Economy and Housing News

Happy Tuesday Morning to YOU!

I'm looking out at our first big snowfall of the season - it's really quite magical!  Cars slowing down, people out snowshoeing in the road and everything covered in pretty white! Bring it on!! 

Here are some interesting tidbits regarding the economy and housing market from Angela Page - senior loan officer with Bay Financial:

Cars brake retail: Steered by poor auto sales, retail growth slowed to a paltry 0.1 percent, weakening inflation, and dimming prospects of an interest rate hike in December. With only mild wage increases, consumers aren't committing to strong spending - except at restaurants and bars - where sales rose a healthy 0.5 percent. -CNBC

Terror trends: After attacks killed scores of people in Paris last week, French markets quickly rebounded after an initial shock, reprising similar reactions in global financial markets over the last 15 years. Stock volatility following terror incidents in the U.S., Bali, Spain, London, and now Paris, has been increasingly short-lived. -Bloomberg

Commodity crash: U.S. crude futures fell sharply to $41.38 a barrel last week as world oil stockpiles hit a record 3 billion barrels. The increased possibility of a U.S. interest rate hike in December has gold and other precious metals threatening five-year lows. Stocks slid in Asian and domestic markets, as the ongoing commodities slump deterred investors from riskier assets.
-The Associated Press

Little import: U.S. import prices fell 0.5 percent in October due to the strong dollar and soft global demand. Import prices have tumbled 10.5 percent in the last the 12 months, leaving inflation persistently below the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target. - CNBC

Mortgage rates rise: After a strong October jobs report, investors pushed Treasury yields to 2.3 percent, betting on the likelihood of short-term interest rate hike in December. Mortgage rates followed early last week, jumping 11 basis points to 3.98, the highest since July. Rates steadied around 4 percent by weeks end.
-Mortgage News Daily

Strong sales: Existing home sales and short inventories kept sales brisk in the third quarter of 2015. Overall prices increased in 154 of the 178 metropolitan areas tracked by the National Association of Realtors, though appreciation slowed to a "healthy" 5.5 percent. The median existing single-family home price in the third quarter was $229,000, up from $217,100 a year earlier. - Mortgage News Daily

Seller sentiment: A survey shows a whopping 60 percent of potential sellers believe home prices will continue to rise, and most are less concerned about the prospect of rising interest rates. Only 16 percent of respondents listed interest rates as their top motivation to sell, compared to 59 percent in 2014. -The M Report

Condo modification: In an effort to increase housing choices for low-to moderate-income buyers, new FHA guidelines streamline the agency's recertification process for condominiums, as well as expanding the eligibility of acceptable units and acceptable insurance coverages. -HUD

Global slowdown: Economists with the International Monetary Fund warn the global economy could be headed for a protracted period of "sub-par growth." A U.S. hike in benchmark interest rates could trigger debt crises in emerging economies, worsening tense world conflicts, aggravating slumping commodity prices and further slowing the Chinese economy. -Reuters

1990 - The "Best New Artist" Grammy Award is stripped from pop duo Milli Vanilli Nov. 19, after it is learned they did not sing on their album.

1989 - Riot police put down a student demonstration in the streets of Prague Nov. 17, sparking 41 days of civil unrest, and the end of communist rule in Czechoslovakia.

1978 - More than 900 American members of a leftist cult headed by Jim Jones die in Guyana Nov. 18, most by cyanide poisoning.

1969 - The U.S. Apollo 12 moon lander touches down Nov. 19. Color broadcast of this second manned lunar mission ends when the camera is accidentally pointed at the Sun.

1962 - President John Kennedy issues an executive order Nov. 20, mandating an end to discrimination in housing.

1869 - After overcoming numerous technical, political and financial problems, the Suez Canal in Egypt opens Nov. 17.

1863 - President Abraham Lincoln delivers the "Gettysburg Address" Nov. 19, at a cemetery site dedicated on the Gettysburg, PA battlefield.

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And Here's Your Morning Coffee!