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☆ China stocks see best week since 2008 on stimulus impact as most Asia markets rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese markets clocked their best week in almost 16 years as the mainland’s CSI 300 rallied 15.7% this week, buoyed by several economic stimulus measures by the central bank. The last time the index saw a bigger weekly gain was the week ending Nov. 14, 2008. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index recorded a weekly gain of 12.75%, making it the index’s best week since February 1998, according to FactSet data. Tokyo’s headline inflation rate eased to 2.2%, down from August’s 2.6%. A slate of fresh U.S. economic data also supported the market’s gains, with weekly jobless claims falling more than expected, pointing to a steady labor market.

Persons: Hong, PBOC, Shigeru Ishiba, Sanae Takaichi, Korea’s Kospi, Australia’s, ’ Organizations: CSI, People’s Bank of China, Google, Shanghai Stock Exchange, Reuters, Japan’s Nikkei, of Japan, U.S ., Micron Technology, Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial Locations: China, Shanghai, Asia, Pacific, Tokyo, August’s, U.S

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowWhat Are Today's Mortgage Refinance Rates? 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. Current 30-Year Mortgage RatesAverage 30-year mortgage rates are hovering around 5.80%, according to Zillow data. Mortgage rates are determined by a variety of different factors, including larger economic trends, Federal Reserve policy, your state's current mortgage rates, the type of loan you're getting, and your personal financial profile. But now that inflation has decelerated and the Fed is expected to cut rates soon, mortgage rates have trended down.

Persons: they've, Lawrence Yun, Freddie Mac, it's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal, National Association of Realtors, Zillow, Fed, Mortgage, Association, ARM, . Government Locations: Chevron, Government

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Costco, Super Micro Computer and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-27 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Costco Wholesale — The membership-only retailer saw shares dip about 1% after the company missed expectations for fiscal fourth-quarter revenue. Super Micro Computer — Shares of the artificial intelligence beneficiary slipped 2%, adding to their 12% loss in the previous session. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. Justice Department had opened a probe on the company. Dollar General — Shares fell 2% after Citi downgraded Dollar General to sell from neutral, saying Walmart 's increasing dominance in retail, especially on pricing, has the dollar store "on the wrong side." HP Inc. — The tech hardware stock fell about 2% after a downgrade to neutral from buy at Bank of America.

Persons: Myers Squibb, Costco, Hindenburg, Morgan Stanley, —, KeyBanc, — CNBC's Hakyung Kim, Lisa Kailai Han, Yun Li, Sarah Min, Jesse Pound, Samantha Subin, Michelle Fox Organizations: Myers, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk —, JPMorgan, Costco Wholesale, Revenue, Street Journal, U.S . Justice Department, U.S . Securities, Exchange Commission, Wynn Resorts, Citi, Walmart, HP Inc, Bank of America, HP Locations: Bristol, U.S, Novo Nordisk — U.S, Danish

China's industrial profits plunged by 17.8% in August from a year ago, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. Industrial profits covers factories, mines and utilities in China. Sluggish domestic demand, a prolonged housing downturn and rising unemployment have weighed on the world's second largest economy. In August, China's industrial activity, retail sales and urban investment all grew slower than expected, with retail sales rising by barely more than 2% and industrial production by 4.5% from a year ago. The urban unemployment rate was 5.3% in August, an uptick from 5.2% in the previous month.

Persons: China's, Xi Jinping, Pan Gongsheng Organizations: National Bureau of Statistics, People's Bank of China Locations: China's, Jiangsu, China, Beijing

☆ Home buying in the U.S. by county: Cost, availability, competition and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Jasmine Cui | Jasmine Cui Is A Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

The conditions on the ground can vary widely across state and even county lines. The higher the index value, the higher the difficulty. A low index value, of 10 for example, suggests better purchasing conditions for a buyer — low interest rates, ample homes for sale. Chambers County, Texas, near Houston, is one of the 50 least difficult places to buy in in the country as of May, with low scores on scarcity, cost and competition. For July, the national Home Buyer Index was 85.3, nearly even with June and two points lower than it was this time one year ago.

