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☆ Here are Wednesday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Apple, Tesla, Nio, SoFi, Amgen, Chewy, Toast and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here are Wednesday's biggest calls on Wall Street: UBS upgrades Toast to buy from neutral UBS said the restaurant tech company "continues to prove itself as a top provider" for the restaurant industry. " UBS downgrades Block to neutral from buy UBS said it sees slowing profit growth for Square's parent company. Deutsche Bank reiterates Nio as buy Deutsche Bank said it's concerned about the company's growth trajectory but that it's sticking with its buy rating. " Deutsche Bank reiterates Tesla as buy Deutsche Bank said it's standing by its buy rating on the auto giant. Bank of America reiterates SoFi as neutral The firm said SoFi is a key beneficiary of student loan refinances.

Persons: Baird, Goldman Sachs, William Blair, Argus, Russell, CFRA, it's, TD Cowen, Cowen, Morgan Stanley, Needham, Nio, Tesla, SoFi, refinances Organizations: UBS, omni, Nvidia, Technology, HSBC, Apple, Constellation Brands, Bloom Energy, Deutsche Bank, Bank of America

Signage is seen at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies CURO Group Holdings Corp FollowAug 22 (Reuters) - A U.S. consumer finance regulator sued a subsidiary of fintech lender Curo Group Holdings Corp. (CURO.N) on Tuesday, alleging it pushed struggling borrowers to refinance short-term loans to keep them in debt and reap fees. Curo acquired Heights Finance for $360 million in late 2021 from private equity firm Milestone Partners. The agency said Heights Finance generated 40% of its net revenue from repeated refinances. The case is CFPB v. Heights Finance Holding Co. et al., No.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Rohit Chopra, Curo, refi, Jody Godoy, Mark Potter Organizations: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, CURO Group Holdings, Curo Group Holdings Corp, U.S, Finance Holding Co, Heights Finance, Milestone Partners, Finance, Heights Finance Holding, District of, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, U.S, Greenville , South Carolina, Texas , Oklahoma , Alabama, Georgia , Tennessee, South Carolina, District of South Carolina, New York

☆ ‘I’ve had this black cloud looming over me’: How private lenders have left millions of college students with no hope for the future
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

We both do DoorDash, and probably when those federal student loans start up, it'll be more of a necessity to do that." While private debt makes up just about 10% of the $1.7 trillion student-debt mountain in the US — about $136 billion — the industry has exploded over the past decade: the amount of outstanding private debt has jumped an estimated 47% since 2014. "Regardless, the student loan debt that was supposed to be an investment in their futures is dragging them down." To be sure, some private servicers do disclose benefits private borrowers could lose should they choose to refinance. Moran said he didn't regret taking out private student loans because it allowed him to pursue his desired nursing career.

Persons: Brianne Jones, Jones, she's, We're, it'll, Michele Shepard, they've, it's, Shepard, Suzanne Martindale, —, Anna Anderson, you've, It's, Navient, Martindale, Ryan Moran, Moran, Moran isn't, Joe Biden, I've, Anderson, forbearance, Steve Cohen, didn't Organizations: Eastern Michigan University, West, Federal Direct Loan Program, Institute for College, California's Department of Financial Protection, National Consumer Law Center, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, — Maryland Locations: Florida, —, California

☆ Heloc vs Home Equity Loan: When Are They a Good Idea?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Aly J. Yale | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

And might a home-equity loan or Heloc work for your financial needs? How home-equity loans and Helocs workHome-equity loans and Helocs—home equity lines of credit—are tools for borrowing from your home equity, or the portion of your property you actually own. To use a home-equity loan or Heloc, you need to start with a good amount of equity. Lenders generally require that you maintain at least 20% equity in the home after taking out a home-equity loan or Heloc. “With a home-equity loan or Heloc—depending on the amount of equity you have in the home—much higher amounts are available.”Home-equity loan or Heloc?

