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Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Broadcom and VMware Provide Update on Pending Transaction - VMware News

Companies Will Close Transaction Promptly Following Satisfaction of Remaining Condition

SAN JOSE, Calif. and PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) and VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) today announced their expectation that Broadcom's acquisition of VMware (the "Transaction") will close soon, but in any event prior to the expiration of their merger agreement.

The parties have received legal merger clearance in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and foreign investment control clearance in all necessary jurisdictions. There is no legal impediment to closing under U.S. merger regulations.

The parties also announced the results of the elections made by VMware stockholders of record regarding the form of consideration they wish to receive in exchange for their shares of VMware common stock in connection with the Transaction. As previously disclosed, the deadline to have made such an election was 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on October 23, 2023 (the "Election Deadline").

As further described in the election materials and in the parties' proxy statement/prospectus dated October 3, 2022, each VMware stockholder will be entitled to receive, for each share of VMware common stock held immediately prior to the closing of the Transaction, (i) $142.50 in cash, without interest (the cash consideration), or (ii) 0.2520 of a share of Broadcom common stock (the stock consideration). The merger consideration is subject to proration so that 50% of the aggregate shares of VMware common stock outstanding immediately prior to the closing of the Transaction will be converted into the cash consideration and the remaining 50% of the aggregate shares of VMware common stock will be converted into the stock consideration. Each VMware stockholder will receive cash in lieu of any fractional shares of Broadcom common stock that the stockholder otherwise would be entitled to receive.

Based on the final results of the merger consideration election:

  • VMware stockholders of record of approximately 96% of the outstanding shares of VMware common stock elected to receive the stock consideration and in accordance with the proration procedures in the parties' merger agreement, (i) approximately 52.1% of such outstanding shares of VMware common stock will be converted into the right to receive 0.2520 of a share of Broadcom common stock per share of VMware common stock and (ii) approximately 47.9% of such outstanding shares of VMware common stock will be converted into the right to receive $142.50 in cash per share of VMware common stock; and
  • VMware stockholders of record of approximately 4% of the outstanding shares of VMware common stock elected to receive the cash consideration or did not make a valid election or did not deliver a valid election form prior to the Election Deadline. Each such VMware stockholder will be entitled to receive $142.50 in cash per share of VMware common stock.

A more detailed description of the merger consideration and the allocation and proration procedures applicable to elections is contained in the proxy statement/prospectus. VMware stockholders are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus carefully and in its entirety. Copies of the proxy statement/prospectus may be obtained free of charge by following the instructions below, under "Additional Information about the Transaction and Where to Find It."

About Broadcom
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO), a Delaware corporation headquartered in San Jose, CA, is a global technology leader that designs, develops and supplies a broad range of semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. Broadcom's category-leading product portfolio serves critical markets including data center, networking, enterprise software, broadband, wireless, storage and industrial. Our solutions include data center networking and storage, enterprise, mainframe and cybersecurity software focused on automation, monitoring and security, smartphone components, telecoms and factory automation.

About VMware
VMware is a leading provider of multi-cloud services for all apps, enabling digital innovation with enterprise control. As a trusted foundation to accelerate innovation, VMware software gives businesses the flexibility and choice they need to build the future. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed to building a better future through the company's 2030 Agenda. For more information, please visit www.VMware.com/company.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication relates to a proposed business combination transaction between Broadcom and VMware. This communication includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements that relate to the anticipated closing date of the proposed transaction. These forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "intend," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "aim," and similar words or phrases. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and beliefs of Broadcom and VMware management and current market trends and conditions.

These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that are outside Broadcom's and VMware's control and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: business disruption following the announcement and closing of the proposed transaction; difficulties in retaining and hiring key personnel and employees due to the proposed transaction and business combination; the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues; the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to completion of the proposed transaction, including the ability to secure regulatory approvals on the terms expected, at all or in a timely manner; the disruption of current plans and operations; the outcome of legal proceedings related to the Transaction; the ability to complete the proposed transaction on a timely basis or at all; the ability to successfully integrate VMware's operations; cyber-attacks, information security and data privacy; global political and economic conditions, including cyclicality in the semiconductor industry and in Broadcom's other target markets, rising interest rates, the impact of inflation and challenges in manufacturing and the global supply chain; the impact of public health crises, such as pandemics (including COVID-19) and epidemics and any related company or government policies and actions to protect the health and safety of individuals or government policies or actions to maintain the functioning of national or global economies and markets; and events and trends on a national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive and regulatory nature.

These risks, as well as other risks related to the proposed transaction, are included in the registration statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement/prospectus that has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") in connection with the proposed transaction. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors presented in the registration statement on Form S-4 are, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. For additional information about other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, please refer to Broadcom's and VMware's respective periodic reports and other filings with the SEC, including the risk factors identified in Broadcom's and VMware's most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date hereof. Neither Broadcom nor VMware undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.

