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☆ The 'phantom debt' of buy now, pay later is growing and will soon hit some Americans hard
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Buy now, pay later plans gained popularity in 2023 as an alternative to high-interest credit cards. Buy now, pay later use surged recently and those bills are now dueThe use of buy now, pay later plans skyrocketed during the 2023 holiday season. According to Adobe, which tracks online sales, buy now, pay later plans use was up 47% on Black Friday and 43% on Cyber Monday. According to PYMNTS' survey, 39.6% of respondents used buy now, pay later plans for clothing and accessories and 33.7% used them for groceries. Buy now, pay later debt can be advantageous if used correctly.

Persons: —, Rather, Peter Cade, PYMNTS, Tim Quinlan, Shannon Seery Grein, Selcuk, Mark Luschini, Janney Montgomery Scott, Maria Bartiromo, Luschini, Warren Buffett, Buffett, I've Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, Adobe, Household Economics, Science Research Network, Economic, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Wells, US Locations: Wells Fargo

☆ Mortgages, auto loans, credit cards: Expert predictions for interest rates in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"We are in a high interest rate environment, and we're going to be in a high interest rate environment a year from now," he said. Prediction: Mortgage rates decline to 5.75%Thanks to higher mortgage rates, 2023 was the least affordable homebuying year in at least 11 years, according to a report from real estate company Redfin. McBride also expects mortgage rates to continue to ease in 2024 but not return to their pandemic-era lows. Prediction: Auto loan rates edge down to 7%When it comes to their cars, more consumers are facing monthly payments that they can barely afford, thanks to higher vehicle prices and elevated interest rates on new loans. "It will still be a banner year for savers when those returns are measured against a lower inflation rate," McBride said.

Persons: Tim Quinlan, Greg McBride, McBride, Bankrate Organizations: Finance, Fed, CNBC PRO, CNBC, YouTube Locations: Wells Fargo

☆ The 2023 stock winners investors should let ride, sell or hedge in the new year
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-01 | by ( Michael Khouw | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Let 'em ride: Several of 2023's best-performing stocks were grossly undervalued at the beginning of the year. So while investors recognized the company could deliver massive earnings and free cash flow, they were afraid Zuckerberg had gone off the reservation. The stock sports topline growth, substantial margins, a strong balance sheet, substantial free cash flow, and a moat around its business. It's time to hedge some of those gains (or take profits): The second best-performing stock in the Russell 1000 for 2023 is Coinbase (COIN) . If you own, but don't want to sell, consider purchasing the March $45/$35 put spread as a particle hedge, as illustrated below.

Persons: David Ricardo, Ricardo, Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, doesn't, Russell, cryptocurrencies, aren't, Equifax Organizations: Russell, Vertiv, Builders, Topbuild Corp, Nvidia, Investors, MU, Walmart, Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, Experian, PayPal, Palantir Technologies, Government Locations: uptrends

The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card, U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card. U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Card Annual Fee and Other CostsThe U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card is a $0-annual-fee card. U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Credit Card ComparisonU.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Secured Card vs. U.S. Bank Secured Visa CardThe U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card is a more appealing secured credit card overall because it offers rewards, while the U.S. Bank Secured Visa® Card is extremely straightforward, with no rewards, but if it's your only option it could be worth it to boost your credit score — you can worry about credit card points or cash back later. Discover it Secured CardBoth the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa® Secured Card and the Discover it® Secured Credit Card offer rewards on your spending, but the Discover it® Secured Credit Card earns cash back. U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Is the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured card worth it?

Persons: you've, It's, You'll, HBO Max, Hulu, you'll Organizations: Business Insider, U.S, EV, Business, Netflix, Spotify, Bank, Go, Card, Quicksilver, Capital, U.S . Bank, Amazon, Amazon Prime, Apple Music, Apple, DirecTV, ESPN, HBO, MLB TV, NBA, NHL, Paramount, Showtime, Slacker, Starz, YouTube, Go Visa, Visa Locations: U.S, Luminary

Updating your name with the credit bureaus can prevent delays in credit applications and other credit reporting errors. Hinterhaus Productions/Getty ImagesTransgender and nonbinary people can report their legal name change to credit bureaus. One of the many steps in your legal transition is to report your legal name change to all three credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — so it'll appear on your credit report. Its also recommended that you change your name with each of your lenders before updating your name with the credit bureaus. Box 4500Allen, TX 75013TransUnionUnlike the other two credit reporting bureaus, TransUnion requires you to change your legal name with every individual financial institution listed on their credit report first.