Persons: Aly J, Jeff Levinsohn, Helocs, “ We’ve, ”, Susan Waite, don’t, Zillow, Alex Madonna, Louis, ” Levinsohn, Kyle Enright, ” Madonna Organizations: Yale, Point Breeze Credit Union, Center for Joint Housing Studies, Mortgage, Association, New, ”, Federal Reserve Bank of St, “ Locations: Hunt Valley, Md, “

☆ Homeowners are tapping into home equity to get cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That means homeowners are now collectively sitting on nearly $30 trillion in home equity, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve. Other reasons that borrowers gave for taking out a HELOC or home equity loan included debt consolidation and emergency cash management. Hidden source of valueA homeowner’s equity in their home can be a tremendous source of wealth. A homeowner’s equity will fluctuate over time as they make payments on their mortgage and real estate market dynamics impact the current value of the home. Mortgage balances stay high because of home equity loansNationally, mortgage balances remain near record highs as some people turn to home equity loans, rather than HELOCs, according to a quarterly report from TransUnion.

Persons: ”, Marina Walsh, ” Walsh, HELOC originations, Joe Mellman, Freddie Mac, Mellman Organizations: DC CNN, Louis Federal Reserve, Equity Lines of, Mortgage, Association, TransUnion, “, refinances Locations: Washington, originations, U.S

☆ Famed economist David Rosenberg says the Fed's research team laughed at him in late 2007 when he warned them a recession was coming. He says the central bank is now on the verge of sparking another do
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Economist David Rosenberg told Insider that Fed employees laughed at his recession call in 2007. On October 9, 2007, shortly before the global economy plunged into recession, David Rosenberg delivered a presentation to economists and members of the research team at the Federal Reserve detailing why a downturn was coming. The Treasury yield curve is near its most inverted levels since the early 1980s. Here's the spread between the 3-month and 10-year Treasury yields. Then there's The Conference Board's Leading Economic Index, which is in recessionary territory, marked by the red lines below.

Persons: David Rosenberg, Rosenberg, Merrill Lynch, Mr, Louis Organizations: Federal Reserve, North, Conference, Fed, Federal, Rosenberg Research, Treasury, Federal Reserve Bank of St Locations: North American

☆ UK mortgage rates surge to 15-year high after surpassing 'mini-budget' peak
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Suban Abdulla | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The average two-year fixed residential mortgage rate climbed to 6.66%, narrowly exceeding the 6.65% touched on Oct. 20 and the highest since August 2008 when it stood at 6.94%, according to data provider Moneyfacts. Governor Andrew Bailey said last month there were signs of more persistent underlying inflation pressures after the BoE unexpectedly raised its Bank Rate to 5% in an effort to tame the highest inflation rate among the world's big rich economies. Swap rates, a key measure lenders use to determine the cost of mortgage borrowing, have also soared. The surge has prompted major mortgage lenders to repeatedly reprice home loan offerings. British homebuyers typically take out mortgages with an interest rate that is fixed for two or five years, and then remortgage on to a new fixed rate or accept a variable rate.

Persons: Liz Truss, Andrew Bailey, BoE, reprice, Andrew Asaam, Suban Adbulla, Sachin Ravikumar, William Schomberg, Kate Holton, Andy Bruce Organizations: Bank of England, Nationwide, Lloyds Bank, Santander, Tuesday, Treasury, Lloyds Banking Group, Thomson Locations: Britain's, British, Halifax

Average 30-year mortgage rates are now around 14 basis points higher than they were a week ago. Throughout the past couple of years, the economy became overheated, pushing up consumer prices and causing mortgage rates to spike. 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. But whether mortgage rates will drop in 2023 hinges on if the Federal Reserve can get inflation under control.

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

☆ Jobs report: What to expect from the May data
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But despite all that, the labor market has kept humming right along. And that’s largely expected to be the case, again, in Friday’s monthly jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Private sector employment increased by 278,000 jobs in May, according to ADP’s monthly National Employment Report, frequently seen as a proxy for the government’s official number. Labor turnover data released Wednesday showed that the US employment market remained tight in April. The government’s May jobs report is scheduled for Friday at 8:30 a.m.

Persons: ” Daniel Zhao, that’s, ” Julia Pollak, “, Pollak, ”, Michael Feroli, Matthew Martin, ” Pollak, it’s Organizations: Minneapolis CNN, Federal Reserve, Bureau of Labor Statistics, “, ”, Commerce Department, CNN, Labor, JPMorgan, Oxford Economics, Challenger, Conference Locations: Minneapolis, April’s

AdvertisementAdvertisementThere's no limit on the number of times you can refinance your mortgage. If you have a government-backed mortgage, you may need to wait up to a year before you can refinance. Depending on your mortgage refinance lender and the type of refinance you're looking to do, you might need to wait between six months to a year to refinance. Average refinance closing costs in 2021 were $2,375, according to ClosingCorp. But if your mortgage refinance rate will only be lower by a tiny fraction of a percentage point, then refinancing could actually cost you money.

