"OPINION HAS CAUSED MORE TROUBLE ON THIS LITTLE EARTH THAN PLAGUES OR EARTHQUAKES." ~ Voltaire. Opinions certainly caused some trouble in the markets last week as several Fed members talked about inflation, the arch enemy of Bonds and home loan rates, and their comments shook the markets like a high-magnitude quake.

Last week began with Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke suggesting that the Fed is in no hurry to hike rates because of "slack" in the economy. Bonds traded lower on this news, and this may be because many economists disagree with Bernanke and believe a rate hike would actually help strengthen the US Dollar, drop oil prices closer to $100 per barrel, ease inflation pressure and...as a result, help Bonds and home loan rates improve.

Also chiming in last week was Philadelphia Fed President Charlie Plosser, who said the Fed has to take "appropriate steps to do something about" inflation. His remarks helped fan the flames of volatility for Bonds and home loan rates, adding to the sell off in Bonds and worsening of home loan rates.

There was some good economic news last week, but remember good economic news often causes money to flow from Bonds into Stocks, and when Bonds trade lower, home loan rates rise. And that's exactly what happened when April's Pending Home Sales report (which measures signed real estate contracts for existing single-family homes, condos and co-ops) and May's Retail Sales Report both came in much better than expected.

On Friday, the important read on consumer inflation via the Consumer Price Index (CPI) report delivered a mixed bag. Overall inflation is up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis, which is the highest it's been in awhile. This comes as no surprise, when taking into consideration how much the prices of fuel and food have both risen. But the Core Rate of inflation, which strips out both food and energy, increased at a much more reasonable rate of 2.3%. Since Core CPI is seen by most economists as the best measure of the underlying inflation rate, this was really good news. However, Stocks rallied after former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan chimed in with his opinion that the worst of the credit crisis is over, and this halted any improvement for Bonds and home loan rates.

After all the reports and opinions, home loan rates ended the week at their worst levels in 4 months. I'll be watching closely this week for any more opinions that could shake up the market!

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES - YES, THEY'RE FINE...BUT BE CAREFUL IF THEY'RE RAW, RED, AND ROUND...AS A RECENT SALMONELLA SCARE IS PLAGUING THE NATION. CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S VIEW FOR IMPORTANT TIPS AND INFORMATION ON HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY.

There are several reports due this week that could "plague" the markets and home loan rates. Tuesday will bring the wholesale inflation measuring Producer Price Index, as well as a read on the housing market via the Housing Starts and Building Permits Report.

Also, on Thursday, the Philadelphia Fed Report hits the wires. This monthly survey of manufacturing purchasing managers conducting business around the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware is one of the most-watched manufacturing reports, and it will be important to see if concerns about inflation have had an impact.

Remember when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. The chart below shows how Bond prices moved sharply lower last week on inflation concerns, so stay tuned this week! If inflation continues to shake up the markets, Bond prices and home loan rates could have another troublesome week...but prices are at the same low levels they hit last year before starting to improve. Oftentimes, history repeats itself, and should Bonds receive some friendly economic news, it is likely they will gain back some of the ground recently lost.

Summer Food Safety Tips

Summer-time is one of the best times of year to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables, especially those that aren't available year-round. But recent salmonella outbreaks like those in last year's spinach crops or this year's tomato crops are an important reminder about handling food properly.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that there is no way for consumers to detect salmonella since it can't be smelled, tasted, or seen. Here's what they recommend to reduce the risk of exposure during this latest outbreak:

Check the Type

Since April 16, more than 220 people from twenty-three states have contracted salmonella poisoning from tainted tomatoes. As a result, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising people to eat only cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, tomatoes sold with the vine still attached, and tomatoes grown at home since these tomatoes are not associated with the outbreak.

If you have raw red plum, Roma, or round red tomatoes, which are the tomatoes associated with the outbreak according to preliminary data compiled by the FDA, the best thing to do is either throw them away or return them to the store where you purchased them.

Wash, Wash, Wash

One of the best ways to protect yourself is to wash all produce, including organic produce, with cold running water. You should scrub your produce gently with a vegetable brush, or you can use your hands if you don't have a brush. Make sure you remove outer layers of cabbage and lettuce. And make sure you wash fruit, too, even if you don't eat the peel.

In addition, wash your hands with soap and water before handling food and also wash cutting boards, counters, and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. When you are preparing fresh vegetables, make sure you avoid any kind of contact with raw meat. And don't forget to refrigerate sliced up fruits and vegetables.

Ask Your Waiter

If you eat out, ask your waiter what the restaurant has done in response to the outbreak. Several restaurants...including chains McDonalds, Burger King, and Taco Bell, among others...have stopped serving tomatoes, but it's always wise to double check. Keep in mind that ketchup and cooked sauces are not affected since cooking tomatoes at 145 degrees kills salmonella. Don't hesitate to ask your waiter to leave tomatoes off a sandwich or salad if the restaurant hasn't removed tomatoes from its menu. Note that if you remove the tomatoes once your order comes, the food could still be contaminated.

