current mortgage rates, $13.65. reverse mortgage, $13.55. credit card processing, $13.50. student loans, $13.30. renters insurance, $13.27. credit counseling, $13.27. bill consolidation, $13.21. brokers mortgage, $13.01 ...

Lenders end up out of pocket – and so too might their lenders in turn – even if they can sell the house reclaimed to settle the mortgage. All of which, as we say, just replays the merry-go-round spiral of soaring house values and E-Z credit in ... Trying to stall or reverse this cold fact will clearly take more money – and more stupidity – than even the Bush administration could throw at the task. Such as, say, via fascism or hyper-inflation. Put a floor below prices, ...

The US Fed will not suddenly reverse course and cut rates. They do so slowly, deliberately, and usually very late in the game. They lay the groundwork for a change in monetary direction, as in hiking or cutting rates. ... Last month during a Senate testimony, his only words of caution were directed at the mortgage industry, which were worth watching closely, according to his view. Gold investors should pay heed to Ben's words on price inflation being exaggerated. ...

We list the “Top 13″ here in reverse order (smallest banks listed first), because the status of the biggest banks is much easier to determine after you've studied comparable regional banks, which have simpler businesses: 13. Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: ... However, SunTrust posted a first quarter loss of $815 million, including $715 million of mortgage- and real-estate-loan losses. The bank reduced its quarterly dividend sharply to 10 cents per share in fourth quarter. ...