Sales of annuities, financial products often purchased by consumers approaching retirement age, hit a record $385 billion in sales in 2023 with higher interest rates promising larger potential monthly payments to policyholders. To align with...
Read MoreThe year in CLOs started off with the highest January on record; 33 deals totaling nearly $14 billion. The robust activity stems from improved deal economics as credit risk spreads have tightened from wider levels....
Read MoreDespite a trend of stricter standards in the 4th quarter for most loan types, the January 2024 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices (SLOOS) indicated a decrease in the number of banks...
Read MoreThe Consumer Confidence Index, released January 30th, showed improved sentiments across the index at 114.8, up from 108.0 in December, and marked the third straight month of increase. More respondents in all age groups and...
Read MoreAcknowledging that economic indicators are improving, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) unanimously maintained the current federal funds rate at 5.25-5.5 percent and reiterated its commitment to reduce balance sheet holdings of Treasury and Agency...
Read MoreSeveral lenders have observed that the increase in delinquency rates and charge-offs is linked to a distinctive post-pandemic credit expansion. Improved finances for some Americans during the pandemic led to a shift to better risk...
Read MoreThe Wall Street Journal reports that 2023 analysis through Q3 indicates the decline in investor purchases of single-family homes could be the largest annual drop in 20 years. Due to higher interest rates and home...
Read MoreHarvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies released a report that puts the median single-family home sales price at 5.6 times higher than median household incomes. The price-to-income ratio, an indicator of home affordability, has...
Read MoreIn a speech on January 16, Christopher Waller, a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, presented a case for methodically lowering interest rates in 2024 as the economy balances and inflation cools. Waller...
Read MoreAccording to a recent Fannie Mae Home Price Sentiment Index survey released on January 8, consumer optimism increased 2.9 points in December to 67.2, illustrating consumers’ confidence for homebuying. According to the survey, this sentiment...
Read More19.6% of the office space in major U.S. cities was vacant in Q4 2023 according to Moody’s Analytics, an 18.8% increase year-over-year from 2022. These vacancy rates can be attributed to both years of overbuilding...
Read MoreMortgage rates finished 2023 with 9 consecutive weekly drops, setting the 30-year fixed rate at 6.61%. This trend hints at a more stable housing market, which could impact lending strategies and expectations for a modestly...
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