Economic & Analysis News

MEXICO CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of B++ (Good) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “bbb” (Good) of Reunion Re Compañia de Reaseguros S.A. (Reunion Re) (Argentina). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is negative. The ratings reflect Reunion Re’s balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The negati...

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KBRA releases research providing an overview of the residential transition loan (RTL) lending and securitization market. The report covers recent issuance and collateral trends, differences between rated and unrated RTL securitizations, pricing spread performance, transaction structures, eligibility criteria, and performance to date. RTLs, also known as “fix-and-flip” or residential bridge loans, have expanded as a residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) asset c...

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AM Best-rated U.S. captive insurance companies not only continued to outperform their counterparts in the commercial market but also provided a less costly route that generated an estimated $8.2 billion in savings for their organizations over the past five years, according to a new Best’s Market Segment Report. Even as more-affordable capacity materializes in the traditional commercial segment, the captive market continues to exhibit sustained growth, exemplified...

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) ("First Solar" or "the Company") today published its 2026 Corporate Responsibility Report, reinforcing its conviction that how and where solar technology is made matters. The report details how First Solar, America's leading solar technology and manufacturing company, creates enduring value by developing, sourcing, manufacturing, and recycling solar domestically, supporting jobs and communities, strengthening industrial capacity, and he...

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BlackFog, the leader in ransomware prevention and anti data exfiltration (ADX), today revealed findings from its analysis of global ransomware activity from April - June 2026 covering both publicly disclosed and undisclosed attacks. Publicly reported ransomware incidents represent only the tip of the iceberg. Through monitoring of ransomware leak sites on the dark web, the report highlights the gap between undisclosed incidents and publicly disclosed attacks. Alt...

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ICSC: ATTN: Retail/Real Estate/Business/Consumer/Economic Editors and Reporters WHO: ICSC WHAT: Consumer data exploring how Americans are approaching back-to-school shopping. WHEN: ICSC’s “Back-to-School” survey was conducted online from July 6, 2026 to July 8, 2026, with a demographically representative U.S. sample of 1,009 respondents. QUOTE: “Back-to-school continues to be one of the retail industry’s busiest seasons, offering an early look at consumer sentiment an...

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Milliman, Inc., a premier global consulting and actuarial firm, today released the latest results of its monthly Public Pension Funding Index (PPFI), which analyzes data from the nation’s 100 largest public defined benefit plans. During June, the Milliman PPFI plans saw an estimated aggregate return of -0.1%, which combined with anticipated benefit accruals to shave $30 billion from their funded status. The Milliman PPFI asset value declined during the month from $6.12...

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. pending home sales fell to their lowest level since early April during the four weeks ending July 26, dropping 1.7% in the last week alone. That’s according to a new report from Redfin, the real estate brokerage powered by Rocket. Tours of home listings are up 15% since the start of the year, compared with a 31% increase at this time last year, according to data from ShowingTime. Homebuying demand is declining partly because mortgage rates are rising: The daily av...

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Summer 2026 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey finds that California’s commercial real estate market is stabilizing as developers adapt to a prolonged higher-rate environment. While financing costs, construction expenses and broader economic uncertainty continue to constrain new development, respondents remain optimistic about the long-term outlook for needs-based sectors, including multifamily, industrial and neighbor...

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With shifting macroeconomic pressures creating uncertainty in the utilities industry, five new reports released today by doxo reveal exactly how much individual Americans are paying for their essential utilities. A statistical analysis of actual household payments toward four main utility categories (Electric, Gas, Waste & Recycle, and Water & Sewer) across 97% of U.S. zip codes, the 2026 U.S. Utilities Market Size and Household Spending Report found that U.S....