Mortgage rates are lower, home prices are easing, and there is more supply on the market for sale. All of that adds up to improved affordability for today’s homebuyers. Saving for a down payment, however, is still the biggest hurdle for first-time buyers. Prices nationally are basically flat compared with where they were a year … Read more
Members of the Federal Reserve rate-setting committee say they are factoring increased labor productivity into their economic forecasts as artificial intelligence technology becomes more widely adopted. Fed Chair Jerome Powell addressed this topic in his December news conference, saying that in past technology waves “there’s always been more work and higher productivity and incomes have … Read more
Christmas is around the corner, but Wall Street isn’t feeling the holiday spirit heading into the week ahead. The S & P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are lower for the month, marking an unusually weak stretch for stocks. December has historically been one of the stronger months for equities, with both benchmarks averaging a gain … Read more
Aerial view of Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Tower and modern skyscrapers in Tokyo on a sunny day. Yongyuan | E+ | Getty Images Japan equities and bond yields jumped after the central bank raised its policy rate to a three-decade high. The decision comes as inflation has stayed above its target levels for nearly four years … Read more
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Dec. 11, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images U.S. Treasury yields fell on Tuesday as investors prepared for a batch of key economic releases, including the November nonfarm payrolls report, unemployment numbers, and October retail sales. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield … Read more
The stock market will have to get through a big week of economic data ahead, as it undergoes a major rotation that could drive the market toward a year-end rally. The week ahead is stacked with big reports — including jobs and inflation data — that have been delayed because of the government shutdown. November … Read more
U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, to negotiate for an end to the war in Ukraine, in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. Kevin Lamarque | Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin has enough capital to fund the war in Ukraine for years to come despite economic … Read more
Shanghai Bund skyline panorama Yangna | E+ | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Monday as investors awaited trade data from China due later in the day. Economists polled by Reuters expect China’s exports in November to rise 3.8% from a year earlier, reversing the 1.1% contraction in October. Imports are expected to increase … Read more
A key inflation measure was lower than expected in September, the Commerce Department said Friday in a report delayed by the government shutdown that gives a further green light for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. The core personal consumption expenditures price index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, indicated a 0.2% monthly … Read more
Hong Kong Skyline Nikada | E+ | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Friday following a subdued Wall Street session. Australia’s ASX/S&P 200 added 0.19% to 8,634.6. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index lost 1.05% to close at 50,491.87, while the Topix declined 1.05% to 3,362.56. Yields on the Japanese 10-year government bond rose to 1.94%, … Read more