Business

A new survey conducted by ApartmentList.com recently found that Americans, despite historically low unemployment levels and surging stock indices which would both seem to suggest that 'everything is awesome', are having a very difficult time making ends meet.  Per the survey, some 20% of renters admit they were unable to make their monthly payments on time at least once over the preceding three months with the results being even worse among minorities and those lacking a college degree.

Earlier this week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping became the third ruler in the communist country’s history to have his named enshrined in its constitution – and the first to receive this honor while still alive. But as China celebrates its most popular, and most powerful, leader since at least Deng Xiaoping, Kyle Bass, hedge fund manager and noted China bear, told Bloomberg the Communist Party will one day regret standing idly by as Xi consolidated his power.

According to a new report from ATTOM Data Solutions published earlier today, vacant property rates are once again increasing in many markets across the country but perhaps not for the reasons you might think.  While so-called pre-foreclosure "zombie" properties have declined some 22% YoY, overall vacant property rates in 54% of the 149 metropolitan statistical areas analyzed by ATTOM actually increased due to, among other things, increasing ownership rates by investors as opposed to actual homeowners.

Shares of Mattel, the world's biggest toymaker, cratered as much as 24% after hours after the company announced it would suspend its quarterly dividend starting in Q4, and instead use the cash to shore up its faltering business after a big hit following the bankruptcy of its largest retailer Toys‘R‘Us. A quarter of Mattel's market cap was wiped out after earnings, which were disappointing even without the dividend news.  The suspension of its quarterly dividend of 15 cents a share is expected to save Mattel a modest $50 million per quarter.

Authored by Charles Hugh Smith via OfTwoMinds blog,

Many things that are scarce and thus valuable cannot be bought on the global marketplace.