Make the Call

Salmonella poisoning typically resembles the flu, and symptoms usually appear 12 to 72 hours after infection and include abdominal cramps, headache, fever, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. If you suspect that you've contracted a case of salmonella poisoning, call your local health department. Reported cases help the CDC and FDA track the source of salmonella.

For the latest information on the tomato salmonella outbreak, visit:
FDA: Link to FDA Information
CDC: Link to CDC Information

Economic Calendar for the Week of June 16 – June 20

So we know that employment numbers were the big movers and shakers for the financial markets and home loan rates last week. What's in store for the week ahead, and what could drive more market action?

Keep your eye out for the Retail Sales Report, which will be released on Thursday. The Retail Sales report is a measure of the total receipts of retail stores, and changes in these numbers are closely followed as a timely indicator of broad consumer spending patterns. Recent numbers haven't been too bad - consumers seem to still keep spending away. But, will this week's report show that inflation and high oil prices are finally taking their toll on consumer pocketbooks? A strong Retail Sales Report would be good for the Stock market - which stands to reason, as it would indicate continued consumer confidence and dollars being poured into the economy. But a strong Retail Sales Report would be bad news for Bonds and home loan rates, which benefit from weak economic news.

Sure to be a market mover is Friday's Consumer Price Index report, which gives a read on inflation at the consumer level - that is, how much more expensive are goods and services this month over last month? CPI is a widely watched inflation indicator, and will definitely make headlines. Inflation tends to be bad news for both Stocks and Bonds, so if the report indicates inflation is heating up, this could cause Bond pricing and home loan rates to worsen in response.

Remember when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. And as you can see in the chart below, Bonds were challenged to improve and break above a strong technical barrier at the 200-day Moving Average....only to end the week being forced below it once again. This is a very important "line in the sand," so I'll be watching closely this coming week - as always - to see if the news of the week will help Bonds break above this important barrier, or remain below it.

Moving can be very exciting...but it can also be a bit of a pain as well. Besides packing and unpacking, there is a long list of details to be handled. Things like choosing a mover, connecting utilities, getting Internet and cable service, or subscribing to newspapers or magazines in a new area can be quite a chore. And if you forget to connect one of the utilities you could be stuck in your new home for several days without that much needed service. To ease the stress of moving and schedule new connections for all of the utilities in one convenient location, simply logon to www.whitefence.com.

You can quickly compare prices for movers, phone, electricity, television, or high-speed Internet. Just select the service you wish to compare--for example, phone, cable, and electric. Or, enter your address on the home page, hit search, and within seconds a list of services and prices available in that area will appear. Next, click on the service of your choice to view details and pricing or comparison shop by choosing three providers. Once you determine the provider, select the service plan, complete the requested information, enter the connection date, and within minutes a confirmation will be sent to you.

If you want to change your current provider, simply hit the icon for phone, cable, or internet, select "switch provider", complete the requested information and a list of providers in the local area will appear. Choose the new provider and the service will be changed.

Additionally, on the site you can complete a change of address form, subscribe to local newspapers, and order magazine subscriptions. Moving to a new home should be enjoyable and exciting. Using this tool can help remove a bit of the stress of moving and will also help save valuable time.

Economic Calendar for the Week of June 09 – June 13

Benny and the Fed will take center stage this week, as they release their Interest Rate Decision and Policy Statement on Wednesday afternoon. It is highly unlikely that the Fed will make a change to the Fed Funds Rate at the meeting, but it will be especially interesting to hear the tone of the Policy Statement in light of softer Employment Report and moderating inflation.

Speaking of inflation, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has to be smiling, as the latest data suggests the Fed is doing a great job in handling the economy. Recent reports have shown moderate, stable economic growth and inflation pressures easing.

The chart below shows that Bonds and home loan rates may be making a move soon. The ceiling and the floor of the current technical range are putting pressure on Bonds, squeezing prices from both above and below...so they'll have to make a breakout soon. And the tone of the Fed's Policy Statement on Wednesday might just be the catalyst for a move. If it suggests that inflation is controlled, Bonds and home loan rates will like this news, and see some improvement - but if the Fed still sounds overly concerned about inflation, Bond prices and home loan rates will worsen.

What do these slogans remind you of? "You're in good hands with..." "Like a good neighbor..." "Own a piece of the rock."

That's right, insurance. And premiums are costing us more and more every year. But there may be some savvy steps you can take to trim the bill and still have your valuables in good hands.

Items that push premiums higher include a pool with a slide or diving board, having a trampoline, or even a dog that has a record of biting others. These factors could be part of higher premium costs, so contact your insurance agent and see if changes can reduce your premium payments.