No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made, except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Additional Information about the Transaction and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed transaction, Broadcom has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a proxy statement of VMware and that also constitutes a prospectus of Broadcom. Each of Broadcom and VMware may also file other relevant documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. The registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on October 3, 2022 and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus has been mailed to VMware shareholders. This document is not a substitute for the proxy statement/prospectus or registration statement or any other document that Broadcom or VMware may file with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROXY STATEMENT/ PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the registration statement and proxy statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about Broadcom, VMware and the proposed transaction once such documents are filed with the SEC through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Broadcom may be obtained free of charge on Broadcom's website at https://investors.broadcom.com. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by VMware may be obtained free of charge on VMware's website at ir.vmware.com.

Contacts:

Broadcom Inc.
Ji Yoo
Broadcom Investor Relations
408-433-8000
investor.relations@broadcom.com 

(AVGO-Q)

Joele Frank / Tim Ragones / Arielle Rothstein
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher
212-355-4449

VMware, Inc.
Jagroop Bal
VMware Investor Relations
ir@vmware.com 

Doreen Ruyak
VMware Global PR
druyak@vmware.com

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Broadcom and VMware Provide Update on Pending Transaction - VMware News
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Monday, October 30, 2023

Matthew Perry autopsy results are inconclusive, pending toxicology report, authorities say - NBC News

Matthew Perry's initial autopsy results are inconclusive pending a toxicology report, authorities said Sunday.

The cause of death has been "deferred," and further investigation has been requested before a determination will be made, according to a report released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Though an official conclusion isn't likely to be released for several weeks, the medical examiner's office said the body was ready to be released to the family.

Perry, the star of "Friends" and several other TV shows and movies, died Saturday in an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. He was 54.

A 911 call came in at 4:07 p.m. local time, according to a law enforcement source. The call was treated as a water rescue.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, Brian Humphrey, said first responders went to a home in Pacific Palisades on Saturday night based on a 911 call responding to a "water emergency."

Perry was best known for playing Chandler Bing on "Friends," NBC's 1990s sitcom about a group of six friends in their 20s living in New York City. He joined the cast at 24.

The show ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.

Perry also appeared in several other television shows, including “Boys Will Be Boys,” “Growing Pains,” Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The West Wing” and “Scrubs.”

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Matthew Perry autopsy results are inconclusive, pending toxicology report, authorities say - NBC News
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Sunday, October 29, 2023

Matthew Perry's Autopsy Is Complete, Pending Toxicology Results, Medical Examiner Says - PEOPLE

Matthew Perry's untimely death is still an ongoing investigation. 

On Sunday, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed to PEOPLE that an autopsy has been completed and results are pending a toxicology report, which can take weeks to come through.

An online record has the status of Perry's cause of death currently listed as "deferred" since it's "pending additional investigation."

PEOPLE has also confirmed that the LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division is handling Perry's death investigation, and "foul play is not suspected at this time." They declined to comment on what may or may not have been recovered on the scene, as "the investigation is ongoing."

Perry died on Saturday at age 54. The late actor's family commented on the "tragic" situation in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother," his family said. "Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to PEOPLE that first responders arrived at the residence at 4:07 p.m. Saturday

"An adult male patient was deceased prior to first response arrival," an LAFD spokesperson told PEOPLE. "The patient was found by a bystander who had repositioned the victim where the head was out of water" in a freestanding jacuzzi. "Firefighters pulled the victim out of the jacuzzi and did a quick medical assessment to find he was deceased."

Matthew Perry attends the AOL Build series to discuss 'The Odd Couple' at AOL Studios in New York on April 5, 2016, in New York City.

Mike Pont/WireImage

Per TMZ, sources said first responders were called to the residence for cardiac arrest and that no drugs were found at the scene. The news outlet also obtained 911 dispatch audio in which "drowning" is referenced.

A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson told PEOPLE that officers responded to a call at Perry's residence regarding the death of a male in his 50s. However, they would not confirm the individual's identity.

Perry was best known for playing Chandler Bing on Friends from 1994 to 2004 for 10 seasons. He earned an Emmy nomination for his efforts in 2002.

His many other prominent roles across television and film included Ally McBeal, The West Wing, Fools Rush In and 17 Again.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

The cast of 'Friends' is pictured in a promotional photo.

NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Illustrious career aside, Perry endured a long struggle with addiction. He, at one terrifying point, was taking 55 Vicodin a day and weighed 128 lbs.

"I didn't know how to stop," he said in his 2022 PEOPLE cover story, which was tied to the release of his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. "The disease and the addiction is progressive, so it gets worse and worse as you grow older."

