Economic News Archives - Page 10 of 18

Category: Economic News

The macro economy has a large impact on your personal finances. To help you manage your money better we track the import economic trends. Stay up to date so you can be prepared to adjust your personal finance strategies.

a row of houses

Average Mortgage Rate Falls Below 3%

Those looking to buy a home or to refinance may encounter lower interest rates than they have before. According to Mortgage News Daily, the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to just 2.97% last week. That marks a new record low as the economy continues to experience impacts from the coronavirus pandemic. With this being an average, some borrowers with stellar credit may apparently even see rates as...
US Unemployment Chart

U.S. Economy Regains 2.5 Million Jobs in May

Ever since the start of lockdown amid the coronavirus crisis in the United States, it was clear that the nation would be in for some rough jobs reports. Sure enough, the country has seen multiple record-breaking weeks of new jobless claims as well as a major spike to the unemployment rate. While economists had braced for May to be no different, instead, the newest figures show the economy rebounding some...
sketch of a home with a city backdrop

Sales of Existing Homes Fall to Near 10-Year Low

During these interesting times, are you in the market for a house? If not, you certainly aren't alone. As CNN Business reports (and according to data from the National Association of Realtors), sales of existing homes dropped by 17.8% in April compared to the previous month. Similarly sales were down 17.2% year over year. This was not only the largest monthly drop seen since July of 2010 but also brought...
a row of houses

More Than 8% of U.S. Mortgages Now in Forbearance

With the United States economy still being pummeled by closures associated with the spread of COVID-19, many Americans are seeking financial relief. One potential option for homeowners who may be struggling is forbearance, which allows them to pause mortgage payments for up to 12 months. Now new data shows that a growing number of consumers are applying for this protection — regardless of whether or not they might need it....
food ordering app

Uber Reportedly Looking to Acquire Grubhub

During the current crisis, many businesses and verticals have seen their operations and sales directly impacted. The food delivery business has been no different, initially seeing a dip as shoppers stocked up on groceries but rebounding some as consumers looked to support their local eateries. All the while, companies like Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash, and others have worked to reassure both customers and delivery partners with enhanced safety and cleanliness...
Stock slices

Charles Schwab Announces Fractional Shares Platform "Stock Slices"

Last fall, Charles Schwab shook up the brokerage world by announcing that it would be eliminating its trade commission fees. While this model had previously been tried by FinTech startups such as Robinhood, it was a big deal for a traditional discount brokerage to adopt it. Within a week of the reveal, several other companies followed Schwab's lead, changing the landscape for good and likely influencing the mergers and acquisitions...
GDP growth chart

United States Gross Domestic Product Falls 4.8% in Q1

Ever since mandated lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic began, it was clear that the virus would take a toll on the United States economy. Sure enough, the past few weeks have brought multiple rounds of record-breaking jobless claims that now total more than 26 million in five weeks. Now the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis has released its first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) report further demonstrating...
Shaek Shack restaurant

Shake Shack to Return Paycheck Protection Program Loan to SBA

Last week when it was announced that the Small Business Administration's (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) had run through its original $349 billion in funding, there was plenty of anger to be found all around. While some were frustrated with Congress for not authorizing additional funding and with the SBA for not providing clearer instructions for banks to follow, others were upset to find that some national chains such as...
The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get the Latest News Delivered to Your Inbox

A Guide to Building Credit and Increasing Your Credit Scores

When it comes to credit, there’s some good news. The average credit score in the United States has been steadily rising in recent years, coming in at 715 in 2023. That may be because, today, consumers not only have more ways to access their credit reports and scores than ever before but also because there are an increasing number of options that Americans have for building credit in the first...

2024 SoFi Checking and Savings Review

Ever since I started taking an interest in the FinTech sector, one company whose name I’ve seen pop up over and over again is SoFi. Lately it seems as though that theme has been sent into overdrive as the company has not only become a household name thanks to its stadium naming rights deal but also because of the company’s continued product expansions. The most interesting development in my mind...
Brim logo

Brim Financial Raises $85 Million as It Eyes Global Expansion

Toronto-based FinTech infrastructure startup Brim Financial has announced a new funding round. About the round: Brim has revealed an $85 million round. The Series C was led by EDC Investments while new investor Vistara Growth and returning investors White Owl Group, Epic Ventures, and Zions Bank also participated. To date, the company has now raised $110 million including a Series B in 2021. According to Brim, the latest funding will...
Chase Freedom Flex card

Chase Reveals Q2 2024 Freedom 5%(+) Bonus Categories

Chase has announced its bonus category picks for the second quarter of 2024 — including some interesting twists. About the categories: As April approaches, Chase has revealed what categories Freedom and Freedom Flex cardholders can earn bonuses on. From April 1st through June 30th, customers can earn 5% (or more) in three categories: Amazon.com, Hotels, and Restaurants. Similar to how Chase embraced a "New Year, New Me" theme last quarter,...

FedEx Announces Winners of 11th Annual 2023 Small Business Grant Contest

Nearly three months after the entry period ended, FedEx has announced the winners of its 11th annual Small Business Grant Content. This year's event saw more than $300,000 in funds going to a variety of small businesses across the nation. Last month, the company revealed 100 finalists, with that list now being narrowed down to just 10 winners. This year's grand prize winners included KindVR, The Cupcake Collection, Up In...