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  Inflation and employment remain well below the Federal Reserve’s goals, meaning easy monetary policy is likely to stay in place, central bank Chairman Jerome Powell said Tuesday. SIGN UP ON AMAZON WEDDING LIST NOW Despite a sharp rise this year in bond yields that has accompanied heightened concern over inflation, Powell said price pressures remain mostly muted and the economic outlook is still “highly uncertain.” “The economy is a long way from our employment and inflation goals, and it is likely to take some time for substantial further progress to be achieved,” the Fed chief said in prepared remarks for the Senate Banking Committee. He added that the Fed is “committed to using our full range of tools to support the economy and to help ensure that the recovery from this difficult period will be as robust as possible.” SIGN UP ON AMAZON WEDDING LIST NOW Markets pared losses after the release of Powell’s remarks though major averages remained negative across the board. Treasury y...

  Studies have found that the field is plagued by a singular problem of gender bias. The latest evidence comes from the types of questions posed at seminars. SIGN UP ON AMAZON WEDDING LIST NOW A few years ago, the economists Alicia Sasser Modestino and Justin Wolfers sat at the back of a professional conference and watched Rebecca Diamond, a rising star in their field, present her latest research on inequality. Or at least she was meant to present it — moments after she began her talk, the audience began peppering her with questions. “She must have gotten 15 questions in the first five minutes, including, ‘Are you going to show us the data?’” Dr. Modestino recalled. It was an odd, even demeaning question — the session was in the data-heavy field of applied microeconomics. of course  she was going to show her data. SIGN UP ON AMAZON WEDDING LIST NOW Later that morning, Dr. Modestino and Dr. Wolfers watched as another prominent economist, Arindrajit Dube, presented a paper on th...

The city of Seattle is accepting applications through the end of the month for $4 million in a new round of Small Business Stabilization Fund grants. Demand is sure to be high. This spring, when the fund was launched to make $10,000 grants to small businesses hit hard by the pandemic, more than 9,000 businesses applied, and the Office of Economic Development awarded grants through drawings. To date the city provided 469 small businesses with grants, and one recipient, Belltown art gallery Phylogeny Contemporary at 2718 Elliott Ave., has really benefited, said owner Lori Johns. On Tuesday as she was preparing for the gallery's next exhibition, "The Land of Dissenting Boundaries," by La Vaughn Belle. Johns said she used the grant money to buy supplies for the show, which opens Nov. 28. "This money is not only going into my business, it's going into other local businesses," Johns said. Small businesses are the backbone of Seattle, Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a s...

The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Small Business Banking Satisfaction Study reveals it is at a record high during the pandemic. This is taking place even though customers are having less access to branch offices, a remote workforce, and the administration of the $669 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by banks. SIGN UP ON AMAZON WEDDING LIST NOW Overall, the study says the performance in the small business sector is strong. However, there is a  gap between the satisfaction of smaller businesses and their larger small business associates. The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Small Business Banking Satisfaction Study reveals it is at a record high during the pandemic. This is taking place even though customers are having less access to branch offices, a remote workforce, and the administration of the $669 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by banks. Overall, the study says the performance in the small business sector is strong. However, there is a gap...

  According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Quarterly Survey of Commercial and Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations, mortgage loan originations were 47 percent lower in the third quarter compared to a year ago, and increased 12 percent from the second quarter of 2020. "Borrowing and lending backed by commercial and multifamily mortgages remained subdued during the third quarter," said Jamie Woodwell, MBA's Vice President of Commercial Real Estate Research. "Every major property type and capital source recorded a decline compared to last year's third quarter. Originations backed by industrial and multifamily properties saw smaller declines than other property types, with multifamily lending buoyed by loans made for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA." ORIGINATIONS DECREASE 47 PERCENT IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2020 All property types showed a decline in the third quarter in commercial/multifamily lending volumes when compared to the third quarter of ...

