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☆ Fed officials are divided, but holding rates steady in September seems likely
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington, DC CNN —Federal Reserve officials meet next month to determine whether to raise interest rates for the 12th time to cool the economy or hold them steady. Some officials think the Fed has already raised its benchmark lending rate enough to curb inflation, but others think it’s too soon to tap the brakes. Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker echoed that sentiment in a speech last week, saying “I believe we may be at the point where we can be patient and hold rates steady.”Other Fed officials agree. “Inflation is still significantly above” the Fed’s 2% target, Fed governor Michelle Bowman said last week at an event in Atlanta. The Federal Reserve releases minutes from its July policymaking meeting as well as July figures on industrial production.

Persons: ” Rajeev Sharma, ”, Jerome Powell, Patrick Harker, “, Raphael Bostic, there’s, Michelle Bowman, ” Carol Schleif, ” Schleif, Katie Lobosco, Brinker Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN — Federal Reserve, Key Private Bank, CNN, “, Fed, Financial, Philadelphia Fed, Atlanta Fed, BMO Family Office, Internal Revenue, Tax Administration, IRS, Kansas City Tax Processing, Fresno Tax Processing, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Depot, US Commerce Department, Target, Federal Reserve, Walmart Locations: Washington, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, Atlanta, Kansas, Fresno

☆ Amazon warns employees who don’t go to the office enough
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Amazon has warned some of its US-based office workers that it is keeping a close eye on their in-person attendance at work, sending emails to those it believes are not complying with its return-to-office policies. Still other Amazon employees, however, claimed they received the email despite complying with the policy, and some said they did not receive the corporate email despite never going in to the office. In response to CNN’s request for comment, Amazon said it sent a follow-up email to employees clarifying who was meant to receive the original message: those who have rarely used their workplace ID badges to enter an Amazon office building. Amazon’s signal to workers that it is tracking their attendance comes after more than 1,000 of its corporate employees staged a walkout in May to protest the office policy. Still, even as Amazon chided certain employees this week for not showing up in person, some expressed an indifference to the warning.

Persons: “, ”, Meta, Mark Zuckerberg Organizations: DC CNN, Amazon, CNN, Google Locations: Washington

☆ US consumers are feeling less optimistic about the economy for the first time this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Americans became slightly less optimistic about the economy this month, following two straight months of growing confidence. Sentiment had been on an upswing throughout the summer, mostly due to slower inflation, and is well above the record lows reached this time last year. Signs of cooling inflationGas prices, which are highly visible indicators of inflation for consumers, have risen in recent weeks, which could weigh on sentiment in the future. Still, consumers face the resumption of student loan payments later this year, and that could weigh on household budgets. US consumers opened up their wallets this summer, with many flocking to the smash-hit “Barbie” movie, attending concerts by Taylor Swift or Beyoncé, or traveling abroad.

Persons: “, ”, Joanne Hsu, Ryan Sweet, bode, Kieran Clancy, Barbie, Taylor Swift Organizations: DC CNN, University of Michigan, University of Michigan’s, University, Oxford Economics, Federal Reserve Bank of San, Pantheon, Consumer, Commerce Department, Federal, Atlanta Locations: Washington, June’s, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Michigan

☆ Manhattan rents hit a record high for the third time in four months
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —Rents in Manhattan hit another all-time high in July, the third record high in the past four months, even as rents are cooling in other parts of the country. That’s up 6% from a year ago and up 2.3% from June, when rents hit were at $4,300. A one-bedroom apartment in the borough had a median rent of $4,295, up 7.4% from last year; while a two-bedroom apartment had a median rent of $5,200, up 4% from a year ago. Not only did median rents go up, but the amount of concessions — or incentives offered by landlords — continued to drop. All the metrics for rent tracked in the report — including median rent, median rent inclusive of concessions and the average rent — hit record highs.

Persons: Douglas Elliman, Miller Samuel, That’s, —, ”, Jonathan Miller, Miller, “ Organizations: DC CNN Locations: Washington, Manhattan, New York City, Brooklyn, Queens, New York

The closely watched court fight reflects how social media has become an informational battleground for major social issues. It has revealed the messy challenges for social media companies as they try to manage the massive amounts of information on their platforms. “For example, if there were a natural disaster, and there were untrue statements circulating on social media that were damaging to the public interest, the government would be powerless under the injunction to discourage social media companies from further disseminating those incorrect statements,” said Daniel Tenny, a Justice Department lawyer. Were social media platforms pressured? Earlier this week, he and other Republican lawmakers filed their own brief to the appeals court, accusing the Biden administration of a campaign to stifle speech.

