Laurel Wamsley

1 week ago | lpm.org | Laurel Wamsley

Social Security retirement claims tend to follow a seasonal pattern each year, and they increase over time with the aging of the population, says Jack Smalligan, senior policy fellow at the Urban Institute. But this spring, something different happened, he says: an unexpected surge in the number of people applying for retirement benefits. Between January and May, the number of claims was nearly 18% higher than during the same period last year.

2 weeks ago | kpbs.org | Laurel Wamsley

Social Security retirement claims tend to follow a seasonal pattern each year, and they increase over time with the aging of the population, says Jack Smalligan, senior policy fellow at the Urban Institute. But this spring, something different happened, he says: an unexpected surge in the number of people applying for retirement benefits. Between January and May, the number of claims was nearly 18% higher than during the same period last year.

1 month ago | mprnews.org | Laurel Wamsley

Create an account or log in to save stories. Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories. Economic uncertainty has produced a double whammy for the housing market: sluggish home sales and plodding construction. Last month was the slowest April for existing home sales in 16 years — a sharp rebuke to hopes that this spring the housing market would recover after two very sleepy years.

1 month ago | kdlg.org | Laurel Wamsley

Economic uncertainty has produced a double whammy for the housing market: sluggish home sales and plodding construction. Last month was the slowest April for existing home sales in 16 years — a sharp rebuke to hopes that this spring the housing market would recover after two very sleepy years. In a May survey of builder confidence conducted by Wells Fargo and the National Association of Home Builders, home builder sentiment dropped to a level last seen in November 2023.

1 month ago | wrkf.org | Laurel Wamsley |Scott Simon

Fresh statistics on building permits and builder sentiment show a challenging environment for home builders and indicate fewer homes will be built in the U.S.