S&P 500’s latest record closes out best first quarter since 2019 Isna, August 30, 2024 Contract signings for existing homes are starting to show some signs of recovery. Pending home sales grew 1.6% in February from the previous month, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors. The 75.6 reading index is the biggest month-over-month gain since last December. An index level of 100 is equal to the pace of contract activity in 2001. The gain in the index, a leading indicator to assess the housing market’s health, shows how a pickup in inventory is boosting the market as high rates continue to remain both buyers and sellers on the sidelines, and leaving … Continue Reading
What are the odds of the Fed hiking rates rather than cuts? Isna, August 26, 2024 US Treasury Yields (^TNX,^TYX,^FVX) are moving higher as the debate over when the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates continues to heat up amid current market conditions. The US economy shows strength as consumers continue to spend despite inflation, according to March’s retail sales data, which could encourage Fed officials to hold off on rate cuts. Richard Bernstein Advisors Director of Fixed Income Michael Contopoulos joins Yahoo Finance to break down the recent movements in the bond market and the potential for the Federal Reserve to push rate cuts further down the line in 2024, much to the dismay of … Continue Reading