Archive for February, 2009

MBA Mortgage Applications Move Lower in Week Ending Feb. 20

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Weekly mortgage applications in the United States declined in the week ending Feb. 20, according to data released from the Mortgage Bankers' Association (MBA) on Wednesday, which reported a 15.1% week-over-week decrease in applications. In the previous...(read more)

Nationalization of U.S. Banks Not Necessary, Says Bernanke

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

Federal authorities do not see any advantage to nationalizing large banks since a return to profitability can be achieved through a combination of strong regulations of how rescue funds are used, and greater transparency on financial institutions, according...(read more)

House Prices Rebounded Slightly in December

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

House prices unexpectedly advanced in December, according to a report from the Federal Housing and Finance Administration on Tuesday. which noted a 0.1% month-over-month increase in U.S. house prices following a 2.2% decline in November. The report showed...(read more)

Home Prices in Large Cities Down 18.5% from Year-Ago Levels

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

The S&P Case-Shiller home price index fell in line with expectations in December as the 20-city composite index posted a decline of 18.55% to a reading of 139.1. Economists had forecast an 18.30% drop. The three-month annualized rate of decline was...(read more)

FDIC’s Bair Says U.S. Bank Nationalizations Would be “Surprising”

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

A government takeover of banks would be a " surprising " move given that large U.S. banks are not in danger, FDIC Chairperson Sheila Bair said on Tuesday. Speaking in an interview on the CBS Early Show, Bair admitted that there were ongoing...(read more)

Obama Promises to Cut the Fiscal Deficit in Half by End of Term

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

President Barack Obama pledged to cut the fiscal deficit in half by the end of his first term on Monday, and stressed the importance of responsible spending. Speaking at the White House, Obama said there is an immense fiscal deficit challenge that lies...(read more)

Preview: Bernanke Testimony to be Closely Watched for Inflation Target

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's two-day testimony to the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, which begins Tuesday , will be closely-watched for any new revelations on government programs to rescue the U.S. economy. Most economists...(read more)

U.S. Prepared to Inject Funds Into Banks Following Stress Tests

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

The U.S. government renewed its pledge to backstop the financial system and work to keep it in private hands as officials prepare to begin stress testing later in the week. "The U.S. government stands firmly behind the banking system during this...(read more)

Government May Acquire Large Stake in Citigroup, Report Says

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

The Wall Street Journal reports that the U.S. government is in talks to "substantially" expand its ownership in Citigroup . According a story published on Sunday, the U.S. government could end up owning as much as 40% of Citigroup's common...(read more)

White House Reaffirms Commitment to Private Banking Sector

Friday, February 20th, 2009

Following a wave of fear that swept stock markets Friday over the possibility of the U.S. government nationalizing banks, the White House reaffirmed its commitment to a private banking system . Markets took a dive after Senate Banking Committee Chairman...(read more)