Persons: Biden, ”, Daniel Tenny, “, John Sauer, ’, Terry Doughty, Christopher Wray, Trump, Jim Jordan, ” Jordan Organizations: DC CNN, of Homeland Security, Health, Human Services, Appeals, Fifth Circuit, Justice Department, “, Senate Intelligence, Ohio Republican, Biden Administration, Big Tech Locations: Washington, New Orleans, United States, Missouri, Louisiana

☆ The rising cost of shelter represented 90% of last month’s inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

After steadily increasing, year-over-year shelter inflation has moved down for four consecutive months, from 8.2% in March to 7.7% in July. “Our baseline forecast suggests that year-over-year shelter inflation will continue to slow through late 2024 and may even turn negative by mid-2024,” the researchers wrote. Total inflation will go down when shelter inflation dropsCurrently, there is a disconnect between shelter inflation, which has remained higher, and other components of inflation that have fallen. For renters, shelter inflation includes rent and utility payments. The researchers at the San Francisco Fed crafted models combining several measures of local shelter and rent inflation to help explain how recent trends might affect the path of future shelter inflation.

Persons: San Francisco Fed, “, ” Organizations: DC CNN, Index, Federal Reserve Bank of San, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco . Housing, Housing, Federal, San Francisco, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Washington, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco .

☆ Mortgage rates rise to just short of 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —US mortgage rates remained elevated this week, rising for the third week in a row, but stayed just under the market’s 7% threshold. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.96% in the week ending August 10, up from 6.90% the week before, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. “However, upward pressure on rates is the product of a resilient economy with low unemployment and strong wage growth, which historically has kept purchase demand solid.”The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. Markets had been waiting for July’s inflation report, released Thursday morning, which showed consumer price hikes rose 3.2% annually, the first increase in 12 months. The Fed also will consider the forthcoming August employment and inflation data prior to the next policy meeting, in September.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Jiayi Xu, Xu Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, Index, Fed Locations: Washington

☆ Qualifying for a mortgage is getting harder, as credit availability is the tightest in a decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

A decline in the Mortgage Credit Availability Index indicates that lending standards are tightening, while increases in the index would indicate loosening credit. Mortgage credit availability has been tightening since the spring, according to MBA, with a slight uptick in availability in June, when levels were essentially unchanged. Credit availability then fell again in July, to a decade low. In July, the conventional loan index, which examines non-government loan programs, decreased 0.5%. The government loan index, which examines Federal Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs and US Department of Agriculture loan programs, was down by 0.1%.

Persons: Joel Kan, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Kan, ” Kan Organizations: DC CNN, Mortgage Bankers Association, ICE Mortgage Technology, Mortgage, Housing Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, US Department of Agriculture Locations: Washington

☆ US small businesses feel better about the economy, but still can’t find enough skilled workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

As inflation continued to slow last month, optimism improved among the more than 1,300 small businesses surveyed, though it remains subdued compared to pre-pandemic times. Of owners hiring or trying to hire, 92% reported few or no qualified applicants for their available jobs, also unchanged from the prior month. “With small business owners’ views about future sales growth and business conditions dismal, owners want to hire and make money now from solid consumer spending,” said Bill Dunkelberg, the NFIB’s chief economist, in a release. Despite the economy holding steady, optimism among small businesses isn’t back to where it was before the pandemic. Even though businesses are still grappling with difficulties in hiring, cooling inflation has taken some of the edge off.

Persons: ”, Bill Dunkelberg, they’ve Organizations: DC CNN, National Federation of Independent Business, Federal Reserve, Gross, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, Labor Department, Wall Street Locations: Washington

☆ Ahead of two key inflation reports, what would a soft landing look like exactly?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

But aside from simply skirting a recession, it’s not obvious what the economy would look like in a soft landing. And who even declares that the Fed has officially defied the odds and achieved a soft landing? The main aspect of a soft landing, according to economists, is the absence of a recession, which is determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER.) In a soft landing, the job market has to remain intact. The other key feature of a soft landing is for the Fed to successfully control inflation, but that’s open to some interpretation.