There are also interior items that can impact the cost of insurance. The coziness of the wood-burning stove may be appealing to the homeowner, but to the insurance agent it could look like a fire hazard, and result in a higher premium.

If you have not done so already, investing in a good alarm system may enable you to shave some of the cost of insurance, while giving you some added protection. And be sure to ask your insurance agent about combining auto and home policies, this could help trim the overall cost of your insurance bill too.

Often times, once the insurance policy is purchased it sits in a drawer until the need arises to file a claim. But taking the time to review your personal insurance policy, just once a year, provides the opportunity to lower the overall annual premium and make sure your valuables are adequately protected. It is also the perfect time to make any additions for personal possessions that may have been purchased or acquired during the year, like art, home furnishings, and jewelry. Additionally, if the home has been remodeled discuss the upgrades that have been made with your insurance agent to insure that all upgrades are covered in the policy. And most importantly, if you need a recommendation to a great insurance agent - just give me a call!

Remember, as a general rule, weaker than expected economic data is good for rates, while positive data causes rates to rise.

Economic Calendar for the Week of May 07 – May 11

What's on the docket this week? A few reports of note - and one of the more interesting items on the calendar will be the Federal Reserve Board's "Meeting Minutes" from the March 21st meeting, due for release this Wednesday afternoon. Why so intriguing? Because unlike the carefully crafted Policy Statement released just following the actual Fed Meeting, the Meeting Minutes is like the Fed "unplugged"...where all the commentary and discussion between Fed members is unbridled and unleashed to the public. Not all members vote at each meeting - but they all have a voice. Was the decision to keep the Fed Funds Rate in a paused position unanimous? Or did non-voting Fed President Jeffrey "the Dissenter" Lacker raise his voice in favor of more hikes? We'll all find out later this week - and the comments could be market movers, so stay tuned.

The chart below shows that Bond pricing has been skidding lower of late, meaning home loan rates have worsened right along with them. And the next "floor of support" to catch them is lower still - indicating that Bond pricing and home loan rates will likely get a bit worse before they get better.

The market may see some added volatility early in the week, as last Friday's trading session was condensed into just a few hours of trading before a market close in observance of Good Friday. Stocks should improve off the strong Jobs Report, which could hurt bonds and home loan rates.

IT'S IN THE "FINE PRINT"...

Credit card companies do a great job at disclosing all of their terms and conditions...but do so in an exceptionally hard to read font and verbiage, designed to dissuade you from really reading the infamous "fine print". But failing to understand the terms can be costly.

Most people know that when your bill arrives, it needs to be paid on time or you'll be hit with a hefty late fee - but many don't know that paying late usually entitles the credit card company to raise your rate immediately and significantly. And worse yet - did you know that paying late on one of your credit cards also entitles all your other credit card companies to raise the rates you are paying them as well? You bet - it's called the "Universal Default Clause", and it basically means that if you are late on one credit card account, all other credit card companies that you have accounts with can increase the interest rate too, even if their accounts have been paid completely on time.

But the plot thickens further - this goes beyond late payments on credit cards alone.

If one of your credit card companies has the Universal Default Clause noted in their disclosure - and most of them do - this clause states that they have the right to penalize a consumer with an increased interest rate if a late payment is reported to ANY other creditor, including utilities, car loans, and home loans. Better believe that credit card companies with this clause sit back and wait for the opportunity to increase the interest rate...and continually monitor their customer's credit reports, just waiting for the opportunity to do so.

And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

...it's not just late payments that trigger the Universal Default Clause; interest rates can be increased if a consumer exceeds a credit limit, bounces a check, or applies for additional credit. All of these signs may be read by the credit card company that a consumer is "high risk". The penalty? You guessed it - a higher interest rate.

Further, if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. This popular phrase rings true for many consumers that sign up for zero percent interest offers. Although these offers sound great and every consumer goes in with the best intentions of paying the balance in full before the zero percent interest term expires, the vast majority of people do not pay off the bill before the offer ends. And what consumers do not realize is if the account is not paid in full, the creditor does not start charging interest from the date the deal expires, the creditor goes back to the day the purchase was made and charges interest on the balance for the entire period.

Or - back to the Universal Default Clause, if you are late on another credit card payment during the introductory time period with the zero percent rate offer - the card issuer of that sweet deal could prematurely break it off and force a steamed up interest rate, retroactively charged back to the original date of purchase. That smoldering rate could mean paying double or even triple for the purchased merchandise.

Try your best to only charge what you can afford to pay off in full, on a monthly basis. Beyond being just good advice, here's another little known credit card fact that could cost you.

If you charge and then pay the account in full, there is no interest due. But if you charge and choose to only pay half of the bill when it arrives, guess what - you get charged interest not just on the remaining balance, but for the entire charged balance, regardless of your paying half the bill in full. If the bill is not paid in full the following month, this game continues until the account is paid in full.

