Connect with us

Finance News

High interest rates on 30-year mortgages are making it difficult for individuals to purchase homes.

Published

on


The US 30-year mortgage rate approaches 7%, deterring potential homebuyers.,

According to recent data released by the Mortgage Bankers Association, US mortgage rates climbed up to nearly 7% last week, leading to a decrease in applications for home purchases. The contract rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage rose by 13 basis points to 6.97% in the week ending March 15.

Despite a decrease in mortgage applications for home purchases by 1.2%, there has been an overall rise in mortgage rates since October, when they reached nearly 8%. This surge in rates can be attributed to the Federal Reserve’s efforts to combat inflation through aggressive hiking campaigns. However, it is expected that once the Fed starts lowering rates, potentially in the middle of the year, there will be a surge in demand across the housing market.

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s index for mortgage applications, which includes both home purchases and refinancing, saw a 1.6% decrease last week, with the refinancing measure dropping by 2.5%.

The MBA survey gathers data from mortgage bankers, commercial banks, and thrifts and has been a weekly tradition since 1990. This data encompasses more than 75% of all retail residential mortgage applications in the US.

In conclusion, the volatile nature of mortgage rates and the influence of the Federal Reserve’s policies continue to impact the housing market. As always, it is recommended to stay informed and seek advice from financial experts when navigating these fluctuations.

FAQ:

Q: How does the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy affect mortgage rates?
A: The Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy directly influences mortgage rates, as they adjust their rates in response to changes in the economy to control inflation. When the Fed raises rates, mortgage rates tend to increase, and vice versa.

Q: What should potential home buyers do in a rising interest rate environment?
A: In a rising interest rate environment, potential home buyers should consider locking in a fixed-rate mortgage to secure a stable monthly payment, or consult with a financial advisor to explore other financing options.

Continue Reading

Finance News

O’Leary details why the US needs a crypto czar: ‘We’ve got to stop these shenanigans’

Published

on

O’Leary details why the US needs a crypto czar: ‘We’ve got to stop these shenanigans’
O’Leary details why the US needs a crypto czar: ‘We’ve got to stop these shenanigans’


Weighing in on rumblings around a potential Trump-appointed crypto czar, popular entrepreneur Kevin O’Leary called on whoever’s nominated to put an end to regulatory indecision.

“We’ve got to stop these shenanigans because this is a technology that affects all 11 sectors of the economy,” O’Leary said Thursday on “Fox & Friends.”

“It provides efficiency and digital payment systems. And we have to be competitive worldwide.”

According to industry sources familiar with the discussions, President-elect Trump is mulling a position dedicated solely to cryptocurrency policy. It’s unclear whether the role would be a czar type or a White House staff role, but the official holding the position would interact with regulators, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

BITCOIN E.T.F. OPTIONS GO LIVE IN BUSY TRADING. MOST BETS ARE ON GAINS

Two names that come to O’Leary’s mind are former acting U.S. Comptroller of the Currency Brian Brooks and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.

Kevin OLeary on crypto czar

Kevin O’Leary put pressure on a potential Trump-nominated crypto czar to start making regulatory decisions as soon as possible. (Getty Images)

“Brian, of Coinbase, he’s being sued by [SEC Chair Gary] Gensler right now. His company is under litigation from the SEC,” the O’Leary Ventures CEO noted.

“We need a czar here, and we need to start making decisions. Is Ethereum a commodity, or is it a security? Pick one and go with it. I don’t care which one it is, but we’ve got to at least pick it,” he added. “We haven’t done that yet.”

The president-elect campaigned heavily among pro-crypto voters, making a stop at crypto bar PubKey in New York City and speaking at the Bitcoin 2024 conference in Nashville, Tennessee, just weeks before Election Day.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market value, touched a new all-time high of $94,000 in afternoon trading Wednesday and has advanced over 156% from its 52-week low of $36,815.63 in November 2023, as tracked by Dow Jones Market Data Group.

iShares Bitcoin ETF Trust

The surge in price has lifted crypto exchange-traded funds, driving the assets of the largest, iShares Bitcoin Trust, to over $40 billion and lifting it to a record high.

