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The latest house price data feels about as clear as mud. According to Rightmove, there was a smaller than usual monthly increase of 0.6 per cent in May, leaving prices up just 1.2 per cent on this time last year. But by Nationwide’s measure, annual house price growth was a more buoyant 3.5 per cent. And according to the official UK House Price Index (HPI), the latest monthly rise was 1.1 per cent, leaving house prices 6.4 per cent higher year on year.IndexRightmoveNationwideUK HPIMonthly house price increase (%)0.60.51.1Annual house price...

Stock market uncertainty from President Donald Trump’s tariffs has even casual investors anxiously watching the VIX, commonly called Wall Street’s panic index or fear gauge.The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index – known as VIX – measures market expectations of stock price changes over the next 30 days, according to Cboe Global Markets, which manages the index.Investors use it to anticipate how stocks will react in stressful economic times, including those caused by tariffs. If VIX activity goes up, the stock market will probably go down.On April 7, the index...

4-minute readPresident Trump calls tariffs 'medicine' as stock market plungesPresident Donald Trump spent the weekend at a golf tournament in Florida as the stock market continued to plunge.The worst market crash was seen in 1929 and led to the Great Depression. It was caused by speculative investments, excessive debt and banking system weakness.The Dot-Com Bubble collapse caused a global financial crisis from 2007 to 2009.COVID-19 caused a sharp and rapid decline in the market, but it also was short-lived and regarded as one of the shortest plunges in history.The U.S....

Howard Schneider  |  ReutersInterest rate decision looms as Fed discusses tariffs and trade war impactsWith rising tariffs looming, experts warn of increased consumer prices as the Federal Reserve convenes to address economic implications. (Scripps News)Scripps NewsTumbling stock markets and signs of tightening credit may make the Federal Reserve's job even more difficult this week as U.S. central bank policymakers try to weigh whether consumer spending will suffer as households take stock of the potential blow to their net worth and greater difficulty in obtaining loans.U.S. retail sales for February, reported on Monday in the...

Recession fears persist amid inflation and trade warsPresident Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of a recession in a recent Fox News interview, amid his administration's continuing trade war.The U.S. economy may be heading toward a recession due to recent economic policies and global uncertainty.A recession is characterized by a decline in economic activity, including a drop in GDP, increased unemployment, and reduced consumer spending.Experts suggest preparing for a potential recession by building an emergency fund, reducing debt, and diversifying investments.Are we heading for a recession?On Monday, U.S....

Katie Brockman  |  The Motley FoolThe Trump administration implemented 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico on March 4, as well as an additional 10% tariff on goods from China — bringing the total tariff on Chinese-made goods to 20%. The countries swifly issued retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports, escalating tension between the countries and rattling the stock market.Major indexes dropped sharply after the tariffs took effect, with the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) falling by 2.96% since Monday, as of this writing. The Nasdaq (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) dipped by around 2.98% in...

Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. For years, the house next door to ours was condemned. The retired federal employee who owned it lived elsewhere and seemed mostly to use the property to store a whole bunch of his junk. I would sometimes see him puttering around the library in our part of Arlington, Virginia. Though I would have preferred a neighbor who was friendly and present, I was grateful that for some unfathomable reason he never...