Organizations: NBC, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Chambers, U.S Locations: Chambers County , Texas, Houston, Coconino County , Arizona

Unless the economic outlook changes, mortgage rates may hold steady for the rest of 2024. If they were to weaken unexpectedly, that could spur the Fed to cut rates more aggressively, which in turn could push mortgage rates down further. 5-Year Mortgage Rate TrendsHere's how 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates have trended over the last five years, according to Freddie Mac data. But now that inflation has decelerated and the Fed is expected to cut rates soon, mortgage rates have trended down. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, They've, they've, Freddie Mac, it's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Fed, Zillow, ARM, Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Mortgage, Association Locations: Chevron

☆ Elon Musk talks a lot about free speech. But account suspensions on X have skyrocketed.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk purchased Twitter with a pledge to make it a bastion for free speech. AdvertisementA new "transparency report" from X might surprise anyone who has heard its owner, Elon Musk, talk about the importance of free speech. Three years after Musk took control of the company and rebranded it X, it has finally released a new transparency report. According to its transparency reports at the time, Twitter suspended almost 873,000 accounts in the last half of 2019. That number grew to about 1.3 million account suspensions in the latter half of 2021.

Persons: Elon Musk, Musk, Alex Jones, Donald Trump, —, X, Donald Trump's, Infowars, Ken Klippenstein's, JD Vance, Trump's, Trump Organizations: Elon, Service, Twitter, CNN, Social, Trump, takedowns Locations: Brazil, Turkey, India

Though mortgage rates are expected to continue trending down, it's unclear how much further they might drop. 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 Mortgage Rates TodayAverage 30-year mortgage rates are hovering around 5.80% today, according to Zillow data. 15-Year Mortgage Rates TodayAverage 15-year mortgage rates are right around 5%, according to Zillow data. 5-Year Mortgage Rate TrendsHere's how 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates have trended over the last five years, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: you'll, they've, Freddie Mac, it's, They'll Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Fed Locations: U.S, Chevron

☆ How Austin, Texas Cut Home Prices, Built Houses, and Stopped a Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

But as other pandemic Zoomtowns continue to see increases in prices and rents, Austin stands alone in its change of fortune. Housing in Austin has been through so many extreme distortions that nobody really knows what "normal" even means anymore. All told, Austin's housing stock has ballooned by more than 76,000 units since 2020, an 8.34% increase that includes single-family homes, condos, and townhomes. Considering the size of the Austin market, moving the stock of homes by nearly 10% is a colossal feat. Related storiesNobody watching the Austin market should be having flashbacks to the Great Recession.

Persons: Austin, homebuyers, homebuilders, Zillow, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Homebuyers, Keith Hughes, I'd, That's, Jason Lewris, Lewris, Doreen Sidney, Austin wasn't, Austin's homebuilders, Freddie, Sean Kelly, Rand, Freddie Mac, Jenny Schuetz, homebuilding, Kelly, he's Organizations: Austin, Oracle, Facebook, Google, Elon, Census, Parcl Labs, Federal Reserve, San Antonio —, Austin ., Freddie Mac, Brookings Institution Locations: California, Austin, Real, Texas, Francisco, San Francisco, San Antonio, Boston

☆ Justice Department accuses Visa of debit network monopoly that affects price of ‘nearly everything’
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday sued Visa, the world’s biggest payments network, saying it propped up an illegal monopoly over debit payments by imposing “exclusionary” agreements on partners and smothering upstart firms. “Merchants and banks pass along those costs to consumers, either by raising prices or reducing quality or service,” Garland said. They are essentially toll collectors, shuffling payments between the merchants’ banks and cardholders. ″Visa wields its dominance, enormous scale, and centrality to the debit ecosystem to impose a web of exclusionary agreements on merchants and banks,” the DOJ said in its release. “These agreements penalize Visa’s customers who route transactions to a different debit network or alternative payment system.”This is a developing story.