So although the fine print can be a real snoozer to read, taking the time to become familiar with credit card terms and conditions can save you some serious dollars. Review your current credit card terms and conditions and take the time to find a credit card company that truly matches your spending habits and needs. You will save yourself a few sleepless nights - and more importantly, save yourself a lot of money too!

Remember, as a general rule, weaker than expected economic data is good for rates, while positive data causes rates to rise.

Economic Calendar for the Week of April 09 – April 13

The week ahead holds a few real headliner news items, including a new round of housing data to sift through, including Housing Starts and Building Permits on Tuesday, and Existing Home Sales next Friday. But the financial highlight of the week will be the Fed Meeting and resulting Policy Statement. There has been rumors of a Fed Funds Rate cut to help the housing market or to smooth out the subprime home loan problem...but don't believe it. The Fed's main charge is to control inflation, period. And they will only consider cutting rates if the core rate of inflation, as measured by the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Index, falls below 2% for a few consecutive months. The latest Core PCE was 2.3%, so don't look for Home Equity Lines of Credit or other adjustable home loan rates that are tied to the Fed's movements to be dropping anytime soon.

The chart below shows how Bond Prices have been on a nice upward trend for the past six weeks, meaning that home loan rates have been trending lower. But on Friday, Bonds stepped right off that friendly upward sloping trend line, which could mean that Bond prices and home loan rates will worsen over the next few days, at least until some news comes along to drive the action decisively one way or the other. And this will likely be dependent on the flavor of the Fed statement coming up this Wednesday, due to be released at 2:00pm ET.

The headlines are once again full of news from the mortgage and real estate front...and this time, the "subprime meltdown" is taking center stage. What exactly is going on, and what does it mean to you?

A "subprime" home loan is a loan where the client has some significant credit issues, or was otherwise unable to qualify for a standard, conventional loan. Due to the fact that these loans tend to be quite risky for the lender...they also bear higher interest rates to match, as well as often being adjustable rates that likely have recently hiked sky high, not to mention the steep prepayment penalties they generally carry.

These loans have been around for years - so why all the drama now?

Many subprime and other adjustable home loan rates have moved dramatically higher, due in part to the Federal Reserve Boards recent rate hike cycle. So as these rates are adjusting higher - and the payment right along with it - the homeowners are finding that they are unable to keep up with the dramatic increase in payment.

In the past, homeowners in this situation would simply throw the house on the market, realize enough of a profit to cover any prepayment penalties, and literally move on. But the soft real estate market isn't making this quite so easy any more - houses are not selling as quickly, and the home appreciation rates enjoyed in the past have moderated.

So the subprime homeowner is stuck - and many of these homes are falling into foreclosure, causing even more problems. As more and more loans are defaulting, mortgage lenders are forced to tighten up their lending standards across the board in response...making it tougher for a troubled homeowner to even refinance to get out of trouble. Many subprime lenders are feeling the pain, and in some cases, actually being forced to close their doors as they are hit with all the defaulted loans and foreclosed properties coming back home to roost.

How does this impact you?

In the short term, home loan rates are benefiting, as the stock market is taking a beating, causing money to flow into Bonds and Mortgage Backed Securities, which benefits home loan rates. But the longer term picture may spell higher interest rates ahead, as lenders have to absorb the cost of the loans that went belly-up, combined with the cost of increased compliance and accountability standards.

Now in many cases, the advice and loan strategy given to the client was perfectly appropriate for the client at the time they took out the loan...but the "perfect storm" of colliding economic events may have just worked against them. Yet unfortunately, many homeowners are paying a very steep price for what may have been poor advice and counsel given them at the time of their home purchase or refi. Now more than ever before, it is clear that it pays to work with a true professional, especially when your home is on the line. If you've ever thought it's too expensive to work with a real professional...just wait until you work with an amateur. The price paid is clear - and in this case, it's a very painful one.

Because of these events, credit and lending standards are tightening across the board, so it's a great time to get a "financial check up" - both you personally, as well as your clients, friends, family members and coworkers - even if they are not immediately in need of any home loan financing.

You know that I want to build relationships for the long run, not just to provide a "transaction" - so although you may not have a need for my home loan services at this time, I'd like to invite you to contact me for a review of your current credit and financial situation. There may be recommendations I can make now, that will ensure you are in the best possible shape to obtain the most favorable financing terms when the need does arise.

Feel free to forward this newsletter directly, or print out copies for your clients, friends and coworkers who are asking about the headlines. As always, simply give me a call or email - I am always glad to hear from you, and happy to answer any questions regarding this matter or any other way I can be of service to you.

Remember, as a general rule, weaker than expected economic data is good for rates, while positive data causes rates to rise.

Economic Calendar for the Week of March 19 – March 23