Other bitcoin ETFs are also seeing high interest. 

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
BTC GRAYSCALE BITCOIN MINI TRT ETF BITCOIN MINI TRUST BTC ETF 43.34 +1.50 +3.59%
GBTC GRAYSCALE BITCOIN TRUST ETF – USD ACC 77.62 +2.63 +3.51%
FBTC FIDELITY WISE ORIGIN BITCOIN FUND – USD ACC 85.42 +2.88 +3.48%
ARKB ARKB – ARK 21SHARES BITCOIN ETF – USD ACC 97.54 +3.24 +3.44%

READ MORE FROM FOX BUSINESS

FOX Business’ Suzanne O’Halloran contributed to this report.



Source link

Continue Reading

Finance News

LP – Portmantu

Published

on

Product Name: LP – Portmantu

Click here to get LP – Portmantu at discounted price while it’s still available…

All orders are protected by SSL encryption – the highest industry standard for online security from trusted vendors.

LP – Portmantu is backed with a 60 Day No Questions Asked Money Back Guarantee. If within the first 60 days of receipt you are not satisfied with Wake Up Lean™, you can request a refund by sending an email to the address given inside the product and we will immediately refund your entire purchase price, with no questions asked.

(more…)

Continue Reading

Finance News

Ford recalls nearly 25,000 trucks for problem that could make rearview camera malfunction

Published

on

Ford recalls nearly 25,000 trucks for problem that could make rearview camera malfunction
Ford recalls nearly 25,000 trucks for problem that could make rearview camera malfunction


Ford is recalling nearly 25,000 trucks because of a problem that could make the rearview camera system malfunction.  

The automaker said water “may enter the Tailgate Park Assist Sensor Interface Module” and lead to a malfunction of the rearview camera image display in 24,950 of its 2023-2024 F-250, F-350 and F-450 trucks. 

All the potentially affected trucks feature a tailgate top camera that “provides additional camera images when the tailgate is down and is a separate camera from the primary rear-view camera,” Ford said in a Oct. 25 recall report submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

A 2023 Ford Super Duty F-350 Limited.

A 2023 Ford Super Duty F-350 Limited. (Ford Motor Co. / Fox News)

The recall report indicated the problem stemmed from “certain mating interfaces” of the tailgate top camera being “out of tolerance” and the camera bracket “retain[ing] water” during the application.

FORD TO PAUSE PRODUCTION OF F-150 LIGHTNING PICKUP

In the event that the issue occurs, the rearview camera image may show up as “blue or black” or only work “intermittently,” things that could pose a safety issue due to reduced driver visibility, according to the report.

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
F FORD MOTOR CO. 10.24 -0.04 -0.39%

FORD CANCELS PLANS FOR ELECTRIC THREE-ROW SUV

It has not led to any known accidents or injuries, Ford said in another document.

Ford logo

A badge on a vehicle at a Ford dealership in New Lebanon, New York, on Jan. 25. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

According to the recall report, owners of the recalled trucks can get their tailgate top camera, wire harness and TPASIM module swapped out at a Ford or Lincoln dealership for free. Their “Image Processing Module A” will receive a software update too, it said.

“Pick-up and delivery will be available at participating dealerships,” a Ford spokesperson told FOX Business. “We’re also working through other potential options that would make completing this recall as convenient as possible for our customers.”

FORD RECALLS 144,500 MAVERICK TRUCKS DUE TO REARVIEW CAMERA DISPLAY ISSUE

Affected Ford F-250, F-350 and F-40 owners can expect to see a recall notification letter in their mailboxes in early December.

Ford said early last month it has sold over 853,400 of its various types of trucks in the U.S. so far this year. 



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2017 Zox News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by WordPress.