Persons: Hinterhaus, —, there's, TransUnion, Ryan Klippel, Klippel, folx, you'll, Experian Experian, Allen, it's Organizations: Social Security, Service, Optas, Social, TransUnion, National Center for Transgender Equality, UC Berkeley, Google, Security Locations: myEquifax, Allen , TX, Chester , PA, California

☆ Wells Fargo CEO expects severance expenses to exceed $750 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Nupur Anand | Thomson Reuters | Nupur Anand Is A U.S. Banking Correspondent At Reuters In New York. She Focuses On Jpmorgan Chase | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Charlie Scharf, CEO, Wells Fargo, speaks at the 2023 Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 2, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Wells Fargo (WFC.N) CEO Charlie Scharf told investors on Tuesday he expects to book higher-than-anticipated severance expenses between $750 million to a little less than $1 billion in the fourth quarter. The bank has reduced its workforce since the third quarter of 2020 and it stood at 227,363 at the end of third quarter of this year. Wells Fargo set aside $359 million for potential credit losses on office real estate in the third quarter, bringing total allowances to $2.6 billion for the first nine months of 2023. Wells Fargo has reduced its origination in auto loans and has also been reducing the size of its mortgage servicing portfolio.

Persons: Charlie Scharf, Wells, Mike Blake, Scharf, Goldman Sachs, " Scharf, Wells Fargo, Nupur Anand, Lananh Nguyen, Chizu Organizations: Milken, Global Conference, REUTERS, San, . Financial Services Conference, U.S, Thomson Locations: Wells Fargo, Beverly Hills , California, U.S, San Francisco, Wells

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation is slowing steadily, but it’s too early to declare victory or to discuss when the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates, Chair Jerome Powell said in prepared remarks Friday. He added, "It would be premature to conclude with confidence" that the Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate high enough to fully defeat high inflation. Nor is it time to “speculate on when policy might ease," Powell said, referring to the possibility of cuts in the Fed's benchmark interest rate, which affects many consumer and business loans. Political Cartoons View All 1274 ImagesThe Fed's policymakers are expected to leave interest rates alone when they next meet Dec. 12-13. Beginning in March 2022, the Fed raised its key rate 11 times from near zero — to about 5.4%, the highest level in 22 years.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, That's Organizations: WASHINGTON, Federal Reserve, Spelman College Locations: Atlanta

That was the lowest year-over-year inflation rate in more than 2 1/2 years. Core prices rose 3.5% in October from a year earlier, below the 3.7% year-over-year increase in September. Those price increases, though smaller than they were last year, are still faster than was typically true before the pandemic. The declines in spending on those items suggests that the Fed's rate increases are discouraging purchases in some areas. The central bank’s rate rate hikes have elevated the costs of mortgages, auto loans and other forms of consumer borrowing as well as business loans.

Persons: They've, ” Vincent Reinhart, Christopher Waller, Waller Organizations: WASHINGTON, Commerce Department, Dreyfus, Mellon, AAA, Fed Locations: Europe, U.S

☆ The Bank of America Preferred Rewards program can get you bonus credit card rewards, waived fees, and more — here's how to qualify
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Holly Johnson | Tessa Campbell | Freelance Writer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +38 min

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card Apply now lock icon An icon in the shape of lock. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card Apply now lock icon An icon in the shape of lock. Insider’s Take The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card is worth considering if you're looking for a no-annual-fee cash-back credit card that lets you choose your highest rewards category. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card review External link Arrow An arrow icon, indicating this redirects the user." How to earn more credit card rewards by joining Bank of America Preferred RewardsAt this point, you're probably wondering how much more you'll earn in rewards by becoming a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member.

