Just one in 20 Americans say they plan to buy a home within the next year, and they're most likely to be 34 years old or younger and living in the South or West, according to a survey released Wednes

After six months and five days, my home mortgage refinancing closed this week. Please allow me a moment  to savor the achievement of my latest personal goal! I locked in on a rate of 4.75% for 3

Friedrich A. Hayek (1899-1992), Austrian economist, author and 1974 Nobel Prize-winner for Economics wrote: “With the exception only of the period of the gold standard, practically all governme

Investors have wagered hard on the gambling stocks but, at their current prices, it’s hard to see why stock pickers should double down on this bet. Wynn Resorts (WYNN) made headlines over the w

Toula Akladios has an unabashed passion for the mortgage business. And with some of the unbelievable real-estate deals on the market, it drives her crazy when the media suggest money is available onl

In Solving the Consumer Demand Dilemma, I mentioned that readers needed to pay attention to retail sales data and the ISM services data. The retail sales figures today were somewhat better than many

One to watch: Animal spirits will rein on Wall Street at the end of this dog day of August as America’s largest pet-supply retailer announces earnings after the close. PetSmart (PETM) hopes to

My relationship with American Express (AXP) dates back to 1980. From Green Card to Gold Card, Optima to Blue, my privilege of membership has endured the test of time.Even when it became a stupid move

Considering the frustration percolating among commercial real estate bears, I'll risk beating the proverbial dead horse and re-repeat my thesis for stubbornly sticking with short positions in the iSh

Editor's Note: This is Part 2 in a multiple-part series. Part 1 can be found here. Government LargesseA key risk remains in the ability of governments to finance their burgeoning government deficits.