Persons: monopolization, “, General Merrick Garland, ” Garland Organizations: U.S . Justice, Visa, DOJ, “, MasterCard, fintech, Plaid, Mastercard Locations: New York, U.S

☆ NFL Week 4 Power Rankings: Vikings, Seahawks among early-season surprises
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Josh Kendall | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +25 min

It’s only Week 4 in the NFL, and already the league has given us plenty of surprises. AdvertisementLast week: 2Monday: Beat Jacksonville Jaguars 47-10Surprise: That all of their offseason losses haven’t hurtIn fact, some of them might have helped. Seattle Seahawks (3-0)Last week: 10Sunday: Beat Miami Dolphins 24-3Surprise: This team leads the NFC West by two gamesIt’s not the 49ers. pic.twitter.com/5ZUE81lJQm — NFL (@NFL) September 20, 202416. For the season, NFL kickers have hit 76.5 percent of their field goals from beyond 50 yards.

Persons: Trevor Lawrence, we’ve, Josh Allen, Allen, Damar Hamlin, Travis, isn’t, Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Amon, Ra St, Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Gibbs, J., m., abel, m. E Organizations: NFL, Seattle Seahawks, Beat Jacksonville Jaguars, Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Beat Atlanta Falcons, Chiefs, ”, Los Angeles Chargers, Beat Arizona Cardinals Locations: 7 y, 9 y, 1 y, 4 y, 2 y, 5 y

☆ Visa is being sued for illegal monopoly that adds to the price of ‘nearly everything’
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Hannah Rabinowitz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The US Justice Department filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing Visa of illegally monopolizing the debit card market. The antitrust suit is one of several major actions taken by the Justice Department recently. It also comes just three years after the Justice Department sued to block Visa from merging with financial technology startup Plaid. According to the new complaint against Visa, which was filed in federal court in New York, more than 60% of debit transactions in the country take place on Visa’s debit network. Visa, in turn, is able to charge more than $7 billion in processing fees on those transactions, the department says.

Persons: General Merrick Garland, “, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Justice Department, Visa, CNN, Justice Department, Google, Plaid, ” Merchants, Mastercard, National Retail Foundation Locations: New York

☆ Justice Department accuses Visa of debit network monopoly that impacts price of 'nearly everything’
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday sued Visa , the world's biggest payments network, saying it propped up an illegal monopoly over debit payments by imposing "exclusionary" agreements on partners and smothering upstart firms. "Merchants and banks pass along those costs to consumers, either by raising prices or reducing quality or service," Garland said. "As a result, Visa's unlawful conduct affects not just the price of one thing – but the price of nearly everything." "These agreements penalize Visa's customers who route transactions to a different debit network or alternative payment system." 4 behind Visa, MasterCard and American Express .

Persons: Merrick Garland, Garland, Joe Biden's, Discover's Organizations: U.S . Justice, Visa, DOJ, MasterCard, fintech, Plaid, Mastercard, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Capital, Discover Financial, American Express Locations: New York, U.S

Now that the Fed has cut rates, mortgage rates have generally held steady. 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. Current 30-Year Mortgage RatesAverage 30-year mortgage rates have been holding steady at around 5.70%, according to Zillow data. Mortgage rates are determined by a variety of different factors, including larger economic trends, Federal Reserve policy, your state's current mortgage rates, the type of loan you're getting, and your personal financial profile. Now that the Fed has cut rates, mortgage rates may not drop further for the rest of the month.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's, they've Organizations: Federal, Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ China’s youth unemployment hits fresh high amid economic slowdown and restrictive hiring policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | Lee Ying Shan Is A News Associate With Cnbc International Based In Singapore. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

China’s youth unemployment rate in August rose to the highest level since the new system of record-keeping began in December, driven by an economic slowdown and restrictive hiring policies, according to analysts. China’s urban unemployment rate across all age categories rose 5.3% in August, compared to a 5.2% rise in July. China’s youth unemployment has also been affected by restrictive hiring policies amid a struggling economy as companies are refusing to hire recent college graduates due to the difficulty and costs involved in firing workers in China. This is expensive so no one wants to fire anyone now or hire anyone new,” he noted. “That’s why the [overall] unemployment rate isn’t that bad but the unemployment rate for youths is so high,” Rein added.

