Uncategorized

In celebration of National Picnic Day on April 23, try this Greek Pasta Salad from Delish for your next picnic or as a fulfilling lunch option. This recipe serves 8. To prepare, cook 1 pound of farfalle pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain the […]

Wholesale inflation rose in March but not as much as expected. The headline Producer Price Index (PPI) increased 0.5% for the month and 4% year over year, both below forecasts. Core PPI, which strips out food and energy, came in even softer, rising just 0.1% monthly and 3.8% annually. While inflation remains elevated, these readings […]

Home builder sentiment fell 4 points to a seven-month low of 34 in April, remaining in contraction territory. Much of this weakness is driven by concerns over rising mortgage rates, geopolitical tensions, and surging construction costs, which are squeezing margins and dampening momentum in the spring housing market. Buyer traffic, along with both current and […]

After a rebound in February, existing home sales slowed in March, falling 3.6% according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). At the same time, housing inventory improved, rising 3% from February to 1.36 million homes, which is 2.3% higher than this time last year. What’s the bottom line?Even with this increase, inventory is still […]

Celebrate National Pecan Day (April 14) with these easy, chewy Maple Pecan Cookies, adapted from Food Network. This recipe makes about 24 cookies. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together 1 stick unsalted butter (at room temperature) and 3/4 cup packed […]

The final reading for Q4 2025 shows the U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of just 0.5%, a sharp slowdown from 4.4% in Q3 and slightly below the previous estimate of 0.7%. Much of the decline was tied to reduced government spending during the shutdown. New unemployment claims increased by 16,000 to 219,000. However, […]

Home prices remained stable from January to February, according to Cotality’s latest Home Price Insights report, with values up 0.5% compared to this time last year. What’s the bottom line?The longer-term trend is encouraging. Looking ahead, Cotality projects home prices will climb about 4.7% over the next year, an uptick from their previous 4.4% forecast. […]

The latest inflation data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed prices picked up in March, rising 0.9% for the month and3.3% year over year, up sharply from 2.4% previously. The increase was largely driven by higher fuel and gasoline prices tied to the Iran conflict. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, remained more […]

This easy, crowd-pleasing coffee cake adapted from Food Network is perfect for National Coffee Cake Day (April 7) or anytime you’re craving something sweet. It serves 8 to 10. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. In a large bowl, cream together 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter […]

The Case-Shiller Home Price Index reported a slight 0.1% dip from December to January before seasonal adjustments. After accounting for typical seasonal patterns, prices actually rose 0.2%. Compared to a year ago, home prices are up 0.9% nationally. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) index tells a similar story. It showed home prices rising 0.1% […]

As noted above, Revelio Labs reported 19,400 job gains in March, driven mostly by healthcare and social services. Meanwhile, job openings declined, falling to 6.88 million in February from 7.24 million in January and well below their peak of over 12 million in 2022. The real number may be even lower, as some remote jobs […]

Looking closer at private-sector hiring, ADP data adds more context on where growth is occurring. Private employers added 62,000 jobs in March, beating forecasts of 40,000. But the headline masks important differences across company size and sector. All the job growth came from small businesses, which added 85,000 positions. In contrast, medium-sized companies cut 20,000 […]

March job growth came in well above estimates according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The economy added 178,000 jobs, compared with forecasts calling for just 60,000. The unemployment rate also edged down from 4.4% to 4.3%. What’s the bottom line?At first glance, this looks like a strong report. But other […]

Celebrate National Chocolate Mousse Day on April 3 (or any time you’re craving something decadent) with this rich chocolate mousse courtesy of Food Network that serves 4 to 6. Start by gently melting 5 1/4 ounces of coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler over low simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat […]

Initial jobless claims rose slightly by 5,000 to 210,000 in the latest week, still low by historical standards. Meanwhile, continuing claims (people receiving benefits beyond the first week) fell by 32,000 to 1.819 million. What’s the bottom line?Low first-time claims may reflect the growing role of gig and contract work, with some displaced workers opting […]