Persons: refinance, you'll, It's, isn't Organizations: Service Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ The biggest home buyers in America are now selling more property than they're buying
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Commercial property headwinds aside, today we're looking at the residential housing market, which is undergoing its own shifts, but not exactly in the same direction. Tell someone that the housing market is so unfavorable right now that the biggest home buyers in the country are actually net sellers now. American Homes 4 Rent, for example, bought 312 single-family homes and sold 666 to start the year. Similarly, Invitation Homes, the largest owner of single-family rentals in the US, bought 194 homes and sold 297 in the first quarter of 2o23. Naturally, the housing market has slowed down for everyday Americans, too, given the steep mortgage rates and lack of affordability.

☆ A real-estate investor who started with 2 single-family houses and leveraged their debt to scale to over 2,400 rental units shares 4 tips he and his partner used to maximize cash-out refinances to pur
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Laila Maidan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The cash was then used to purchase then next set of investment properties. Whitmore and his now business partner, Joel Thompson, saw a newspaper ad for two run-down single-family houses in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Whitmore scraped the cash from two tax refunds, buying and selling used watches, and an $8,000 loan from his parents. The rental income is used to pay back the loan or mortgage, while the cash is put towards purchasing the next property. But for a $50,000 house, Whitmore says you can spot structural issues just by looking for cracks in the interior walls or in the exterior brick.

☆ Mortgage demand drops as interest rates hit a 2-month high
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Higher mortgage rates and a severe shortage of homes for sale are taking their toll on mortgage demand. Mortgage applications to purchase a home dropped 4.8% last week, compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index. Mortgage rates increased last week, even as Treasury yields were essentially flat, with the spread between the two rates widening to 310 basis points. "Mortgage rates have generally been struggling versus Treasuries since the Fed ended reinvesting its bond portfolio proceeds in late 2022," explained Matthew Graham, chief operating officer. "More recently, elevated supply of mortgage debt owing to the FDIC's various liquidation efforts have weighed on the sector."

☆ Americans’ debt surpasses $17 trillion for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

To this point, credit card debt has been rising at the sharpest pace of any debt covered in the report, said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for Bankrate. Last year, 39% carried debt month to month. Increases in credit card debt can be a either sign of confidence or struggle, he added. “For the foreseeable future, we’re stuck with high credit card rates, high balances, and more people carrying debt,” he said. “My advice would be to pay down credit card debt, as quickly and cost effectively as possible.

☆ 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%.

A rate-and-term refinance changes the terms of your old mortgage, while a cash-out refinance also lets you take money out at closing. You have two main types of refinances to choose from: a rate-and-term refinance and a cash-out refinance. How to choose between a rate-and-term refinance and a cash-out refinanceThe pros of a rate-and-term refinanceIt's more affordable than a cash-out refinance. If you're trying to choose between a cash-out refinance, home equity loan, or HELOC, know that cash-out refinance rates are usually lower. Your choice between a rate-and-term refinance and a cash-out refinance will come down to your ultimate goal behind refinancing.

☆ Negotiating Financing Provisions in Mergers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +47 min

(For the complete version of this resource, which includes initial considerations and questions counsel should ask when drafting and negotiating financing provisions in merger agreements, see Drafting and Negotiating Financing Provisions in Mergers on Practical Law.) For a private placement under Rule 144A, the financing parties may offer some flexibility regarding the required financing statements. The term refers collectively to provisions that benefit debt financing parties by limiting their liability in an acquisition financing, including provisions that provide for:No recourse to the financing parties. The target company has no recourse against the financing parties and cannot pursue litigation against the financing parties directly. The financing parties are third-party beneficiaries of the Xerox provisions to permit the financing parties to enforce their rights under the merger agreement.

Splash Financial Student Loan Refinancing Apply now Compare loan options and get your rates today. Types of Student Loans Offered by Splash FinancialSplash Financial only offers student loans refinancing in two forms, including:Student loan refinancingMedical student loan refinancingSplash Financial Student Loan Refinancing DetailsTo get a loan, you must meet the following qualifications:A low debt-to-income ratio (no more than 30%)A history of on-time paymentsGood to excellent credit (preferably 700 or higher)You should consider your federal student loan options before refinancing into any private student loan, including one with Splash Financial, as you can often get better terms and protections through the government. Splash Financial Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat credit score is needed for Splash Financial? Splash Financial CompetitorsSide-by-side snapshot Splash Financial Student Loan RefinancingLaurel Road Student Loan RefinancingEarnest Student Loan Refinancing Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Methodology: How We rated Splash Financial Student Loan RefinancingWe rate all student loan products in our reviews and guides on a 1-5 scale.