Persons: you’ve, takeout, Wells, We're, Merrill, Susan G Organizations: Business Insider, Alaska Airlines Visa, Virgin Atlantic, Mastercard, Bank of America, of America, ® Wells, Chase, Bank of America's, Vehicle, Cable, Services, Bank of America Travel Center, TSA, Travel Insurance, Komen, Rewards Bank of America, Business, Mobile Banking, Cash, Travel, Merrill, Bank, America, Merrill Guided

☆ Market vulnerabilities and a possible U.S. recession: Strategists give their cautious predictions for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The market is now largely pricing a peak at the current Fed funds target range of 5.25-5.5%, with interest rate cuts to come next year. watch now"At the outer edges of the economy there is obvious stress that is likely to spread in 2024 with rates at these levels. So it's easy to see how bad levered investments could have been made that would be vulnerable to this higher rate regime." Recession risk 'delayed rather than diminished' In a roundtable event on Tuesday, JPMorgan Asset Management strategists echoed this note of caution, claiming that the risk of a U.S. recession was "delayed rather than diminished" as the impact of higher rates feeds through into the economy. "I think the the key conclusion here is that interest rates do still bite, it's just taking longer this time around," she said.

Persons: Victor J, Jim Reid, David Folkerts, Landau, Reid, Folkerts, GSAM, Karen Ward, it's Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Blue, Bloomberg, Getty, Monetary, Federal Reserve, Deutsche Bank, Global Economics, Research, Silicon Valley Bank, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, European Central Bank, Fed, ECB, JPMorgan, Management Locations: New York, Washington, U.S, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Hungary, Mexico, Peru, Poland

The better your credit score, the better your interest rate on a car loan is likely to be. You should look at the monthly cost of the loan, but also the total cost long-term. Before applying for a car loan, it's crucial to check your credit score and take steps to improve it if necessary. It's important to leave room in your budget for unexpected expenses and to avoid becoming financially strained due to excessive car loan payments. A substantial down payment can work wonders in reducing the total cost of your car loan.

Persons: doesn't, — Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Quicken Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

☆ What is the federal funds rate?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Karen Fernandez | Richard Richtmyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Set by the Federal Reserve, the federal funds rate is the interest banks charge each other to borrow money overnight. The federal funds rate (or fed funds rate, for short) is only used between banks. The federal funds rate is an interbank interest rate. Federal funds rate FAQsWhat happens when the federal funds rate is high? Is the federal funds rate the same as the prime rate?

Persons: — Organizations: Federal Reserve, Service, Federal, Finance, Fed, Market, Fed's, Governors, Federal Reserve Bank

☆ Americans broke a record for spending on Black Friday, but it is just hiding a bigger problem for the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Cork Gaines | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Many are delaying the cost as buy now, pay later programs are expected to have their biggest month ever. Many are paying via "buy now, pay later" platforms such as Klarna or Afterpay, which let shoppers pay in installments every week or month. Buy now, pay later also allows people to borrow less expensively as they get the pricing interest-free if paid off in time. Indeed, the Fed's "2022 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking" found that 83% of respondents paid off their buy now, pay later programs on time. Compounding the problem is that people tend to spend more when using buy now, pay later programs, suggesting an overconfidence in what they can afford.

Persons: —, Salesforce, Beryl Tomay, Klarna, Mark Luschini, Janney Montgomery Scott, Maria Bartiromo, Luschini, Michael Landsberg, Landsberg Bennett, Kraig, Foreman Organizations: Black, Service, Adobe, Mastercard, CNBC, Business, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Household Economics, Social Science Research Network, Wealth Management Locations: Landsberg

☆ Americans broke a record for spending on Black Friday, but it's just hiding a bigger problem for the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Cork Gaines | Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

While high interest rates have boosted the banks' lending margins, residential mortgages, auto loans and commercial real estate loans have slowed as consumers and businesses pulled back. With interest rates forecast to remain high, renewal of the mortgages will squeeze household budgets. Banks are also rethinking lending to industries sensitive to high interest rates, from condo development to office space. "We want to make sure we have some kind of confidence when a project is going to go ahead," said Victoria Girardo, Canadian Western Bank's (CWB.TO) VP in real estate lending. "That is creating liquidity issues across the real estate developer space.

