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Mortgage demand is mixed, as interest rates hit highest level since May
A completed planned development is seen in Ashburn, Virginia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images Mortgage demand started this year stronger than it did last year, even though interest rates are higher. Total mortgage application volume last week was 7% higher than the same week one year ago, according to…
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Santander considers UK exit amid frustrations with high street banking
Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Santander is reconsidering its presence in the UK two decades after its acquisition of Abbey National made it a major player on Britain’s high street, according to people familiar with the matter. The bank is…
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Trump housing policy taking shape
“Because of the broad, bipartisan support we have built for the LIHTCs, we believe there is a real opportunity to include housing credit provisions in the forthcoming major tax legislation,” said Emily Cadik, CEO, Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition. AHTC The Trump administration is sending out signals about how it intends to address the nation’s…
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Commerzbank explores thousands of job cuts in answer to Andrea Orcel
Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the European banks myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Commerzbank is exploring cutting thousands of jobs as it seeks to fend off unwanted advances from Italy’s UniCredit, according to people familiar with the matter. The plans, which have not yet been formalised, were expected…
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Fitch places Los Angeles and its city utility on rating watch negative
Search and rescue operations in Los Angles Wednesday in the wake of the Palisades Fire. Bloomberg News Fitch Ratings placed four credits — led by the city of Los Angeles the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power — on rating watch negative, citing the region’s wildfires. Fitch also placed two utilities tightly linked to…
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DoubleLine’s Gundlach says the Fed looks like Mr. Magoo, focuses too much on ‘short-termism’
Jeffrey Gundlach speaking at the 2019 SOHN Conference in New York on May 5, 2019. Adam Jeffery | CNBC DoubleLine Capital CEO Jeffrey Gundlach believes the Federal Reserve is missing the bigger picture again. “The Fed looks like Mr. Magoo, driving around, bumping into things. Then became systematic, got inflation to come down,” Gundlach said in an…
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From giant Lego-style bricks to artificial reefs, how the construction industry is using tech to tackle climate change
The problem of stolen manhole covers in Turkey might seem an unlikely starting point for a new way for buildings to withstand earthquakes and tackle the construction industry’s environmental issues, but when a Turkish businessman heard about a new material that prevented the thefts, it sparked an idea. Cast iron is traditionally used to make…
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Starmer touts relationship with Trump as he seeks US-UK trade deal
Sir Keir Starmer, Britain’s prime minister, said he could strike a trade deal with Donald Trump and avoid punitive tariffs on the UK as he dismissed as “noises off” Elon Musk’s strident criticism of his leadership. Starmer, speaking to the Financial Times on a visit to Kyiv, insisted Trump’s inauguration on Monday would not add…
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Tax-exempt bonds axed in menu of options floated by Ways and Means
Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., chairs the House Ways and Means Committee weighing the tax-exemption’s fate. The House Ways and Means Committee is considering the total elimination of tax-exempt bonds, according to a 51-page list of targeted programs, policies and plans for a reconciliation bill obtained Friday by The Bond Buyer. It’s a wide-ranging and tentative…
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Rating watches underscore hazy credit outlook from California wildfires
An aerial view taken Wednesday of wildfire devastation in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.Bloomberg News Public finance credits in Southern California are beginning to feel the heat from the massive wildfires that have destroyed parts of the city and county of Los Angeles. The city’s AA-rated general obligation bonds were placed on CreditWatch…
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Trading platform Dub will pay some retail investors to share portfolios through TikTok-like ‘creator program’
Manusapon Kasosod | Moment | Getty Images Dub, a platform that allows retail traders to mimic the investments of notable people in business and government, debuted a service Thursday that pays select everyday investors to share their portfolios. Retail traders accepted into Dub’s so-called top creator program will be paid royalties for users to access…
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Mortgages, credit cards, auto loans: Expert predictions for interest rates in 2025
Interest rates moved lower near the end of 2024 as the Federal Reserve cut rates three times, shaving a full percentage point off the federal funds rate since September. In 2025, that trend is likely to continue. But with inflation still above the Fed’s 2% target, a strong labor market and a new administration, the central…
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Trump’s Treasury pick warns unwinding tax cuts would spark ‘economic calamity’
Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world Scott Bessent said the US should increase sanctions on Russian oil producers to force Moscow to negotiate with Ukraine as he criticised the Biden administration for not being tougher on Vladimir Putin’s regime.…
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Louisiana, with bond plans, will seek Fitch upgrade
Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming said he would lobby Fitch Ratings for a rating upgrade.Bloomberg News Louisiana plans to sell bonds four more times this fiscal year and at least twice more in the next fiscal year, a Louisiana state official said Thursday. Amounts were not discussed and were not immediately available. The state will…
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What the Israel-Hamas ceasefire means for the world
Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world It is not yet clear that the Gaza ceasefire will even come into force. But, if the war is indeed ending, what has it meant for the world? For Israel, the impact seems…
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Muni yields fall, but underperform UST rally following CPI report
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21179756/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals improved Wednesday amid a large new-issue slate, though underperformed a U.S. Treasury rally, after the consumer price index showed a slowdown in inflation. The CPI came in below expectations, while the core CPI, which strips out the more volatile costs of food and energy, was softer than expected.…
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Hindenburg Research founder says he’s closing short-seller research shop
Nate Anderson on January 6, 2023 in New York. Anderson exposes corporate fraud and ponzi schemes through his company Hindenburg Research. The Washington Post | The Washington Post | Getty Images Hindenburg Research, an upstart research and investment firm that made a name for itself with several successful short bets, is closing, founder Nate Anderson…
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Here are 7 steps homeowners and renters should take after a wildfire, experts say
Flames and smoke from the Palisades Fire surround a home (C) in the community of Topanga, California, on January 9, 2025. David Swanson | Afp | Getty Images Firefighters are still working to contain the record-breaking fires that have been raging for more than a week in Southern California. The fires in the Greater Los…
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Wall Street stocks post biggest rally since Trump’s election victory
Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the US inflation myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. US stocks and bonds rallied after data published on Wednesday showed underlying price pressures easing more than expected, prompting investors to bet on swifter interest rate cuts this year. The figures from the Bureau of…
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Chicago panel split on road ahead in 2025
Dr. Bob Froehlich, John Rogers, Jr. and Diane Swonk took the stage at the Executives’ Club of Chicago’s Annual Economic Outlook panel Tuesday.Executives’ Club of Chicago The Fed may have two more rate cuts in store this year, there is a floor forming under the Treasury bond market, a short recession is a possibility, and…
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