☆ Homebuyer mortgage demand jumps after interest rates drop to two-month low
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Today's housing market is so pricey that homebuyers are highly sensitive to any distinct moves in mortgage rates. They were, however, 31% lower than the same week one year ago, when interest rates were significantly lower. Buyers have been up against not only higher rates and higher home prices, but very limited supply. At today's interest rates, there are very few borrowers who can benefit from a refinance. Mortgage rates moved higher to start this week, and they could move decidedly in either direction after the government's monthly report on inflation is released Wednesday.

☆ Mortgage rates fall for the third week in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Homebuyers saw another week of falling mortgage rates, with the average rate dropping last week for the third week in a row, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. “Economic uncertainty continues to bring mortgage rates down,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. “Pent-up housing demand is evident with every gain in affordability, whether it be softening prices or lower mortgage rates,” said Jones. “The mortgage market has seen a partial revival in March, with the recent decline in mortgage rates boosting borrower demand,” said Bob Broeksmit CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Is a HELOC a good idea in 2023, and how can borrowers find the best HELOC lenders? How much you could borrow with a HELOCAccording to Boyd, the average credit line size a HELOC borrower gets is around $150,000. To find out the maximum amount you could borrow with a HELOC, multiply your home's current value by your HELOC lender's maximum CLTV. For example, Boyd says that some HELOC lenders can take 50 days or more to close. So as you start your search for a good HELOC lender, it might be worth checking out what your current bank offers.

☆ A housing downturn is causing a reckoning in the once-hot cluster of proptech startups that let homebuyers pay all cash and win bidding wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In that market, all-cash offers were king to sellers because they ensured quicker, stress-free closings. According to Redfin, all-cash offers quadrupled the chances that a homebuyer would win a bidding war. Ribbon has since paused its all-cash offering, but some of the other firms that Insider featured last year are still making all-cash offers. FlyhomesFlyhomes is a real-estate brokerage that featured all-cash-offer services for years and distinguished itself in December 2021 with a free all-cash-offer product. "The value to the buyer is different than in a seller's market," Garg said in the email.

☆ Real-estate investors seized upon a tried-and-true strategy to fix up homes and make money. Then the market turned.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Aj Latrace | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

One way: buy a home, fix it up to rent out, then refinance to get cash and buy the next one. "We looked at long-term rent and we would have been in the hole a few hundred dollars per month based on interest rates and property taxes," Holland told Insider. But a perfect storm of softening home prices, increasing taxes, higher mortgage rates, and steep building-material costs has made the BRRRR model less attractive to investors. When the BRRRR numbers don't work, Holland said, there are a few strategies investors could consider instead. But even that strategy has its own competitive advantages and disadvantages, she said, such as seasonality and uncertain income.

☆ Cash-strapped homeowners are swarming to HELOCs at the fastest rate in more than a decade to pay for food, gas, and renovations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Higher mortgage rates have curbed cash-out refinancing, one way of tapping the equity. HELOC rates have climbed, too, but homeowners have flexibility with how much financing they buy versus taking out a 30-year loan on the house. HELOC rates averaged 7.8% in mid February. High mortgage rates have created a lock-in effect in the US housing market as the majority of US home loans were created with 30-year rates below 4%. Since October, when he bought the property and started renovations, the interest rate on his loan has increased from 6.5% to 7.5%.

☆ Mortgage applications drop 28% as rates climb
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

With mortgage rates half a percentage point higher over the past month, home buyers are pulling back even as the spring home buying season should be heating up. Mortgage applications were down 5.7% for the week ending February 24 from the week prior as rates trended higher, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. “After a brief revival in application activity in January when mortgage rates dropped down, there has now been three straight weeks of declines in applications as mortgage rates have jumped 50 basis points over the past month,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist. The Fed does not set the interest rates that borrowers pay on mortgages directly, but its actions influence them. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds, which move based on a combination of anticipation about the Fed’s actions, what the Fed actually does and investors’ reactions.

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