Economic Overview - The U.S. housing market is expected to remain flat over the next decade, with nominal home prices projected to rise about 23.5% from December 2025 to December 2035, aligning with inflation [5] - Investors are experiencing a shift in sentiment as AI and crypto gains are being overshadowed by profit-taking and macroeconomic concerns, leading to terms like "death cross" being used in market discussions [3][8][14] Housing Market - Moody's Analytics predicts that existing home sales will remain stagnant for years due to affordability issues, despite a gradual improvement in the market [5] - Long-term challenges such as restrictive immigration and higher Treasury yields may hinder construction labor and keep mortgage rates around 6% [5] Cryptocurrency Market - XRP has seen a significant decline of over 26% from its three-month high, attributed to profit-taking and broader market fears [8] - Bitcoin has dropped from over $124,000 to around $94,000, indicating a bear market, with a "death cross" pattern reinforcing bearish sentiment [14] Corporate Developments - Verizon is laying off over 13,000 employees, approximately 20% of its non-union management workforce, to streamline operations and enhance customer experience [16] - Netflix's recent 10-for-1 stock split has caused confusion among casual investors, but it is aimed at making shares more accessible to employees and smaller retail investors [10] Political and Social Movements - Two campaigns, "Mass Blackout" and "We Ain't Buying It," are encouraging Americans to boycott major retailers during the holiday shopping season to protest against corporate policies and economic inequality [13]
This week in business: A housing plateau collides with an AI reality check