Author: Money Mechanics

Please enable JavaScript if it is disabled in your browser or access the information through the links provided below. September 17, 2025 Federal Reserve Board and Federal Open Market Committee release economic projections from the September 16-17 FOMC meeting For release at 2:00 p.m. EDT The attached tables and charts released on Wednesday summarize the economic projections made by Federal Open Market Committee participants in conjunction with the September 16-17 meeting. For media inquiries, email [email protected] or call 202-452-2955. Projections (PDF) | Accessible Materials Last Update: September 17, 2025 Source link

Brokers, do you know where your agents’ referrals are coming from? McClelland said his research has found that over 30% of buy-side deals came from leads agents paid for from third-party referral companies.  “I tell brokerage companies, if you’re going to run a study on your firm, that’s one of the studies you need to run,” he said. “You say, all right, wait a minute. Where did these deals come from? Because we all think, it’s the agent. That the agent originated it — not so much anymore.” According to the 2025 NAR Member Profile, the typical Realtor earns 20%…

Key Takeaways Google searches for “help with mortgage” (searched without quotes) have nearly met the number of searches for that phrase during the Great Recession, but that doesn’t mean a housing market collapse is coming.The Google Trends data could be conflating searches related to renters struggling to buy a home, one analyst said.Mortgage delinquencies, which rose dramatically during the financial crisis, are low. The number of Google searches for “help with mortgage” (searched without quotes) is almost as high as it was during the Great Recession. That alarming stat went viral on Wednesday—even Sen. Elizabeth Warren sounded the alarm—but it…

(Oil Price) – Chevron and state-owned Israel Natural Gas Lines Ltd have signed an agreement to build a natural gas pipeline from Israel’s giant Leviathan gas field to Egypt, Leviathan project participant NewMed Energy has said. Chevron’s unit Chevron Mediterranean Limited, the operator of the Leviathan Project, agreed with Israel Natural Gas Lines to provide transmission services for the flow of natural gas from the Leviathan reservoir to Egypt through the Nitzana Project. The project is for onshore connection between the Israeli transmission system and the Egyptian transmission system in the Nitzana area, said NewMed Energy, which leads a partnership with a…

Key Takeaways The average 401(k) balance for 50-year-olds provides a helpful benchmark for retirement planning, but the numbers vary by plan provider. Your 401(k) balance is influenced by several factors, including market performance, time, discipline, and contribution limits. Experts recommend specific savings targets for those in their 50s to ensure retirement readiness. If you feel you’re behind on your retirement savings journey, consider catch-up strategies like maxing out contributions or leveraging your home’s equity. The average 401(k) account balance for people in their 50s ranges from $199,900 to $592,285, depending on which retirement plan provider’s data you look at. While…

Key Takeaways You measure net worth by subtracting liabilities from assets.You can compare your net worth with your peers once you know your net worth.You don’t need a big income to achieve a good net worth, but you will need good savings habits.You can improve net worth by increasing income, bolstering savings, lowering spending, and paying down debt. Calculating your net worth is a way of measuring your financial health. You can check it every few months to see how well you are moving ahead or falling behind on financial goals. It is also a good indicator of how you…

Investors have been enamored with the idea of top tech disruptors able to reshape the economy since the dot-com days. Meta Platforms (META) and Tesla (TSLA) didn’t exist 25 years ago, but now they’re among the biggest companies in the world because of game-changing innovations.Today, the most disruptive start-ups are owned by private equity. Typically, they’re small but high-potential firms operating deeply in the red as they chase new applications for big ideas like artificial intelligence, quantum computing or the blockchain.But a number of established, publicly traded stocks still qualify as top tech disruptors and offer the promise of significant…

Falling job growth may be bad news for the economy, but it could bring welcome news for mortgage borrowers. A weaker-than-expected jobs report has already pushed rates lower, easing some of the pressure on today’s housing market.For homebuyers, the shift offers a chance to secure a mortgage at a more affordable level than what we’ve seen in recent months. Lower borrowing costs can translate into smaller monthly payments and, in some cases, the ability to consider a wider range of homes.Homeowners who purchased when rates were higher may also see an opening to refinance. A lower rate can cut monthly…

Buying a second home can be an appealing way to lock in a vacation retreat or create an income-producing property. But the number of buyers taking out mortgages for second homes has fallen sharply — Redfin reports 86,604 mortgages in 2024, the lowest level since 2018 and far below the 258,289 peak in 2021.If you have enough savings, you don’t necessarily need a mortgage to make the purchase. All-cash offers are still common, and they can make transactions faster and more attractive to sellers. But draining your savings may leave you without a financial cushion.The real question is whether it…

Powell: Fed’s Split Risk Makes Policy Moving Forward Tricky 11 minutes ago One reason for the disparate predictions among Fed officials is the tension between a risk of higher unemployment and stubborn inflation. “So we have a situation where we have two-sided risk, and that means there’s no risk-free path,” Powell said at his press conference. “It’s not at all surprising to me that you have a range of views. It’s not so much about having different views for the path of the economy; it’s also partly about what’s the right thing to do in light of this tension between…