Persons: we’ve, ”, Kayla Bruun, “, Julia Pollak, ” Pollak, Josh Markman, cooldown, Austan Goolsbee, ” Goolsbee, Raphael Bostic, Michelle Bowman, Patrick Harker, Armour, Ralph Lauren Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Federal Reserve, Bank of America, Fed, National Bureau of Economic Research, Morning, Atlanta, ZipRecruiter, Labor, Bel Air Investment Advisors, Federal, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Bloomberg, Atlanta Fed, “, Tyson Foods, UPS, Fox, Restaurant Brands, The National Federation of Independent Business, US Commerce Department, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Disney, US Labor Department, National Statistics, University of Michigan Locations: Washington

☆ Threads user count falls to new lows, highlighting retention challenges
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The data from market research firms Similarweb and Sensor Tower highlight the challenges facing Meta as it seeks to exploit the opening created by the chaos surrounding Twitter’s management. Threads’ daily active user count is down 82% from launch as of July 31, according to Sensor Tower, with just eight million users accessing the app each day. On its launch day, Threads users opened the app an average of 14 times and spent an average of 19 minutes scrolling through it, the company reported. The steepest drop-off occurred in the two weeks immediately following Threads’ launch. According to Sensor Tower, Threads’ daily active user count is still falling at a rate of roughly 1% per day.

Persons: Abe Yousef, David Carr, Mark Zuckerberg, ”, we’re, Zuckerberg Organizations: DC CNN, Twitter, Similarweb Locations: Washington

☆ Mortgage rates climb, edging closer to 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —US mortgage rates jumped this week, climbing closer to 7%. “This development, along with upcoming employment and inflation data, will determine how much mortgage rates may rise in the short term.”Should employment and inflation pick up steam, she said, mortgage rates are likely to continue climbing as markets anticipate further monetary tightening. Mortgage rates tend to track the yield on 10-year US Treasuries, which move based on a combination of anticipation about the Fed’s actions, what the Fed actually does and investors’ reactions. When Treasury yields go up, so do mortgage rates; when they go down, mortgage rates tend to follow. Many homeowners held off on listing their home for sale, largely in response to today’s high mortgage rates, Jones said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Hannah Jones, Jones, ” Jones, “ Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, Fitch, U.S, Realtor.com, US Treasury, Treasury Locations: Washington, “

☆ Twitter sues watchdog Center for Countering Digital Hate
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Twitter has sued the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a nonprofit group that has criticized the company’s handling of hate speech, following through on a litigation threat that had been publicly revealed just hours before. The lawsuit filed Monday in San Francisco federal court accuses CCDH of deliberately trying to drive advertisers away from Twitter — recently rebranded as “X” — by publishing reports critical of the platform’s response to hateful content. It specifically claims CCDH violated Twitter’s terms of service, and federal hacking laws, by scraping data from the company’s platform and by encouraging an unnamed individual to improperly collect information about Twitter that it had provided to a third-party brand monitoring provider. The complaint accuses CCDH of engaging in a wide-ranging campaign to silence users of Twitter’s platform by calling attention to the views they post on social media. But Monday’s complaint does not appear to include such an allegation.

Persons: CCDH, Ahmed, ”, Elon Musk, ” Ahmed, Musk, ‘ I’m, Imran Ahmed, Twitter, “ Organizations: DC CNN, Twitter, Center, CNN Locations: Washington, San Francisco

☆ Twitter threatens to sue hate-speech watchdog group
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In a July 20 letter shared publicly Monday, Twitter threatened to sue the Center for Countering Digital Hate, accusing the group of a campaign to hurt Twitter by driving away its advertisers. The CCDH has published numerous reports about various social media companies’ approach to everything from vaccine misinformation to online racism and antisemitism. Since taking over Twitter, Musk has slashed roughly 80% of the company’s staff, including many working on the platform’s content moderation teams. Threatening lawsuits has become a favored tactic for Musk as Twitter faces continued pressure. Earlier this month, Twitter threatened to sue Facebook-parent Meta over the launch of its competing app, Threads, accusing the company of copying Twitter’s product through trade secret theft.

Persons: DC CNN — Elon Musk, “, Twitter, Alex Spiro, Musk, CCDH, Spiro, ” Spiro, Imran Ahmed, ”, Spiro didn’t, — Organizations: DC CNN, Twitter, Safety, Defamation League, Tufts University, University of Southern, Facebook, Microsoft Locations: Washington, University of Southern California, Redmond, Wash

☆ Americans continue to feel better about inflation and the economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —US consumers have been feeling a whole lot better this summer as inflation has continued to slow. That’s a huge improvement from June 2022, when consumer sentiment fell to its lowest level on record and inflation reached a four-decade high of 9.1%. “However, sentiment for lower-income consumers fell.”Indeed, recent data continue to reflect inflation slowing. Consumer spending is the main engine of the economy, accounting for about two-thirds of output, and much of it hinges on the state of the labor market. The Fed certainly wants to see core inflation continue to decelerate, but Powell routinely points to the labor market not being balanced.

