Avg. mortgage rate up to 4.35 pct. off decades-low (AP)

AP - Mortgage rates mostly edged up last week as investors' fears about the economy eased.

Solutions Architect, Finance / Risk Technology, Global Bank. - 78k

Solutions Architect - Risk & Finance Technology, Global Tier One Bank, London * Solution Architecture / IT Systems Strategy, Financial Services * SAP / Hyperion * to £78k + Package Solutions Architect with expertise in Finance and Risk Technologies such as SAP, Hyperion, QRM or SAS required by a leading Global Bank based in London to take on a Senior Level IT Architecture role.

Bulgarian Finance Minister: Tax Hike Is Mandated by EC

Bulgarian Finance Minister, Simeon Djankov, appeared before MPs to answer questions about the tax amendments and the health care crisis. Photo by BGNES

Finance with Lexi Metherell

The latest finance news here and abroad with Lexi Metherell.

FDIC's Bair warns of government "exposure" in mortgages (Reuters)

Reuters - A key U.S. banking regulator raised concern on Wednesday about the risk of "exposure" the government is taking on in the mortgage market and urged more stringent standards for underwriting mortgages.

Financial crisis panel tells NV leaders to be bold (AP)

AP - From mortgage problems to education and budget issues, Nevada leaders on Wednesday delivered a sobering assessment of the state's future as a result of the Great Recession during seven hours of testimony before a federal panel investigating the country's financial meltdown.

Consumers cut back on credit card use once again (AP)

AP - Consumer borrowing fell again in July as households cut back on their credit card use for a 23rd consecutive month, adding more drag on an economy struggling to mount a sustained rebound.

Bankers urge government to pull plug on Fannie, Freddie (Reuters)

Reuters - The federal government should take mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac off life support sooner rather than later, the Mortgage Bankers Association urged on Wednesday.

Freddie Mac to issue new 5-year note due 2015 (AP)

AP - Government sponsored mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday it plans to issue new five-year notes due on Sept. 10, 2015.

Oppenheimer downgrades H&R Block to 'Perform' (AP)

AP - Tax preparation company H&R Block has struggled for the last two tax seasons and faces uncertainty over the mortgages it still holds from its former lending operations, an Oppenheimer analyst said Wednesday.

What Great Chess Players Can Teach Investors (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - The constant iterative calculation of risk and reward required in every chess move translates well to the investing world. I thought it might be instructive to look at three chess world champions and see how their style matches up to various investment styles. Do you see your own style in any of these Grandmasters?

Summary Box: Mortgage lending falls 1.5 pct (AP)

AP - MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS SLIP: Applications for home loans dipped last week as mortgage rates ticked up slightly from the lowest level in decades, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage lending down 1.5 pct as rates inch up (AP)

AP - Applications for home loans dipped last week as mortgage rates ticked up slightly from the lowest level in decades.

Oxford Finance Corporation Hires Dr. Killu Sanborn to Support Life Science Business Development in Western North America

Oxford Finance Corporation , a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Killu Sanborn to its Business Development group. As director, Business Development, she is responsible for originating loan facilities for life science companies, primarily in western North America.

Finance department cuts revealed

The Department of Finance and Personnel has said it needs to cut its budget by £28.2m by 2014/15.

Home buying up in week, but down 40 percent in year (Reuters)

Reuters - Americans applied to buy homes at the highest pace last week since May, but more than 8 of every 10 loan requests was for a refinancing, Mortgage Bankers Association data show on Wednesday.

Slovak Finance Ministry Says It May Sell 3 Billion Euros in Bonds in 2010

Slovak Finance Minister Ivan Miklos said the country intends to raise as much as 3 billion euros in bond sales this year and 8 billion euros next year, he said at a press conference today in Bratislava.

Europe Finance Ministers Urge Hungary to Resume IMF Negotiations, MTI Says

European Union finance ministers urged Hungary to resume negotiations with the International Monetary Fund to boost “credibility and reliability,” state news service MTI said late yesterday, citing an official.

Finance committee working with Eastern board

TUPPERS PLAINS — A finance committee will begin work again this fall to control rising costs in the Eastern Local School District, according to Superintendent Rick Edwards. Edwards said the rising...

Finance: Rebecca Hyam

The latest finance news here and abroad with Rebecca Hyam.

Finance company gives 12 dialysis machines

Kuwait Finance House (M) Berhad (KFH) has contributed a total of 12 dialysis machines to various dialysis centres across Malaysia.

Bullish or Bearish? The World's Greatest Investors Debate. (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - The bears and bulls were battling as ferociously as ever over the past month. Let's dive right into the debate, through the words of some of the world's greatest investors.

Small investors quitting Wall Street: SEC boss (AFP)

AFP - The head of the US stock market watchdog said on Tuesday that individual investors have been turning away from equities since a May crash that exposed weaknesses in Wall Street's trading structure.

AIG seeks Sept 21 approval for AIA IPO: sources (Reuters)

Reuters - American International Group Inc plans to seek Hong Kong listing committee approval on September 21, to list its Asian life insurance unit, aiming to raise about $15 billion, two sources with direct knowledge of the deal said on Tuesday.

Petrobras sells 64 bln dlrs of stock to fund oil exploration (AFP)

AFP - Brazil's Petrobras unveiled one of the world's biggest share offerings Friday, a sale of up to 64 billion dollars in new stock to finance oil exploration aimed at turning Brazil into a leading oil exporter of the 21st century.

MGIC added $1.2B in mortgage coverage in August (AP)

AP - Private mortgage insurer Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. said Friday it added $1.2 billion in new primary insurance coverage in August and the number of delinquent loans it insures declined.

Sirius XM Has a Stern Decision to Make (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - Satellite-radio star Howard Stern is negotiating in public again.

5 Tax Moves to Make Now (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - It may seem a bit strange to be talking about income taxes in September. There are, however, good reasons to think about taxes well before April 15. For starters, there are some big changes in the tax code that go into effect in 2011. Depending on your income tax bracket and investments, some simple planning now could save you a bundle later.

Summary Box: Mortgage rates hit low of 4.32 pct. (AP)

AP - RECORD LOWS: Mortgage rates fell to the lowest levels in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. The average rate for a 30-year fixed loan was 4.32 percent. The 15-year fixed loan hit 3.83 percent.

How to Get a Government-Backed, Zero-Down-Payment Mortgage (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - More than four years after real estate values peaked, the historic plunge in home prices remains fresh in the minds of mortgage lenders. After taking painful losses on delinquent home loans, banks have imposed tougher standards--such as increased credit scores and higher down payment requirements--on applicants of all stripes. And as investors fled for the hills, the exotic mortgage products that helped fuel the real estate boom have largely disappeared from the private market. But that doesn't mean all buyers need a big pile of cash to snag a home loan. ...