Category: Business & Markets

• March 14, 2017
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The bond market believes the economy is gaining momentum. Long before Federal Reserve policymakers begin gathering in Washington today to debate what to do with interest rates, mortgage rates throughout the country have been heating up. Borrowing rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have climbed to 4.21%. That’s up from 4.09% in January and 3.54% in

• March 14, 2017
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Crude futures reversed direction and turned lower on Tuesday, after a monthly report from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries showed production out of Saudi Arabia cresting back above 10 million barrels of oil per day.

• March 23, 2017
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The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits last week jumped by 15,000 to 258,000 and matched a two-month high, with fresh revisions showing layoffs a bit higher in 2017 than previously reported.

• March 15, 2017
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Wednesday will be all about the Federal Reserve. At 2:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee will release its latest monetary policy decision, which markets expect will see the central bank take its benchmark interest rate to 0.75%-1% from 0.50%-0.75%. This would be the third interest rate hike from the Fed since

• March 15, 2017
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Alongside the Fed’s latest policy statement, markets will also get an updated set of economic projections from the Fed for GDP and inflation, as well as an updated “dot plot,” which shows where Fed officials expect benchmark interest rates to be in the future. Given the hawkish commentary from Fed officials, we think the dots

• March 23, 2017
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Treasury yields were falling on Thursday for the fifth straight session after government data showed an unexpected rise in first-time jobless claims. Investors are now turning their attention to a looming vote on the Republican bill to repeal and replace Obamacare in the House of Representatives. The latest tallies suggest it doesn’t have the support

• March 15, 2017
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During Chair Yellen’s press conference, we’d expect there to be questions relating to any discussions the Fed has had about economic programs discussed by the Trump administration, notably the $1 trillion infrastructure package Donald Trump touted as recently at February 28. In the past, however, Fed officials have demurred at providing any color around the

• March 23, 2017
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Sales of newly-constructed homes powered to the highest pace in seven months in February as firm demand for housing outweighs lean supply and slightly higher mortgage rates. New home sales ran at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 592,000, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That was 6.1% higher than in January and 12.8% above last February’s

• March 15, 2017
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A gauge of New York-area manufacturing remained close to two-year high levels in March, according to data released Wednesday. The Empire State manufacturing survey slipped to 16.4 in March, down only 2.3 points from a two-year high of 18.7 in February, the New York Fed said. Economists had expected a 15.4 reading according to a

• March 15, 2017
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American consumers paid slightly more in February for good and services such as groceries and rent, reflecting upward pressure on inflation that’s intensified since last summer. The consumer price index, or cost of living, rose by a seasonally adjusted 0.1% last month, the government said Wednesday. It was the smallest increase since last July. Economists