Reports indicating a stumbling economy have prompted a whirlwind of talk from Republicans, economists and President Obama on just how to right the economy once and for all. According to Labor Department figures, May payrolls grew at the slowest pace in eight months. Further government data indicates that the economic recovery is slowing. In responding [...]

Just about everyone has an opinion on how to jump start the stagnant U.S. economy, including presidential hopefuls and big business CEOs. While unemployment and the housing market continue to bring down a healing economy, you can now add gas prices to the mix. So what’s the solution in getting back on track? Depending on [...]

It appears that low interest rates, refinancing and other government measures aimed at reducing mortgage debt are working. The latest report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) finds that total U.S. home mortgage debt during the first three months of 2011 is $10.3 trillion, compared with $11 trillion in mid-2008. Even better news, Americans [...]

For the second month in a row, employment figures in the U.S. rose, while the jobless rate dropped to 8.8 percent, the lowest since March 2009. The latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor show the private sector added 240,000 jobs in February and 230,000 in March. In addition, nonfarm payrolls jumped 216,000 in [...]

Remember the political catch phrase, “It’s the economy, stupid,” used by Bill Clinton during his victorious 1992 presidential campaign against President George H.W. Bush? Well, if results from a recent poll are any indication, expect Republicans to dust off the successful slogan and use it freely during the 2012 elections to take control of the [...]

‘It’s not much, but it’s something’ best describes the expected economic growth for 2011. During a recent speech at a global finance conference in New Delhi, India, Terrence Checki, executive vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, said the U.S. economy is expected to grow 3.5% to 3.9% in 2011. “The economy [...]

Although the economy is showing signs of improving, a new survey finds that the Great Recession has taken a major hit on Americans’ personal finances. The study, commissioned by the American Savings Education Council and the America Saves campaign, finds that people are unable to save money and they are extremely concerned over it. According [...]

The Obama administration says the country is on the road to economic recovery from what is being called one of the worst recessions in decades. But the majority of Americans are not experiencing a renewed economy just yet. A CBS News poll finds that 57 percent of Americans do not think things are getting better [...]

Although the latest national survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association finds mortgage delinquency rates on the decline, there’s little else to celebrate. The report also finds that the mortgage delinquency rate is still higher than the norm and the number of houses in various stages of foreclosure returned to a record high. Furthermore, the Obama [...]

President Obama is putting the nation’s economic woes on the backs of businesses, urging them to start hiring in an effort to grow the economy. In a speech to U.S. Chamber of Commerce members, Obama stressed to business members that “we can and must work together” to promote economic growth, adding that “businesses also have [...]

The economy is getting a big helping hand from an unexpected source – private equity. This is cash that professional investors receive from hedge funds, pension funds, insurance companies and the like and invest into businesses that they feel have the potential to improve or grow. “These people are experts at helping companies grow to [...]

In 2009, the global economy appeared to be recovering quite nicely from the ’08 Sub-Prime Mortgage Crisis.  By March of 2009, the recession seemed to bottom out—equity markets began to rally, unemployment began to fall, and economic growth resumed.  It appeared that the global economy had weathered the worst of the Crisis.  Investor sentiment was [...]

The average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage dipped this week to 4.78%, the lowest levels we’ve seen since December 2009 and only slightly above that record low number of 4.71%. The average rate on a 15-year fixed rate mortgage also dropped to 4.21%, which is the lowest 15-year fixed rate since the late [...]

I’ve been hearing quite a bit lately about the recovering U.S. economy, but questions still remain as to whether the changes we’re seeing are only short term fluctuations or actual improvements in the economy. According to a recent article on MarketWatch, James O’Sullivan, an economist with MF Global, apparently feels that we’re seeing real economic [...]

The number of mortgage applications taken last week surged to a level the industry hasn’t seen in nearly four years. The week ending January 11th saw a 28.4% spike in mortgage applications up to 906.4, the highest level since April 2, 2004.