Weekly Digest – August 21, 2024

Welcome to our Weekly Digest – stay in the know with some recent news updates relevant to business and the economy.

CPI inflation comes in at 2.9%—better than expectations

Inflation was lighter than forecasted last month, according to data released, as Wall Street pays close attention to weakening which should bolster the case for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates.

Rules for buying and selling a home are changing. Here’s what to know.

When it comes to buying and selling homes, new rules are about to be put in play, five months after the National Association of Realtors agreed to a blockbuster settlement over how its 1.5 million agents across the U.S. are paid commissions.

Is the Fed ready to start cutting interest rates?

The recent slide in financial markets could lead to “aggressive rate cuts” by the Federal Reserve, said CBS News.

Stocks rally again as signs of crash evaporate

The stock market rebound continued Thursday thanks to the latest batch of data depicting a healthier U.S. economy than feared, as major stock indexes almost entirely wipe out losses from the brutal selloff which occurred at the start of August.

Inflation continues to plague main street

The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.2 points in July to 93.7, the highest reading since February 2022. However, inflation remains the top issue among small business owners, with 25% reporting it as their single most important problem in operating their business, up four points from June.

With US economy humming, a quarter point will do

The U.S. economy is doing just fine and markets now accept a quarter-point rate cut from the Federal Reserve next month will be enough to get the easing cycle going as disinflation resumes. That was the basic conclusion from a torrent of macro economic updates on Thursday

Everyday Americans are more confident in the U.S. economy than in their personal finances

Everyday Americans are getting more confident that inflation is cooling off, but they don’t necessarily expect their personal financial situation to improve in the same way. That’s according to the New York Fed’s latest Survey of Consumer Expectations.

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