Personal Finance Daily: Take another look at reverse mortgages

	Personal Finance Daily APRIL 19, 2012 Thursday's Personal Finance Stories By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: Take a second look at reverse mortgages Rates on 5-year hybrid mortgage hit record low How to join the crowd funding craze For bond investors, holding tight is best option Robert Powell writes in his retirement column today that the tide of thinking on reverse mortgages has turned. Just a few years ago, financial advisers were warning Americans to not count on their home equity to fund their retirement. But now, he writes, many are warning that retirees and those saving for retirement need to use all their resources — including reverse mortgage products. Any many of those products have changed over the years, offering more protection for homeowners. Also on MarketWatch today, Chuck Jaffe takes a look at the crowd-funding craze, which has evolved from a way to raise funds for causes and charities to a way to provide entrepreneurs and business with capital. Read about how you could get in on the ground floor of some new startup idea. — Anne Stanley , Managing Editor, Personal Finance Rates on 5-year hybrid mortgage hit record low Mortgage rates creep higher this week, except for 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages, which hit a record low 2.78%. Read more: Rates on 5-year hybrid mortgages hit record low. Take a second look at reverse mortgages A few years ago, experts warned Americans against counting on the equity in their home to fund their expenses in retirement. But six years later, some are telling retirees and pre-retirees they should consider many tactics, including reverse mortgages. Read rates: Take a second look at reverse mortgages. ECONOMY AND POLITICS IMF's Lagarde sees dark clouds on horizon IMF chief Christine Lagarde said dark clouds have gathered over the global economic outlook. She urged Europe to keep up the pace of reform and said funds were available to help troubled Spanish banks. Read more: IMF's Lagarde sees dark clouds on the horizon. U.S. growth seen improving as leading index rises A gradual improvement in U.S. economic growth is expected past the summer, the Conference Board said Thursday as it reported an increase in its index of leading economic indicators. Read more: U.S. growth seen improving as leading index rises. Philly Fed manufacturing index falls in April A closely followed report that measures the health of U.S. manufacturers fell for the first time in six months, according to the Philadelphia Federal Reserve. Yet more companies said they hired workers. Read more: Philly Fed manufacturing index falls in April. Sales of U.S. existing homes fall 2.6% in March Sales of existing homes fall for a second month in March, detracting from a sales pace in the first quarter that ranks as the best in five years, Realtors data show. Read more: Sales of U.S. existing homes fall 2.6% in March. China hints at new monetary easing China could be readying changes to pump up bank lending, with a state-media report indicating a possible cut to banks' required reserves, and with some analysts noting a downturn in money-supply growth. Read more: China hints at new monetary easing. Capitalism is dead, credit new king, says Duncan The world needs to clue in to changes to its economic system, including the death of capitalism, according to noted financial author Richard Duncan, who warns that attempts to turn back the clock on our credit-driven economies could be cataclysmic Read more: Capitalism is dead, credit is the new king. INVESTING How to join the crowd funding craze Crowd funding is getting a crowd to help raise money for a cause, a financial flash mob with cash. Some see this money as charity; to others it's an investment, and the motivations are entirely different, writes Chuck Jaffe. Read more: How to join the crowd-funding craze. For bond investors, holding tight is best option Investors looking to the bond market to diversify are struggling against unusually low interest rates — that may tempt some to take on more risk than they should. Read more: For bond investors, holding tight is the best option. Domestic demand should keep U.S. factories busy If you didn't like the latest number on industrial production, wait a month — chances are it will look better, writes Kathleen Madigan. Read more: Domestic demand should keep U.S. factories busy. Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. To ensure you receive this newsletter in the future, please add marketwatchmail.com to your list of approved senders. Sent to: kumaresan.selva.blogger@gmail.com Unsubscribe | Subscribe Copyright 2012 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. 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