Persons: Carlos Osorio, Ebrahim Poonawala, Mike Rizvanovic, Rizvanovic, Banks, Victoria Girardo, Nigel D'Souza, Nivedita Balu, Mark Porter Organizations: Bank of Montreal, REUTERS, Rights TORONTO, U.S, National Bank, Bank, Veritas Investment Research, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada, Toronto

☆ Record-setting holiday sales hit $12 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Enticed by deep discounts, Americans are expected to celebrate Cyber Monday by spending a record-setting $12 billion online shopping. The early results suggest the holiday shopping season is off to a positive start, aided in part by lower gas prices. Another popular measure of holiday spending, Mastercard SpendingPulse, found e-commerce sales jumped by an even stronger 8.5% year-over-year on Black Friday. In another sign of sturdy consumer spending, Americans continue to travel aggressively. That’s down 63 cents from the peak in September and marks 60 consecutive days of falling gas prices.

Persons: New York CNN —, ” Michelle Meyer, men’s hoodies, Mastercard SpendingPulse, ”, Mastercard’s Meyer, That’s, Sensormatic, Covid, Meyer, ” Meyer Organizations: New, New York CNN, Mastercard Economics Institute, CNN, Adobe Analytics, Adobe, JCPenney, Mastercard, SpendingPulse, Bank of America, Transportation Security Administration, Federal Reserve, AAA Locations: New York

☆ Investors can get a 5.6% yield with this 'first-rate' ultrashort bond ETF
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

As investors hunt for yield, many are turning to actively managed exchange-traded funds focused on bonds, like Pimco's Enhanced Short Maturity Active ETF . The fund, which has a 5.6% 30-day SEC yield, is a "a first-rate ultrashort ETF," Morningstar senior analyst Paul Olmsted wrote in August. Trading under the ticker symbol MINT, the ETF holds fixed income securities with durations of no more than one year. In fact, investors flooded into the fund in October, making it the actively managed bond ETF with the highest inflows last month, according to FactSet. Investors can capture that higher yield on the short end of the yield curve, Schneider said.

Persons: Paul Olmsted, Morningstar, Jerome Schneider, Pimco's, Schneider, FactSet, Matthew Bartolini, It's, Treasurys —, who's Organizations: SEC, Morningstar, MINT, Street Global Advisors, Research, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Federal, Bear Stearns Locations: Pimco

Keeping my credit score high will also help if I take out a small business loan as an entrepreneur. I decided to ask certified financial planner Patrick Marcinko for ideas for how I could leverage my high credit score to help with future financial goals. "With a high credit score, lenders are more willing to give you a better deal on mortgage rates. How I can keep my credit score highSince it's taken me quite some time to achieve this high credit score, I asked Marcinko for ways that I can maintain it in the new year. Additionally, Marcinko says that with a high credit score, I might have access to perks and benefits that credit card companies reserve for those with strong credit.

Persons: —, I've, Patrick Marcinko, Marcinko Organizations: Service

☆ US demand for new credit down in 2023, New York Fed survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People walk by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in the financial district of New York City, U.S., June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Demand for new credit in the U.S. over the last year has declined and will likely stay soft in the future, according to a survey released on Monday by the New York Federal Reserve. But even as the overall application rate for new credit declined among those surveyed, interest in applying for more credit card debt rose. The survey said that reading had hit 29% as of October and was 26% for 2023, compared to a 27.2% credit card application rate in 2019. The report noted that expected decline in applications for credit extended to new credit cards, auto loans, mortgages and home refinancing.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Michael S, Paul Simao Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New, REUTERS, New York Federal Reserve, Fed, Consumer, New York Fed, Thomson Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York City, U.S