The Dutch government says it wants to impose a curfew as part of beefed-up restrictions to rein in the spread of a new more contagious coronavirus variant that already accounts for at least one in 10 Dutch infections. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government wants to impose a curfew as part of beefed-up restrictions to rein in the spread of a new more contagious virus variant that already accounts for at least one in 10 Dutch infections.   Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Wednesday that his government also will ban flights from the U.K., South Africa and South America beginning Saturday for a month. With Rutte's administration in caretaker mode since resigning last week, it will have to convince skeptical lawmakers to back the 8:30 p.m.-to-4:30 a.m. curfew before it can be enforced. A debate is expected Thursday and Rutte appealed for support, saying “we are at a crucial moment for our security, for our national public health.” Rutte's four-party coalition resigned Frid...

  Global real estate consultant CBRE is reporting this week that a gradual recovery has begun in commercial real estate investment. Worldwide property sales grew 23% quarter-over-quarter in Q3 to US$147 billion, lifted especially by a 34% rebound in the U.S. On a year-over-year basis, global investment volume fell by 48% in Q3 and 31% year-to-date. Investor sentiment has risen greatly in Asia, where the rate of COVID-19 infections has eased. The same was true in parts of Europe, but a recent resurgence of infections in countries like France and Italy threatens to derail the recovery. In the Americas, despite the broader economic recovery, investors remain in a period of price discovery and risk aversion. Americas Americas investment volume increased by 30% quarter-over-quarter to US$64 billion, back to the level of 10 years ago. The U.S. accounted for 96% of the region's investment activity. However, a 59% year-over-year decline in Q3 and 44% decline year-to-date in the Americas we...

  Computer security software giant McAfee has partnered with Amazon Business to launch a cyber security bundle. The security package is designed to protect small business owners from cybercrime. The McAfee Security Software/IT Bundle for Business Prime provide comprehensive solutions that protect sensitive data. The bundle includes web and firewall protection and mobile VPN. It also safeguards all devices from malware and the latest online threats. McAfee and Amazon Business Prime Cyber Security Partnership According to the 2019 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 43% of cyber breaches involved small business. With working from home now the new normal, hackers are increasingly exploiting weaknesses in new working practices. Small businesses, which are often without a robust IT infrastructure, are key targets among cybercriminals. When hit by a cyber data breach, many small businesses never recover. Having solid IT and security measures in place is therefore es...

  FILE - In this April 1, 2014, file photo, Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, displays a GM ignition switch similar to those linked to 13 deaths and dozens of crashes of General Motors small cars like the Chevy Cobalt, during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. General Motors Co., has agreed to a $5.75 million settlement with California regarding false statements the company made to investors about problems with its deadly ignition switches, state officials announced Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. The faulty ignition switches led to at least 124 fatalities and 274 injuries nationwide. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)   SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (AP)  — General Motors Co. has agreed to a $5.75 million settlement with   California   regarding false statements the company made to investors about problems with its deadly ignition switches, state officials announced Friday. The faulty ignition switches led to at least 124 fatalities...

  Monday, January 25, 2021  – After slipping the previous week and despite a drop last Friday, U.S. equities gained further ground as all major U.S. equity indices closed with weekly gains. U.S. equities have posted positive performance for most of this young year, fueled primarily by optimism surrounding the arrival of the Coronavirus vaccines, the political transition, the new stimulus package, and a solid start to the earnings season. For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 187.72 points or .59% to close at 30,996.98, the S&P 500 gained 73.22 points or 1.94% to close at 3,841.47 and the NASDAQ Composite picked up 544.56 points or 4.19% to close at 13,543.06. ETFG Fund Flow Summary  –  In the world of ETFs, these three products received the largest inflows during the week: iShares Core Total USD Bond Market ETF ( IUSB ) with $3B, iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF ( EFV ) with $2.9B and the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund ( XLF ) with $1.3B of net infl...