Wall Street Journal, Jan. 15, 2016–Hilsenrath, Jon
Federal Reserve officials, facing an economic jumble as 2016 begins, will almost certainly keep short-term interest rates steady at a policy meeting this month and turn their focus toward a potential cliffhanger decision about whether to lift them when they gather again in March.
HousingWire, Jan. 15, 2016–Swanson, Brena
Wells Fargo’s fourth quarter net income came in at $5.7 billion, or $1.03 per share, compared with $5.7 billion, or $1.02 per share, for fourth quarter 2014. This is marginally down from $5.8 billion, or $1.05 per share, for the third quarter.
Bloomberg, Jan. 15, 2016–Jamrisko, Michelle
Consumer confidence rose in January to the highest level in seven months as low inflation helped support households, whose outlook for wage gains remained subdued.
Reuters, Jan. 15, 2016–Mutikani, Lucia
U.S. retail sales fell in December as unseasonably warm weather undercut purchases of winter apparel. The growth picture was further darkened by other data on Friday showing industrial production fell in December, dragged down by cutbacks in utilities and mining output. Business inventories were also weak, posting their biggest drop in just over four years in November.
UExpress.com, Jan. 15, 2016–Sichelman, Lew
Great minds in the mortgage business continue to make it simpler for everyday folks to deal with financing.
Crain’s Detroit Business, Jan. 17, 2016–Pinho, Kirk
Some real estate finance experts predicted turbulent seas ahead two years ago, expecting a wave of defaults on commercial mortgages issued during the free-lending heyday in the mid-2000s. But it appears as though the choppier waters have subsided.
Scotsman Guide, Jan. 18, 2016–Whitman, Victor
The rising tide of cyberattacks by hackers, online criminals and international terrorists was treated as an “existential threat” to mortgage companies by panelists at the Mortgage Bankers Association annual convention.
Wall Street Journal, Jan. 15, 2015–Morath, Eric
The economic slate gets off to a slow start with government offices closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King’s Birthday. But after that comes a bevy of data about the housing sector, the latest inflation reading and new details about manufacturing.
Wall Street Journal, Jan. 19, 2016–Rudegeair, Peter; Rexrode, Christina
Bank of America Corp. said its fourth-quarter profit rose, though the second-largest U.S. bank by assets labored through a tough trading market.
Wall Street Journal, Jan. 18, 2016–Fidler, Stephen
Myriad sources of anxiety are roiling global financial markets and political capitals: a weakening Chinese economy; collapsing oil prices; escalating tension in the Middle East that has spawned a refugee crisis in Europe; the possibility of financial dislocation as U.S. monetary policy tightens.
