Mortgage rates have been so low for so long that it's created a lock-in effect where people don't want to sell their homes to buy new ones for fear of losing their attractive rates. That's made it "almost impossible" for first-time homebuyers to enter the housing market, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during her testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee. "With house prices having gone up and now with much higher interest and mortgage rates, it's almost impossible for first-t
U.S. equities are off to a shaky start in 2024, as concerns regarding delayed rate cuts and a global economic slowdown have been weighing on investors. With stronger-than-expected retail sales reported in December, traders give the chances that the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates by March a 47% chance. Nonetheless, billionaires have been piling onto dividend-paying stocks to boost their total portfolio income. Investing in stable, high-yield dividend stocks can allow investors to gene
Medical Properties Trust Inc (NYSE:MPW) shares are trading lower after the company announced plans to recover uncollected rents and outstanding loan obligations from Steward Health Care System. Also, Keybanc downgraded the stock from overweight to sector weight, which has also contributed to the 30% decline in the company’s stock price. Why is this a big deal? The announcement regarding Steward Health Care System clearly shows that Medical Properties Trust is facing significant challenges in its
International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) closed at $162.23 at the end of the trading session on Dec. 15. The New York-headquartered technology corporation filed its Form 10-Q for the quarter ending Sept. 30 in the last week of October. According to the filing, IBM's cash dividends for the nine months ended Sept. 30 were $4.5 billion. Cash dividends for the quarter were $1.66 per share and a cumulative $4.97 per share for the first three quarters of the year. Using $4.97 per share for thr