News
California consumer confidence tumbles to 5-year low
2+ hour, 21+ min ago (504+ words) California consumers started 2026 on an anxious note, with their collective confidence in the economy'falling to a five-year low. My trusty spreadsheet's review of the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index for January showed a 28% decline from December in California's shopper pysche....
Inflation cooled slightly in December though it remains above Fed’s target
2+ week, 8+ hour ago (814+ words) By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER | Associated Press Consumer prices rose 0.3% in December from the prior month, the Labor Department said Tuesday, the same as in November. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2%, also matching November's figure. Increases at…...
Meta names former Trump adviser Dina Powell McCormick as president and vice chairman
2+ week, 1+ day ago (224+ words) Powell McCormick previously served on Meta's board of directors " where, the company notes, she was "deeply engaged" in accelerating its artificial intelligence push across platforms. In her new management role, Meta says Powell McCormick will help guide its overall strategy,…...
Jill On Money: Is the economy A-OK?
1+ mon, 2+ week ago (571+ words) The U.S. economy is growing, and the stock market is up, so why are so many Americans feeling left behind? "The economy looks better on paper, than in reality for many," says Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG. In a recent…...
California shoppers intensely searching for bargains
2+ mon, 6+ day ago (623+ words) As the holiday shopping season gets into full gear, California consumers are intensively searching for deals. I mean, they're literally aggressively searching " online. My trusted spreadsheet analyzed Californians' online search habits over the past eight years through October, using Google…...
Average price for a new car surpasses $50,000 for first time
3+ mon, 10+ hour ago (1207+ words) If you've dropped by a car lot lately and received a severe dose of sticker shock, you're not just imagining things. The average transaction price for a new vehicle in the U.S. surpassed $50,000 for the first time, according to a new…...
Monterey County median home price back up in September to $1.019 million
3+ mon, 5+ day ago (530+ words) MONTEREY " The median price for a single-family home in Monterey County clocked in at $1,019,500 in September, a 7% increase over last year when it was $949,000, according to MLSListings, a database for home sales. The record high of $1,093,000 was hit in October…...
Where are California’s highest HOA fees?
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (747+ words) Folks paying a fee to their homeowners association or condominium board can be a passionate group. Several readers were irked by a recent column that detailed HOA fees on a state level, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The 2024 cost…...
34% of California’s homeowners are mortgage-free
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (947+ words) In a five-year span, as mortgage rates hit all-time lows and affordability plummeted, the number of Californians with no home loans grew eight times faster than those who borrowed against their properties. My trusty spreadsheet reviewed fresh Census Bureau data…...
California consumer confidence slips to 3-month low
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (488+ words) California shoppers" optimism hit a three-month low, according to new polling data. My trusty spreadsheet"s review of the Conference Board"s Consumer Confidence Index for California showed a 4% decline in this shopper psyche measurement from August to September. This…...