Data & Trends

FHFA: House Price Index Up 0.2 Percent in May 2018

U.S. house prices rose in May, up 0.2 percent from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (HPI).  The previously reported 0.1 percent increase in April was revised upward to 0.2 percent. The FHFA monthly HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages…

Federal Reserve: Income Inequality, Financial Crises and Monetary Policy

Download the PDF: Income Inequality, Financial Crises, and Monetary Policy (PDF) by: Isabel Cairo and Jae W. Sim Abstract: We construct a general equilibrium model in which income inequality results in insufficient aggregate demand, deflation pressure, and excessive credit growth by allocating income to agents featuring low marginal propensity to consume, and if excessive, can lead…

HUD and Census Bureau: Residential Construction Activity Report for June 2018

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for June 2018. Building Permits: Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,273,000. This is 2.2 percent (±1.2 percent) below the revised…

ABA: Report Shows Consumer Delinquencies Rise in First Quarter 2018

The first quarter of 2018 saw installment loan and bank card delinquencies resume a slow return to normal levels after falling across the board in the previous quarter, according to results from the American Bankers Association’s Consumer Credit Delinquency Bulletin. The composite ratio, which tracks delinquencies in eight closed-end installment loan categories, rose 9 basis…

Census Bureau: Schedule for Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Statistics and ACS Data Release

The U.S. Census Bureau’s schedule for the release of the 2017 income, poverty and health insurance coverage statistics from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey and the 2017 American Community Survey is as follows: Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018 (no embargo) National 2017 income, poverty and health insurance coverage statistics: Current Population Survey Annual Social…

CFPB: New Research Report on Student Loan Repayment and Broader Household Borrowing

Student loans make up an increasing share of the debt held by borrowers around the country, particularly for younger borrowers. Our previous research has shown that borrowers vary greatly in their ability to pay off their loans, how quickly they can do so, and the potential hurdles they face. Today, we released a new Data…

Federal Reserve: Findings Released from Study of Small Business Owners’ Perspectives on Online Lenders and Products

The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland on Thursday published Browsing to Borrow: “Mom & Pop” Small Business Perspectives on Online Lenders. The report examines small business owners’ perceptions of online lenders and their understanding and interpretation of the information that online lenders use to describe their credit products. Among the…

FHFA: Index Shows Mortgage Rates Increased in May 2018

Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages increased from April to May, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts. The National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders Index was 4.57 percent for loans closed in late May, up 6 basis points from 4.51 percent in April. The…

CFPB: Measuring a Child’s Progress on the Building Blocks of Financial Capability

Developing financial capability during youth is an important stepping stone on the path to adult financial well-being. Financially capable individuals have healthy money habits, stick to plans, and apply their knowledge and skills to successfully complete financial tasks. Financial capability is developed over time and is marked by milestones on the path to financial well-being….

FHFA: House Price Index Up 0.1 Percent in April 2018

U.S. house prices rose in April, up 0.1 percent from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (HPI).  The previously reported 0.1 percent increase in March was revised upward to 0.2 percent. The FHFA monthly HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages…