Mortgage Payments Lag in Katrina Zone - 2006-03-15
A growing number of home mortgage borrowers are behind on their payments in the area struck last year by Hurricane Katrina than in any part of the country in over three decades. Close to 12 percent of mortgage holders in Louisiana and 8 percent in Mississippi were over 90 days late on their payments, according to the most recent quarterly survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association, which was done at the end of 2005.
Read the full story at Washington Post

U.S. Economy Expanding at Moderate Pace This Year - 2006-03-15
The U.S. economy grew at a ``moderate'' pace in most parts of the country in January and February, while higher costs of raw materials and energy continued, the Federal Reserve revealed. Fed policy makers are monitoring inflation, the jobs market and factory use to decide how many more times to hike borrowing costs after increasing their principle rate 14 times since June 2004.
Read the full story at Bloomberg