Mortgages News

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Investors traveled first class in 2005, with internationally focused stock-mutual funds posting double-digit gains while their U.S. peers moved higher for a third consecutive year and now seem primed for a fourth. MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE  IN INVESTING Apartment REITs and the rental-market rebound  IN MUTUAL FUNDS Bond funds defy risin ...

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- A year of rising interest rates and above-trend economic growth is supposed to take a serious bite out of bond returns, but fixed-income funds defied conventional thinking with respectable gains in 2005. MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE  IN INVESTING Apartment REITs and the rental-market rebound  IN MUTUAL FUNDS Bond funds defy rising-interest-rate  ...

CHICAGO (Dow Jones) - Longer-term Treasurys moved in two directions in a shortened trading session on Friday, pinning their yields below short-term yields this week for the first time since 2000. Treasurys overall will return nearly 3% including reinvested interest this year, according to Merrill Lynch figures. That's down slightly from 3.5% in 2004 but up from 2.3% in 2003. The benchmark 10 ...

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) - Longer-term Treasurys moved in two directions in a shortened trading session on Friday, pinning their yields below short-term yields this week for the first time since 2000.   MARKETWATCH TOP NEWS U.S. stocks slump with Dow headed for yearly loss Lobbyists fret over R&D tax credit expiration Online holiday shopping jumps 30% ...

CHICAGO (Dow Jones) - Longer-term Treasurys traded mixed in a shortened trading session on Friday, leaving their yields barely moved on the day but still above short-term yields for the first time since 2000. Treasurys overall will return nearly 3% including reinvested interest this year, according to Merrill Lynch figures. That's down slightly from 3.5% in 2004 but up from 2.3% in 2003. Wit ...

CHICAGO (Dow Jones) - Longer-term Treasurys gained, lowering their yields on Friday, but short-term yields were unchanged, leaving the yield curve inverted this week for the first time since 2000. Trading was described as ulta thin with no economic indicators due for release and the Bond Market Association recommending a market close of one hour early ahead of Monday's observance of the New Yea ...

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Between bad loans, declining home sales and upside-down interest rates, 2006 is probably going to be a tough year for banks. So if you own bank stock, should you pack it in before the ball drops on New Year's Eve? Not necessarily, say the experts. Just be careful. Rough patches ahead Banks are going to have a tough time, no doubt about it. Merr ...

Making sensible decisions on what to do with your cash can send even the most savvy saver into a spin. Stock markets are difficult to predict, debts a burden to manage, and the choice of investment providers and products is mind-boggling. But there are a few simple steps you can take that are almost guaranteed to make you richer. So before you uncork the champagne this new year, make sure you have these personal finance “no-brainers” in place to get the most out of your income in 2006. Careful p ...

Nationwide has found that house prices increased by just three per cent over the course of 2005, the lowest annual rise for ten years. However, house prices have staged something of a rally recently, increasing in each of the last four months, and rising 0.5 per cent in December to stand at £157,250. But even with this late rally, 2005 has been the worst year for house price growth since 1995.  ...

Fri 30th Dec 2005 Leeds Building Society has launched a new two-year fixed rate mortgage in a bid to give first-time buyers a helping hand in getting onto the property ladder. The Leeds Building Society fixed rate mortgage has a rate of 1.89 per cent fixed for the first two years.It is hoped that it will help customers reduce their outgoings during the early stages of their mortgage, befo ...