Persons: ”, Joanne Hsu, Lydia Boussour, Jerome Powell, ” Powell, Powell Organizations: DC CNN, University of Michigan, University of Michigan’s, Federal, National Association for Business Economics, Fed, “, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: Washington, EY

☆ US paychecks aren’t growing as quickly. That’s good for the Fed — but not for workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Wages and benefits paid to US workers rose 1% in the second quarter from the prior one, a slightly weaker pace than the 1.2% gain in the first three months of the year. The Employment Cost Index, a comprehensive measure of employers’ compensation costs, advanced 4.5% in the second quarter from a year earlier, a slower pace than the 4.8% rise earlier in the year. Monitoring the tight labor marketThe Fed is closely watching the state of the labor market because of the role that higher labor costs play in pushing up consumer prices. But the job market has cooled in the past several months as job openings declined while the share of people employed or seeking work increased, so some of those dynamics have been slowly unwinding. It remains to be seen whether inflation can drift all the way to 2% without a substantial weakening in the labor market.

Persons: paychecks, Friday’s, ”, Daniel Zhao Organizations: DC CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Fed, University of Michigan’s Locations: Washington

☆ New home sales dropped in June after May’s surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Homeowners with ultra-low mortgage rates are reluctant to sell and buy another home at a much higher mortgage rate. Sales of existing homes have been down for the past few months, while new home sales have been rising. This increase in mortgage rates cooled mortgage applications. New home sales boosted by low inventory of existing homesAlthough sales were down from May, the trajectory of new home sales is generally positive, said Kelly Mangold of RCLCO Real Estate Consulting. By comparison, the inventory of existing homes for sale at the end of June was only a little over 1 million homes.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Kelly Mangold, “ Buyers, ” Mangold, ”, George Ratiu, Charlotte , Organizations: DC CNN, US Department of Housing, Urban Development, Census, Real Estate Consulting, “, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Charlotte, Charlotte , North Carolina, Austin , Texas, Orlando , Florida, Southern

☆ What to expect from the Fed’s decision on rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks during an annual gathering of central bankers and economists in Wyoming next month could shed more light on what to expect for the September decision. There are three possibilities for what the Fed might do moving forward, according to economists: a second consecutive rate hike in September, one in November, or no more rate hikes after July. The Commerce Department releases the June reading of the Fed’s favorite inflation measure Friday. The Fed held rates steady for nine straight meetings over the span of a year the last time it paused a rate-hiking campaign in 2006. Nearly all of the Fed’s decisions have been unanimous since the central bank began lifting rates in March 2022, with the exception of two meetings early in the Fed’s current inflation battle.

Persons: it’s, Jerome Powell’s, It’s, haven’t, inflation’s, Ben Bernanke, Raphael Bostic, there’s, hawkish, “ Powell, ” Seema Shah, Powell, Christopher Waller, you’re, ”, José Torres, ” Powell, Jerome Powell Organizations: DC CNN, Federal, Fed, Commerce Department, Market Committee, Atlanta Fed, Asset Management, CNN, ”, The Labor Department, Interactive Locations: Washington, Wyoming, —

☆ Shopping for a home? There’s a lot working against you right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In recent weeks, as mortgage rates closed in on 7%, affordability has worsened. Nationally, it takes about 36% of the median household income to make the average mortgage payment — more than the recommended 30% allowance for housing. The Mortgage Credit Availability Index fell by 3.1% to 96.5 in May, the lowest level since January 2013, and was essentially unchanged in June. The MBA index that tracks jumbo loans — loans that are larger than conforming loan limits — saw its second monthly contraction, as some financial institutions reduce their appetite for larger loans that aren’t backed by the government. Mortgage rates are expected to drop the second half of this year as inflation continues to cool, with economists and housing analysts forecasting rates to end the year around 6%.

Persons: Nick Gaylord, “ I’ve, ” Gaylord, it’s, “ I’m, ”, Gaylord, “, Black Knight, Knight, ” Joel Kan, Department of Veterans Affairs —, — Organizations: DC CNN, CNN, Mortgage Bankers Association, ICE Mortgage Technology, Federal Housing Administration, US Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterans Affairs, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington, Minneapolis

☆ Here’s why home prices stayed high in May
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“The ongoing recovery in home prices is broadly based.”Before seasonal adjustment, prices rose in all 20 cities in May, as they had also done in March and April. Month over month, home prices rose in May for the fourth consecutive month. “Though home prices are likely to continue to cool slightly, limited inventory relative to buyer demand will likely keep prices somewhat afloat. By 1983, partly spurred by high inflation, the price rose to $75,500, and it continued rising to $126,100 by 1993. “It is worth noting that market data are coming up on last year’s record-high prices, notched during May and June,” he said.

