Mortgage rates are trending downward from recent peaks.They could fall further if the economy continues to slow and the Fed cuts rates.However, that might not make it much easier to buy a house, some experts say.It’s getting cheaper to borrow money to buy a house.But would-be homebuyers shouldn’t celebrate prematurely. Lower mortgage rates could be a red flag for serious economic weakness and potential recession.”Usually in a recession, we see interest rates dip as investors flock to more safe-haven assets like government bonds and other bonds,” Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, told BI. “Mortgage bonds would be included in…
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Image source: Getty Images In a couple of weeks, the current year’s ISA contribution deadline will pass. Any unused 2024-25 allowance an investor still has will disappear forever. Of course, a new year’s allowance will open up. But I think it still makes sense for an investor to consider making the most of their existing allowance before it vanishes, if they can. Not maximising the available tax benefits is not the only mistake one can make with an ISA, however. Here are another couple I am always keen to avoid! Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances…
Iron stocks may not get a lot of attention among investors these days, but iron mining and processing is still a huge industry. After all, iron is a primary ingredient in steel, a key component of much of the world’s infrastructure, including apartment buildings, office towers, bridges, and tunnels, as well as machines such as cars, washing machines, and even cargo ships. Image source: Getty Images. Commodity prices have come down from a peak a few years ago as supply chain shortages and other challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic have eased, and you may be wondering if now is a…
Image source: Unilever plc As a long-term investor, I like the timeframe of decades I have in which to invest my Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP). But while time can be the friend of the long-term investor, it can also multiply the cost of some mistakes. For example, a small-seeming annual charge or account management fee can suddenly look big when taking a 20- or 30-year view. Here are three things I think an investor should look for when finding shares to buy for their SIPP, to try and help time be their friend rather than their enemy. 1. Ongoing business…
A piece of Paris has landed in New York City.French luxury retailer Printemps officially opened its first U.S. store this week in the city’s Financial District. The retailer celebrated its opening on Friday, which coincided with the start of spring — its namesake.The 55,000-square-foot store spans two floors and carries a wide range of merchandise, including clothing, shoes, handbags, makeup and more. About 25% of its brands are either not available or rare in the U.S., such as the Joseph Duclos brand, a French luxury name that made a handbag sported by Taylor Swift, Printemps CEO Jean-Marc Bellaiche said.In an…
Image source: Getty Images Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) shares are on my watchlist. The stock’s fallen 11% over the past month and even more from its early February highs. Because of this dip, the stock’s one-year performance is now just 10%. As such, £10,000 invested a year ago would now be worth just under £11,000. That’s also factoring in the fact that Alphabet shares are denominated in dollars and the pound has appreciated slightly over the past year. Clearly, this isn’t a bad return. However, while Alphabet lacks the sparkle of some of its mega-cap, big tech peers, I’m starting to wonder…
The European Commission’s recent Steel and Metals Action Plan is drawing scrutiny from key recycling associations in Europe, causing a stir within the industry due to fears of potential trade barriers. The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) and the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) have voiced their serious concerns about the implications of proposed export restrictions and levies on recycled metals.Released on March 19, 2025, the Steel and Metals Action Plan is seen as a significant step toward improving the sustainability and competitiveness of the European steel industry. However, both BIR and EuRIC fear that certain measures may inadvertently disrupt…
Image source: Getty Images Investing in shares that pay dividends is a common, practical way for people to earn passive income. That does not mean it is easy. Dividends are never guaranteed and share prices can fall, so a smart investing approach matters. But without much effort, I think a realistic and sensible investor could build substantial passive income streams over time. As an example, with a spare £20k, here is what an investor might be able to achieve while sticking to proven blue-chip companies from the top tier FTSE 100 index. Investing smartly and realistically Twenty grand is a…
Image source: Getty Images Every business goes through ups and downs, but not many can increase their dividend every year since 1991. But that’s the case with one FTSE 100 stock that’s trading at a 52-week low. Croda International (LSE:CRDA) is a chemicals company that’s been going through tough times of late. But this is a firm that has seen it all before. Cyclical lows Croda’s increased its dividend per share every year since 1991, which is almost as long as I’ve been alive. And a lot has happened in that time. The last 34 years have included the dot-com crash…
It seems a while ago already that Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) was a darling growth stock, with a market capitalisation well north of a trillion dollars. Tesla stock has now lost over half its value from the high point it hit over the past 12 months. It has crashed 42% since the beginning of the year. However, that still puts it 37% higher than just one year ago – and 729% up over a five-year period. Back in 2020, Tesla was trading below $100 a share. Could it get down there again – and if so, ought I to buy some…