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South Africa Inflation Hits Four-Month High Before Rate Meeting

South Africa Inflation Hits Four-Month High Before Rate Meeting

Bloomberg23-07-2025
South African inflation quickened to a four-month high in June, complicating the central bank's task as it prepares to review interest rates.
Consumer prices rose 3% from a year earlier, compared with 2.8% in May, Pretoria-based Statistics South Africa said on Wednesday in a statement on its website. The median estimate of 12 economists in a Bloomberg survey was 3.1%.
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30-Year Fixed Rate Eases: Today's Mortgage Rates for July 31, 2025
30-Year Fixed Rate Eases: Today's Mortgage Rates for July 31, 2025

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Though mortgage rates and home prices are high, the housing market won't be unaffordable forever. It's always a good time to save for a down payment and improve your credit score to help you secure a competitive mortgage rate when the time is right. Save for a bigger down payment: Though a 20% down payment isn't required, a larger upfront payment means taking out a smaller mortgage, which will help you save in interest. Boost your credit score: You can qualify for a conventional mortgage with a 620 credit score, but a higher score of at least 740 will get you better rates. Pay off debt: Experts recommend a debt-to-income ratio of 36% or less to help you qualify for the best rates. Not carrying other debt will put you in a better position to handle your monthly payments. Research loans and assistance: Government-sponsored loans have more flexible borrowing requirements than conventional loans. 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Taiwan Economic Upswing Accelerates Near 8% After Exports Surge

Bloomberg

time23 minutes ago

  • Bloomberg

Taiwan Economic Upswing Accelerates Near 8% After Exports Surge

By and Chien-Hua Wan Save Taiwan's economy saw its fastest growth in four years, lifted by a surge in exports to a record ahead of President Donald Trump's Aug. 1 tariff deadline. Gross domestic product expanded 7.96% in the second quarter from a year earlier, compared with 5.48% in the previous three months, according to a statement by the statistics bureau in Taipei on Thursday. That exceeded every forecast in a Bloomberg survey of analysts, whose median estimate was 5.7%.

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