Persons: “, ”, Craig Lazzara, “ It’s, Hannah Jones, Jones, George Ratiu, May’s, Ratiu, ” Ratiu Organizations: DC CNN, City Composites, Realtor.com, ”, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve Locations: Washington, Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Seattle, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Miami, Tampa , Florida, “, ’

☆ What to expect from this week’s Fed meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

After the Fed’s July monetary policy meeting, which concludes on Wednesday, investors will be looking for more details around that potential hike. That’s why the Fed is trying to retain the option of another rate increase in case inflation proves to be more resilient than expected. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks during an annual gathering of central bankers and economists in Wyoming next month could shed more light on what to expect for the September decision. There are three possibilities for what the Fed might do moving forward, according to economists: a second consecutive rate hike in September, one in November, or no more rate hikes after July. Whatever the Fed decides to do won’t come without a vigorous debate, and perhaps even a dissent, though the Fed has a tradition of collegiality.

Persons: —, it’s, Jerome Powell’s, It’s, haven’t, inflation’s, Ben Bernanke, Raphael Bostic, there’s, hawkish, “ Powell, ” Seema Shah, Powell, Christopher Waller, you’re, ”, José Torres, ” Powell, Jerome Powell Organizations: DC CNN, Federal, Fed, Commerce Department, Market Committee, Atlanta Fed, Asset Management, CNN, ”, The Labor Department, Interactive Locations: Washington, Wyoming, —

☆ Business conditions are expected to improve as inflation slows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —American businesses are expected to fare better in the coming months, according to a survey of economists and analysts released Monday. A survey from the National Association for Business Economics released Monday showed that businesses have rejoiced in better economic conditions. Meanwhile, a majority of respondents reported that wages at their firms were unchanged — the first time more economists reported no wage gains than rising wages since 2021. The Fed doesn’t necessarily need a recession to do that, but some research suggests the labor market must cool further. The labor market is closely watched by Fed officials since higher labor costs feed into inflation.

Persons: haven’t, ”, Julia Coronado, Austan Goolsbee, cooldown, Brian Moynihan, bode Organizations: DC CNN, Federal Reserve, University of Michigan’s, Consumers, National Association for Business, Employers, Chicago Fed, Bank of America, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Federation of Independent, Fed Locations: Washington

☆ Mortgage rates drop, backing off 7%
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —US mortgage rates dipped this week, backing off 7% as inflation slows ahead of the Federal Reserve’s rate decision meeting next week. The average mortgage rate is based on mortgage applications that Freddie Mac receives from thousands of lenders across the country. “As inflation slows, mortgage rates decreased this week,” 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. But as a result, Jones said, mortgage rates are likely to remain elevated for the time being.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, “, Hannah Jones, Jones, ‘ Organizations: DC CNN, ”, Treasury Locations: Washington, today’s, ’

☆ US home prices stay near record high, even as sales drop in June
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Even after falling, June’s median price hit the second-highest monthly median price on record going back to 1999, according to a National Association of Realtors report released Thursday. The median existing home price was $410,200 last month, just 0.9% less than the all-time high from one year ago of $413,800. It marked the fifth month of year-over-year drops in median home sale prices. “Relatively high mortgage rates near 7% and historically low inventory of existing homes on market is hindering sales activity,” said Yun. The pent-up demand will surely be realized soon, especially if mortgage rates and inventory move favorably.”Home prices remain highOne of the reasons home prices remain high is because It’s summer.

Persons: ”, Lawrence Yun, —, Yun, “, “ It’s Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, “, downer Locations: Washington

☆ Just 1% of all US homes changed hands so far this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —Just 1% of all US homes changed hands in the first half of this year, the lowest share in at least a decade, according to data from Redfin. Just 11 of every 1,000 two-and three-bedroom urban homes have changed hands in 2023. Only 6 of every 1,000 homes in San Jose have sold so far in 2023, similar to the low turnover rates in Oakland and San Diego. The turnover rate shrank most from the pre-pandemic years in the suburbs, with 16 of every 1,000 four-bedroom or more suburban houses changing hands so far this year, two-thirds as many as 2019. That’s not happening, because so many of those homeowners have low mortgage rates.”

Persons: ”, Taylor Marr, “, Marr, Heather Mahmood, Corley Organizations: DC CNN, Redfin, “, . Workers Locations: Washington, “, California, San Jose, Oakland, San Diego, Nashville, Austin, Newark , New Jersey, Phoenix

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