against the idea that immediate rate cuts are necessary to avoid the Fed overshooting on slowing the economy. Stocks wouldn’t crater even if cuts were off the table completely in 2024, according to Bank of America, despite what Tuesday’s losses suggest. “No cuts could stymie a full-fledged recovery in more credit-sensitive areas,” wrote BofA strategists in a note on February 9. That means regional lenders will no longer have that crutch if they run into trouble after the program’s expiration on March 11.

Persons: Jerome Powell, ”, Ed Yardeni, it’s, Marc Dizard, Allison Morrow, Bitcoin, bitcoin, Antoni Trenchev, ” Read, Alicia Wallace, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Wall, Federal Reserve, Traders, Fed, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, US Treasury, Valley Bank, Signature Bank, Yardeni Research, Bank of America, PNC Asset Management Group, Federal Reserve Bank of New, New York Fed, Liberty Street Economics, , New York Fed Locations: New York, pare, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, , New

☆ Wall Street learns an important lesson. Don’t fight the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

That sudden volatility highlights something that we often write about in Before the Bell: the major mismatch between policymaker and investor expectations for interest rate cuts this year. Federal Reserve officials, including Chair Jerome Powell, have repeatedly said they envision at most three rate cuts in 2024. Wall Street, meanwhile, has ignored those warnings and has opted to practice unflinching optimism instead. It’s not the first time they’ve had to learn an important lesson: Don’t fight the Fed. Bad for the markets, good for the Fed: Markets clearly don’t often take kindly to higher-for-longer interest rates, which can negatively impact earnings and stock prices.

Persons: New York CNN —, Jerome Powell, Dow, It’s, they’ve, Don’t, –, ”, Quincy Krosby, Arnim Holzer, José Torres, Chris Zaccarelli, doesn’t, ” Carl Icahn, Carl Icahn, Icahn, Chris Isidore, JetBlue’s, Samantha Delouya, Lyft, Erin Brewer Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Nasdaq, of Labor Statistics, BLS, Treasury, LPL, Fed, Interactive Brokers, CPI, Independent, Alliance, JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Analysts Locations: New York, December’s, “, ”

☆ Higher rates raising ‘downside risks’ for regional banks, warns Bank of America
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The danger of higher rates for longer following the latest hot inflation reading raises the "downside risk" for regional banks, according to Bank of America. "Fewer and later Fed rate cuts pose downside risk to bank stocks," analyst Ebrahim Poonawala wrote in a Tuesday note. "We are especially concerned about the failure of the broader market to project the trajectory of interest rates – a consistent theme since the Fed began raising interest rates in March 2022." "We worry about the risk from no rate cuts in 2024 and a far more elevated level of interest rates across the UST yield curve," Poonawala added. Net interest margin is the difference between the interest banks earn on loans and pay on deposits.

Persons: Ebrahim Poonawala, Poonawala, Goldman Sachs, BNY Mellon, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Bank of America, Federal, Treasury, Silicon Valley Bank, Fed, UST, Regional Banking, Regional Banking ETF, JPMorgan, BNY, U.S . Bancorp, First Bancorp Locations: Silicon, U.S, Puerto Rico

This helped push mortgage rates and other consumer rates up. Now, the Fed is expected to start cutting rates this year, which should allow mortgage rates to go down. This means mortgage rates might not come down in time for the spring homebuying season, but they may be lower for summer buyers. 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. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: January's, Jerome Powell, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ Dow tumbles more than 400 points on hot inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Stocks tumbled on Tuesday after fresh data revealed that inflation eased somewhat but stayed stubborn in January. That comes after the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Monday notched a record high close, while the S&P 500 retreated from its record high. The Dow slid 490 points, or 1.3%, Tuesday morning after falling more than 500 points at its session lows. The Consumer Price Index revealed that prices rose by 3.1% for the 12 months ended in January, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Tuesday. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic told CNN in an exclusive interview published Monday that he doesn’t see the Fed cutting rates until the summer.

Persons: Stocks, Dow, ”, Greg Wilensky, Janus Henderson, Chris Zaccarelli, Raphael Bostic, Carl Icahn Organizations: New, New York CNN, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, of Labor Statistics, Traders, Federal Reserve, Janus, Janus Henderson Investors, Fed, Independent, Alliance, Atlanta Fed, CNN, JetBlue, Hasbro Locations: New York

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 6.64% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 5.90% last week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a four-basis-point decrease 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: Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

Search resuls for: "CME FedWatch"

25 mentions found