Persons: That’s, “ It’s, ”, Dan Wang, Shaun Rein, “, ” Rein Organizations: National Bureau, Statistics, HSBC, China Market Research, “ Locations: China

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 Mortgage Rates TodayAverage 30-year mortgage rates are hovering near 5.70%, according to Zillow data. 15-Year Mortgage Rates TodayAverage 15-year mortgage rates are near 5%, according to Zillow data. Last month, 30-year refinance rates averaged 6.59%, while 15-year refinance rates were around 5.90%. 5-Year Mortgage Rate TrendsHere's how 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates have trended over the last five years, according to Freddie Mac data.

Persons: you'll, Freddie Mac, it's, they've, They'll, refinance Organizations: Zillow, Fed Locations: Chevron

☆ Here are 3 stocks to buy after the Fed's 'crisis level cut,' according to one strategist
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The move they made is a big cut," SlateStone Wealth's Kenny Polcari told CNBC's " Street Signs Asia " on Sept. 19. Calling it a "crisis level cut," he added that "people [are] scratching their heads, going, what's it really mean?" Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stressed that the big rate cut does not signal that the risk of a recession is elevated. According to FactSet data, of the 20 analysts covering the stock, 18 give it a buy or overweight rating, while two have a hold rating. Biotech play Another stock Polcari is bullish on is biopharmaceutical player Amgen , given its pipeline of new products .

Persons: Kenny Polcari, CNBC's, Jerome Powell, Polcari, Amgen, — CNBC's Sean Conlon Organizations: U.S, Biotech, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Euronext, Nasdaq, Nvidia Locations: Federal, U.S, Amgen, Euronext Amsterdam, Dutch, ASML

☆ China's youth unemployment hits fresh high amid economic slowdown and restrictive hiring policies
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-23 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

China's youth unemployment rate in August rose to the highest level since the new system of record-keeping began in December, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed, amid an economic slowdown. China's urban unemployment rate across all age categories rose 5.3% in August, compared to a 5.2% climb in July. China paused reporting the youth unemployment rate for much of the latter half of last year while it reassessed its calculation methods. China's youth unemployment has also been affected by restrictive hiring policies amid a struggling economy as companies are refusing to hire recent college graduates due to the difficulty and costs involved in firing workers in China. "That's why the [overall] unemployment rate isn't that bad but the unemployment rate for youths is so high," Rein added.

Persons: That's, Dan Wang, Shaun Rein, Rein Organizations: National Bureau, Statistics, HSBC, China Market Research, People's Bank of Locations: China, People's Bank of China

As the Fed lowers its benchmark rate, mortgage rates are expected to ease in 2024 and 2025. A lot of people assume that when the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates will drop, too. By the time the Fed actually gets around to cutting rates, mortgage rates typically already reflect the impact of that cut. 5-Year Mortgage Rate TrendsHere's how 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates have trended over the last five years, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates are determined by a variety of different factors, including larger economic trends, Federal Reserve policy, your state's current mortgage rates, the type of loan you're getting, and your personal financial profile.

Persons: they've, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, Zillow, ARM, Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates for September 21, 2024, are around 5.70%, according to Zillow data. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowWhat Are Today's Mortgage Refinance Rates? 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. Current 30-Year Mortgage RatesAverage 30-year mortgage rates have increased slightly and are hovering around 5.70%, according to Zillow data. But now that inflation has decelerated and the Fed is expected to cut rates soon, mortgage rates have trended down.

Persons: Freddie Mac, it's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Labor Department, Zillow, Fed, Mortgage, Association, ARM, . Government Locations: Chevron, Government

☆ Buffalo Bills fans can buy bonds to finance the team's new stadium
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-20 | by ( Jake Piazza | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Josh Allen, #17 of the Buffalo Bills, warms up prior to an NFL game against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Sept. 12, 2024. It won't be an ordinary "Monday Night Football" gameday for Buffalo Bills fans next week. Erie County, where Buffalo sits, is selling the bonds to help fund half the $250 million it agreed to put up for the new stadium. The new stadium will be owned by the Erie County Stadium Corporation and the Bills will pay rent. The Buffalo Bills are 2-0 this season and take on the winless Jaguars on Monday night.

