Author: Press Room

Mortgage rates are up for a third straight week to the highest since July, further hindering demand in the already-stagnant housing market. Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released Thursday, showed that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage jumped to 6.91%, up from last week’s reading of 6.85%. The average rate on a 30-year loan was 6.62% a year ago. “Inching up to just shy of seven percent, mortgage rates reached their highest point in nearly six months,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Compared to this time last year, rates are elevated and the…

This article was written byFollowWith an investment banking cash and derivatives trading background, Binary Tree Analytics (‘BTA’) aims to provide transparency and analytics in respect to capital markets instruments and trades. BTA focuses on CEFs, ETFs and Special Situations, and aims to deliver high annualized returns with a low volatility profile. We have been investing for over 20 years after obtaining a Finance major at a top university.Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the worldThe FBI is investigating an “act of terrorism” after at least 15 people were killed and 35 injured early on Wednesday when a man drove a pick-up truck into a large crowd in the heart of New Orleans.President Joe Biden on Wednesday night said authorities were also investigating the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump hotel in Las Vegas to see if it was related to the attack in New Orleans.The FBI identified the suspect in the New…

Shortly After Midnight On New Year’s Eve, 229 Americans Have Already Paid Their Social Security Tax Earnings over $176,100 per year, which is the cap on earnings taxed by Social Security, escape tax. A civil engineer earning $176,100 per year looks the same as Elon Musk in the eyes of the Social Security system. According to public data on Musk’s income, 15 minutes past midnight on New Year’s Eve, he likely has paid all of his Social Security tax on earnings from Tesla. If all of Musk’s income was taxed, he would have been able to pay all his Social…

This article was written byFollowI’m an ex-Project Manager for the luxury real estate auction company, Concierge Auctions, that has been studying stock investing since I was 14 years old. After leaving the company, I began focusing on my efforts on analyzing various investments and writing about them. My primary investing strategy revolves around buying income investments and using the income to buy undervalued stocks with long-term growth opportunities. If you follow me, you can expect to see analysis on high-yield income ETFs and growth stocks with a primary focus on sports, real estate, and technology sectors.Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no…

China is stepping up its push to break the grip of Boeing and Airbus on the aircraft market, as the state-run maker of the country’s first homegrown passenger jet seeks certifications for it to fly beyond the country’s shores.Comac’s heavily subsidised C919, which made its maiden commercial flight in 2023, is already flown on domestic routes by China’s three big state-owned carriers: Air China, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines. From this month, China Eastern will fly the C919 between Hong Kong and Shanghai, its first regular commercial route outside China’s mainland.Yang Yang, the company’s deputy general manager of…

Don’t Let Your 529 Go To Waste If you set up a 529 education plan for your children or grandchildren that is no longer needed for education expenses, there is a new game in town. (Enacted as part of the SECURE 2.0 Act). You can now transfer money to a Roth IRA for the beneficiary without triggering an income tax (or penalty) on the withdrawal from the 529 — as long as you follow the rules. The act sets out six key points 1) 15 years The 529 account must have been opened for 15 years before the rollover can…

This article was written byFollowProviding alpha-generating investment ideas. I am an independent investor managing my family’s portfolio, primarily via a Self Managed Super Fund. You can expect my articles to deliver a clearly structured, evidence-based thesis. But first and foremost, I encourage readers to judge me on my performance.I have a generalist approach as I explore, analyze and invest in any sector so long there is perceived alpha potential vs the S&P500. The typical holding period ranges between a few quarters to multiple years.It is a good idea to review the ratings history for the articles published by authors. This…

Two years of escalating confrontation in the South China Sea have persuaded the Philippines that going head-on against Beijing is not viable as it tries to police one of the world’s largest maritime territories.Direct clashes with the Chinese coastguard — accused of behaving “like Vikings” — threaten to exhaust Manila’s limited resources, according to Philippine government officials. They said the country had to balance securing its western flank, where China is most active, with the need to safeguard the rest of its maritime interests across 7,000 islands where smuggling and piracy are perennial threats.“We cannot go toe to toe with…

As the end of the year approaches, you should be asking yourself what tax strategies you might be missing out on. Depending on your situation, there are many different ways to reduce taxes. The best person to ask about this is your tax advisor. It helps, however, if you go into that meeting with specific questions. If you have children, one question you might consider asking is how establishing a Child IRA could help reduce family taxes and whether you’re eligible to take advantage of this underutilized benefit. Current contribution limits for Child IRAs A Child IRA is not much…