Fed Adds 25 Basis Points to Federal Funds Rate

The Federal Open Market on Wednesday raised the federal funds rate by another 25 basis points, a move widely anticipated by analysts and financial markets.

February Housing Starts Up Nearly 10%

February housing starts, permits and completions posted near double-digit percentage increases, ending five months of declines, HUD and the Census Bureau reported Thursday.

Strong February Job Growth Muddies Fed Outlook

Employers added 311,000 jobs in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday—good news for the labor market but complicating news for the Federal Reserve, which faces the daunting task next week of encouraging economic growth while taming inflation.

Pending Home Sales Up Second Straight Month

Pending home sales improved in January for the second consecutive month, the National Association of Realtors reported Monday. All four U.S. regions posted monthly gains but saw year-over-year drops in transactions.

Housing Starts Down 5th Straight Month

Housing starts fell in January, HUD and the Census Bureau reported Thursday, marking the fifth straight monthly drop, the longest streak of declines since 2009.

January Jobs Report Smashes Expectations

The labor market defied expectations of even the most skeptical forecasts in January, adding a remarkable 517,000 jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.

Fed Raises Funds Rate 25 Basis Points

The Federal Open Market Committee telegraphed its intentions weeks ago; on Wednesday, to no one’s surprise, it raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points.

Pending Home Sales End Six-Month Slide

The National Association of Realtors and Redfin, Seattle, noted improvement in December pending home sales, marking the first improvement since last spring.