U.S. home values increasing at slower rate then in 2013
U.S. home prices rose in July but at a slower rate compared with earlier this year. The moderating price increases could help support sales.
Real estate data provider CoreLogic said that prices rose 7.4 percent in July from July 2013. That was slightly below June’s year-over-year increase of 7.5 percent and far below a recent peak of 11.9 percent in February.
Prices rose 1.2 percent in July from June. But CoreLogic’s monthly figures aren’t adjusted for seasonality, such as increased buying that occurs in warm weather.
The smaller price gains should make homes more affordable. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 4.1 percent last week, the lowest in a year.
Comic book movies having sad endings for Hollywood
Not even superheroes could save Hollywood this summer.
The movie industry suffered its worst May-to-Labor Day season since 1997. Ticket sales dropped 15 percent compared with 2013. It was a disappointment for an industry that had hoped movies with giant robots, mutants and talking apes would follow up 2013’s stellar season with another blockbuster summer.
Even more telling, no film crossed the $300-million mark domestically for the first time since 2001. That’s despite much-hyped releases such as 20th Century Fox’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” Paramount Pictures’ “Transformers: Age of Extinction” and Sony Pictures’ “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”
Ex- Politico leader replacing Weymouth as Post publisher
Katharine Weymouth is stepping down as publisher of The Washington Post and will be replaced by Frederick Ryan, who previously led Politico.
Weymouth, a member of the Graham family that owned the Post for 80 years, has served for 17 years in various roles.
The move follows the sale of the publication last year to Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos.
– From staff and news services
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story