In a widely expected move, the Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady Wednesday at a target range of 3.5% to 3.75%, the same level it set in January. “Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has been little […]
Fed holds rates, officials signal wait and see on inflation risks Read More »
In a sign of a still-softening labor market, U.S. employers eliminated 92,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in February, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Economists say the report is unlikely to change the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates. Meanwhile, the jobs numbers for December 2025 were downwardly revised
Job market softens as US payrolls fall by 92K in February Read More »
Housing activity weakened across much of the country, emerging as one of the clearest drags on overall economic performance, according to the Federal Reserve’s most recent Beige Book report. Most Federal Reserve districts reporting on residential real estate cited softer home sales, slower construction and reduced mortgage lending. Higher borrowing costs and affordability constraints continued
Housing activity weakens in latest Fed Beige Book report Read More »
The homeownership rate among Black Americans fell to 43.9% in the second quarter of 2024, the lowest level since late 2021, according to Redfin. That was down from 45.3% a year earlier and marked the steepest annual decline since the third quarter of 2021. By comparison, the Hispanic homeownership rate rose slightly to 48.8% from
Homeownership among Black Americans drops to 4-year low Read More »
Americans grew slightly less confident about the housing market in August, as more consumers expressed concerns about job stability, selling conditions and future home prices, according to Fannie Mae’s monthly National Housing Survey. The agency’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) fell 0.4 points to a reading of 71.4 — with four of its six components
Fannie Mae: Consumer housing sentiment slips in August Read More »
A growing number of U.S. housing markets face elevated risks from high foreclosure rates, underwater mortgages and rising costs, according to a new report. ATTOM analyzed 579 counties nationwide for its second-quarter Housing Risk Report — with ranking criteria including affordability, foreclosure activity, mortgage equity and unemployment. California and Florida counties were heavily represented among
Housing market risk steepest in southern, western areas Read More »
More than two in five American workers say concerns about job security are causing them to delay or cancel a major purchase such as a car or home, according to a new Redfin-commissioned survey. The survey found that 44% of employed U.S. residents put off or scrapped such purchases. Another 30% said they had already
Survey: Job insecurity leading to home purchase delays Read More »