Mortgage lending wisdom - 2004-01-20
The sale of FleetBoston Financial Corp. to Bank of America Corp. will be influenced in part by whether the Federal Reserve Bank has confidence in the new entity's commitment to fair lending practices in low-income and minority neighborhoods.

But the quantity of community reinvestment mortgages does not tell the entire story. The quality of those loans is critical.
Read the full story at Boston Globe

U.S. January Homebuilder Index Drops to 68 From 70 - 2004-01-20
U.S. homebuilder optimism this month maintained close to an almost four-year high after sales hit a record in 2003 and orders picked up in the fourth quarter, an industry survey showed.

The National Association of Home Builders' housing market index registered 68 in January, compared with 70 the month before. Readings above 50 mean more builders view conditions as good than poor. The index has held above 60 since June.
Read the full story at Bloomberg