WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – There won’t be a federal-government shutdown this year, and Congress will work on a temporary spending measure in September, once lawmakers return from their summer recess, House Speaker John Boehner, said Thursday. Democrats and Republicans have been unable to agree on annual spending bills, and without a deal by Sept. 30, the government will partially shut down. A temporary spending measure will be needed to avoid the Sept. 30 deadline, but details haven’t been decided, Boehner said. Analysts estimate that Congress will have to raise the debt ceiling sometime in the fourth quarter or the U.S. might be unable to pay benefits like Social Security and could default on its debt. Democrats and Republicans had a bitter fight over the debt limit that rocked financial markets in August 2011, but the two parties have managed since then to avoid a similar standoff. On Thursday, Boehner said there won’t be another showdown over the federal debt limit.

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From:: Stock Market News

Treasury prices turned higher Thursday, weighing on yields, as investors sold stocks in favor of safer assets in an earnings-heavy trading session. Over the past two trading days, a pullback in U.S. equities due to mixed quarterly results has benefited Treasurys, as investors seek safe assets. This has pushed Treasury prices higher and pushed yields, which move inversely to prices, down. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell 1.5 basis point to 2.329% on Thursday.

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From:: Stock Market News

By Farima Alavi

Last week, we asked if you would prefer to live in a tiny home in an urban setting or one tucked away in the countryside. We’re not surprised with this outcome; this peaceful, countryside oasis won with 78 percent of the votes. HGTV fan Cynthia says, “There’s nothing like country living. Peaceful and surreal.”

Tiny homes are popping up around the nation, and it’s no wonder since they provide cozy shelters packed with clever space-saving solutions in a small amount of square footage. Read below to take a tour of the winning tiny cottage.

Extra Counter Space

The open-plan kitchen features a butcher block island that acts as a divider between the kitchen and living room, while providing extra counter space for meal prep. White cabinets and appliances keep the space light and bright.

Full Bath Amenities

Full bath amenities, including a vanity and stand-up shower, occupy the hallway adjacent to the kitchen to take advantage of every inch of space.

Living Room Layout

In the living room, the TV is positioned above a wood-burning stove directly across from two cozy lounge chairs. This layout provides optimal TV viewing, and the chairs serve dual-purpose as seating and room dividers.

Extra Seating

The home provides access to several living areas, including the kitchen and living room. A nearby wrought-iron daybed provides extra room for lounging and a place to sleep for overnight guests.

Take a tour of more tiny homes on HGTV.com >>

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From:: HGTV

Natural-gas futures turned slightly lower on Thursday after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that supplies of natural gas rose by 61 billion cubic feet for the week ended July 17. Analysts polled by Platts forecast a climb of 67 billion cubic feet to 71 billion cubic feet. The EIA said the report included “reclassifications” of some of the data. Total stocks now stand at 2.828 trillion cubic feet, up 622 billion cubic feet from a year ago and 81 billion cubic feet above the five-year average, the government said. August natural gas was at $2.887 per million British thermal units, down a penny. It was trading at $2.917 before the data.

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From:: Stock Market News

Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei is buying Financial Times from U.K. publishing group Pearson PLC for 160 billion yen, or about $1.30 billion, Nikkei and Pearson said on Thursday. Pearson earlier on Thursday confirmed it was in advanced talks over the possible sale of the British FT Group, which includes the Financial Times newspaper, but the potential buyer was not disclosed. Nikkei announced the agreement in an email to subscribers Thursday afternoon U.K. time. Pearson confirmed later in the day it has agreed to the sale in a cash deal worth £844 million.

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From:: Stock Market News

Smartphone shipments are forecast to have risen 11.6% last quarter to 337.2 million worldwide, with Apple Inc. outpacing Samsung Electronics Co. on a global scale, according to new data from industry tracker IDC. The latest estimate would mark an increase from 302.1 million in the same quarter last year. While the demand was tied to strong demand for Apple Inc. phones and flagship devices from Samsung Electronics, IDC said new entrants also helped fuel the improvement in emerging markets. Xiaomi, for example, increased shipments by nearly 30% from 2014 as it targeted customers in India and Southeast Asia. Samsung’s volume declined year-over-year as it faced competition from Apple’s larger-screen iPhone 6 Plus, but the company remained the leader in worldwide shipment volumes. Meanwhile, Apple recorded its best second quarter ever, according to IDC. Earlier this week, Apple reported fiscal third-quarter iPhone sales of 47.5 million.

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From:: Stock Market News

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. leading economic index rose 0.6% in June, “pointing to continued strength in the economic outlook for the remainder of the year,” the Conference Board said Thursday. A strong reading for housing permits and the interest-rate spread led the LEI’s growth.

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From:: Stock Market News

Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei said on Thursday it is buying Financial Times from U.K. publishing group Pearson PLC for 160 billion yen, or $1.29 billion. Pearson earlier on Thursday confirmed it was in advanced talks over the possible sale of the British FT Group, which includes the Financial Times newspaper, but the potential buyer was not disclosed. Nikkei announced the agreement in an email to subscribers Thursday afternoon U.K. time.

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From:: Stock Market News

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 4.04% in the week that ended July 23 from the prior week’s reading of 4.09%, which was the highest rate since October, according to a Thursday report from federally controlled mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. “U.S. Treasury yields dropped following announcements that many blue chip companies’ earnings failed to meet expectations,” said Sean Becketti, Freddie’s chief economist. Changes in long-term mortgage rates closely track movements on the yield for the 10-year Treasury note. A year ago, the 30-year rate was at 4.13%. A record low of 3.31% for the 30-year mortgage was reached in November 2012. The average rate for the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.21% in the latest week from 3.25% in the prior week. Meanwhile, the rate for a 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage ticked up to 2.97% from 2.96%. The rate for a 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM rose to 2.54% from 2.50%.

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From:: Stock Market News

U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Thursday as investors focused on earnings reports, merger deals and economic data. Weekly jobless claims dropped to the lowest level since 1973, far more than economists forecast. The S&P 500 opened 2 points, or 0.1%, higher at 2,116.38. The Nasdaq Composite added 15 points, or 0.3%, to 5,186.25. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was off by 9 points, or 0.1%, to 17,840.

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From:: Stock Market News