☆ Toyota financing arm fined $60 million by consumer watchdog for car loan scam
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — The U.S. financing arm for Toyota was fined $60 million Monday by a federal consumer regulator for preventing car buyers from canceling add-ons to their loans. "Toyota's lending arm illegally withheld refunds, made borrowers run through obstacle courses to cancel unwanted services, and tarnished their credit reports," said Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra. Toyota Motor Credit Corp., or TMCC, violated the Consumer Financial Protection Act by preventing customers from canceling loan add-ons that cost on average between $700 and $2,500 per loan, according to a consent order. TMCC is ordered to pay $48 million in consumer redress and a $12 million civil money penalty to the CFPB's victims relief fund. "Given the growing burdens of auto loan payments on Americans, we will continue to pursue large auto lenders that cheat their customers," Chopra said.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Rohit Chopra, Chopra, Vincent Bray Organizations: Toyota, Financial, Toyota Motor Credit Corp, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Toyota Financial Services, CNBC Locations: The U.S

“Any time we’ve had a serious cut to the inflation rate, it’s come with a major recession," Goolsbee said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And so the golden path is a ... bigger soft landing than conventional wisdom believes has ever been possible. Last week, the government reported that inflation cooled in October, with core prices — which exclude volatile food and energy prices — rising just 0.2% from September. The year-over-year increase in core prices — 4% — was the smallest in two years. The Fed tracks core prices because they are considered a better gauge of inflation's future path.

Persons: Goolsbee, we’ve, ” Goolsbee, “, Susan Collins, ” Collins, hasn't Organizations: WASHINGTON, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Associated Press, Wall, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Workers at Ford voted 69.3% in favor of the pact, which passed with nearly a 15,000-vote margin in balloting that ended early Saturday. Earlier this week, GM workers narrowly approved a similar contract. They also agreed in principle to bring new electric-vehicle battery plants into the national union contract. This provision will give the UAW an opportunity to unionize the EV battery plants plants, which will represent a rising share of industry jobs in the years ahead. Contracts with the auto companies should also lead to higher wages at auto-parts supply companies and in other industries, Wheaton said.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, ”, Wheaton, United States —, Hyundai —, Mark McGill, ” McGill, he'll, Ford, John Lawler, Michelle Krebs, Krebs, Joe Biden, Cornell's Wheaton, Biden, didn't Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Ford, General Motors, Workers, UAW, Cornell University, United States — Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, Tesla, Foreign, GM, Chrysler, Bronco, Cox Automotive, Cox Locations: Stellantis, United States, Wheaton, Wayne , Michigan, U.S, Detroit, Belvidere , Illinois, Scranton , Pennsylvania

☆ Target CEO signals a halt to revenge spending and delays in impulse buys
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTarget's CEO said Wednesday that customers are continuing to make more tradeoffs in their family budgets and delay some spending. The lower price-points are meant to inspire more of the unplanned purchases that make a Target run a Target run. "This year, we've seen more and more consumers delaying their spending until the last moment," Cornell said. "It all puts pressure on discretionary spending."

Persons: —, Brian Cornell, Christina Hennington, we've, Cornell, Anna Wong Organizations: Service, Bloomberg Economics, Target

Retail sales fell 0.1% last month after jumping a strong 0.9% in September, according to a report released Wednesday by the Commerce Department. Excluding sales of gas and autos, retail sales ticked up 0.1%. “The October retail sales report was stronger than expectations, but confirmed a slowdown in consumption,” Ellen Zentner, chief U.S. economist at Morgan Stanley, wrote in a note to clients. Restaurants and bars reported a 0.3% sales increase, though that was much lower than September's 1.6% gain. The government’s monthly retail sales report offers only a partial look at consumer spending; it doesn’t include many services, including health care, travel and hotel lodging.

Persons: “, ” Ellen Zentner, Morgan Stanley Organizations: Commerce Department, Consumer, Walmart, Target, Federal Reserve, National Retail Federation Locations: U.S, Europe, United States

☆ Cramer says these 4 stocks will benefit from the end of Fed's rate-hiking cycle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. "We've been big fans of what [Fed Chair] Jay Powell is doing and staying the course and our portfolio reflects that," Jim Cramer said Tuesday. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Stocks, We've, Jay Powell, Stanley Black, Decker, Morgan Stanley, James Gorman, they've, They're, Jim, We're, Jim Cramer's Organizations: CNBC, Federal, Treasury, Procter, Gamble, Nvidia, TJX Companies Locations: Homegoods

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