Unemployment
By Ryan Casey Stephens, FPQP®Special Contributor This is one of those funny weeks where nothing happens, then everything happens all at once. Data-packed holiday weeks can cause havoc in markets since traders don’t have much time to digest the readings and reports coming in. With any luck though, we’ll get some positive figures, and the…
Read MoreBy Ryan Casey Stephens, FPQP®Special Contributor Each week in December we’ll take a deep dive into one report that moves markets and impacts mortgage rates. Lower unemployment claims mean more people are employed, doesn’t it? And isn’t it true that a higher rate of employed Americans means we have a healthier economy? What do unemployment…
Read MoreBy Ryan Casey Stephens, FPQP®Special Contributor Over the weekend I had several conversations centered around the question of just how long we’re in for it. At this point, no one’s doubting the economy is in trouble. But will this be a quick right hook, like the COVID-19 recession in 2020, or will this be with…
Read MoreFrom Staff Reports In light of the financial struggles faced by workers across the U.S. and in recognition of Labor Day, WalletHub conducted a nationally representative survey, which found that nearly 1 in 3 Americans worry about job security. In addition to examining how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Americans’ finances, WalletHub’s survey also took…
Read MoreEarlier in the week, I looked at how local media coverage has reported on COVID-19 and how it tends to prefer negative and sensational wording (not just in real estate coverage, of course). I ended by pointing to research that shows the media’s ability to push along a self-fulfilling prophecy – if they say it’s…
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