Persons: Josh Allen, Kevin Hardwick, Hardwick Organizations: Buffalo Bills, NFL, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Bills, Retail, Investments, CNBC's Official NFL, National Football League, Kansas City Chiefs, Erie, Stadium Corporation Locations: Miami Gardens , Florida, Orchard Park, Buffalo, Erie County, New York, Erie

Now that the Fed has cut rates, mortgage rates may not drop much further in the near term. But if the Fed doesn't lower rates as much as expected this year, mortgage rates may hold steady or even inch up. But rates are still expected to come down further, so it may also be worth waiting to see how low mortgage rates go. 5-Year Mortgage Rate TrendsHere's how 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates have trended over the last five years, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates are determined by a variety of different factors, including larger economic trends, Federal Reserve policy, your state's current mortgage rates, the type of loan you're getting, and your personal financial profile.

Persons: Lawrence Yun, you'll, they've, Freddie Mac, it's, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Wednesday, National Association of Realtors, Consumers, Zillow, ARM, Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Fed, Mortgage, Association Locations: Chevron

$ 5.34 $ 5.34 Estimated Environmental cost + $ 22.02 Say a pound of beef costs $5.34 at your local supermarket. The Hidden Environmental Costs of Food Damage to the natural world isn’t factored into the price of food. The proponents of true cost accounting don’t propose raising food prices across the board, but they say that increased awareness of the hidden environmental cost of food could change behavior. (True cost accounting also typically includes things like labor rights and dietary health, but here we’re focusing on environmental costs.) Large disparities between the retail price of food and its environmental costs are found in the proteins many of us eat every day.

Persons: True Price, ”, Claire van den Broek, “ They’re, Alexander Müller, True, “, Scott Swinton, Roger Cryan, Mario Herrero, chickpeas Organizations: United Nations, Rockefeller Foundation, True, Sustainability, Michigan State University, American Farm Bureau Federation, New, Cornell University, Price, Beef, Oxford University, “, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Mountain, United Nations Food, Agriculture Organization Locations: Dutch, United States, Berlin, New York State, Denmark, Walmart.com, U.S, North America, Europe, Brazil, India, Netherlands, Germany

☆ Ray Dalio says the Fed faces a tough balancing act as the economy faces 'enormous amount of debt'
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates co-chairman and co-chief investment officer, speaks during the Skybridge Capital SALT New York 2021 conference. Brendan McDermid | ReutersAs the U.S. Federal Reserve implemented its first interest rate cut since the early Covid pandemic, billionaire investor Ray Dalio flagged that the U.S. economy still faces an "enormous amount of debt." The central bank's decision to cut the federal funds rate by 50 basis points to a range of 4.75% to 5%. On Wednesday, Dalio listed debt, money and the economic cycle as one of the top five forces influencing the global economy. The country's central bank only recently lifted interest rates in March this year.

Persons: Ray Dalio, Brendan McDermid, CNBC's, Dalio, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris Organizations: Bridgewater Associates, Reuters, U.S . Federal Reserve, Federal, U.S . Treasury Department Locations: U.S, Japan

☆ Influencer couple denies leaving kids alone on cruise
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-19 | by ( Julia Buckley | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —For most people, dinner on a cruise ship is a time to relax. The couple thanked their family for helping to watch the children during the cruise, and also thanked the public. Cruise ship childcareMany cruise lines offer childcare options. “It is generally not safe for a child under eight to be left alone at home, and a cruise ship cabin is no different,” he said. There are just too many unexpected things that could happen when children are left alone in a cruise cabin or hotel room.”

Persons: Abby, Matt Howard, Abby Howard, ”, muchhhh, Howard, Abby’s, “, “ We’re, It’s, Matt Thiemann, Thiemann Organizations: CNN, ” CNN, Howards, Royal Caribbean’s, Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, tots, Holland America Locations: Arizona, Holland

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