Of reaching a good place in his sobriety, Perry added, "I'm most surprised with my resilience. The way that I can bounce back from all this torture and awfulness."

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

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Matthew Perry's Autopsy Is Complete, Pending Toxicology Results, Medical Examiner Says - PEOPLE
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Matthew Perry's cause of death unknown; LAPD says there were "no obvious signs of trauma" - CBS News

"Friends" star Matthew Perry's official cause of death remained unknown Sunday pending an investigation by the coroner, the Los Angeles Police Department said. 

There were no obvious signs of trauma, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed to CBS Los Angeles station KCAL News. An autopsy was completed on Sunday, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, and toxicology results were pending.

Perry was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi on Saturday, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Los Angeles City Fire Department. The actor was 54.

"Due to the celebrity status of Mr. Perry, Detectives from Robbery Homicide Division responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation," a police spokesperson said in a statement. 

Perry rose to fame with his iconic role as Chandler Bing on "Friends," which ran for 10 seasons. The role earned him a Emmy nomination in 2002 for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series. 

"We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry," Warner Bros. Television Group, which produced "Friends," told CBS News in a statement. "Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."  

Friends
Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matt Le Blanc as Joey Tribbiani, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

Perry also starred in television series and films like "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," "Growing Pains," "Ally McBeal," "17 Again," "The Whole Nine Yards," "The West Wing" and a 2015 reboot of "The Odd Couple."

He received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for his role in "The Ron Clark Story" miniseries in 2007.

Perry opened up about his substance abuse struggles in "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," a memoir released last year. He repeatedly went to rehab for drug and alcohol abuse.

"I think that people don't understand that it's a disease," he told CBS News in 2015 about the misconceptions surrounding addiction. "It was declared a disease in 1955 by the American Medical Association. And even people who are in trouble with this thing don't kind of realize that they are suffering from a disease. So they sort of blame themselves. So it's important to get it out there, and not be a secret, so you can get the help that you need."

Tributes poured in for Perry after his death, with friends and fans memorializing the actor and his career. Members of the "Friends" community, including the creators of the show and recurring guest stars, remembered Perry for his talent and the joy he brought to others.

 Jeff Nguyen, Dean Fioresi and Faris Tanyos contributed to this report.

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Matthew Perry's cause of death unknown; LAPD says there were "no obvious signs of trauma" - CBS News
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Matthew Perry autopsy results are inconclusive, pending toxicology report, authorities say - NBC News

Matthew Perry's initial autopsy results are inconclusive pending a toxicology report, authorities said Sunday.

The cause of death has been "deferred," and further investigation has been requested before a determination will be made, according to a report released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner.

Though an official conclusion isn't likely to be released for several weeks, the medical examiner's office said the body was ready to be released to the family.

Perry, the star of "Friends" and several other TV shows and movies, died Saturday in an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. He was 54.

A 911 call came in at 4:07 p.m. local time, according to a law enforcement source. The call was treated as a water rescue.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, Brian Humphrey, said first responders went to a home in Pacific Palisades on Saturday night based on a 911 call responding to a "water emergency."

Perry was best known for playing Chandler Bing on "Friends," NBC's 1990s sitcom about a group of six friends in their 20s living in New York City. He joined the cast at 24.

The show ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.

Perry also appeared in several other television shows, including “Boys Will Be Boys,” “Growing Pains,” Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The West Wing” and “Scrubs.”

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Matthew Perry autopsy results are inconclusive, pending toxicology report, authorities say - NBC News
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Matthew Perry: Autopsy pending in actor’s death - CNN

CNN  — 

The body of “Friends” star Matthew Perry is now with the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office and an autopsy is pending, according to online records from that agency.

No foul play is suspected, a law enforcement source told CNN, however, the incident remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey told CNN a 911 call came in Saturday at 4:07 p.m. for a water rescue emergency. LAPD responded at 4:10 p.m. and characterized the call as a death investigation shortly after.

Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in his hot tub, according to the Los Angeles Times, citing law enforcement sources.

No information about a cause of death has yet been entered in the coroner’s online form. Complete autopsy and toxicology reports typically take several weeks.

Perry’s parents, John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Morrison, along with his step-father, “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison, were seen arriving at the actor’s home Saturday night amid the police response.

On Sunday, Perry’s family released a statement to People magazine saying that they were “heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.”

“Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend,” the statement said. “You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”

An open book

Perry was candid about his struggles.

He opened up about his recovery from addiction and his dedication to helping others in his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir,” which he released in November 2022.

“The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it,” he said while appearing on the “Q With Tom Power” podcast last year to discuss his book.

Perry went on to say that he wanted to be remembered “as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker” and that “his paramount thing is that he wants to help people.”

“That’s what I want,” he said.

Perry was battling addiction at the height of his career on “Friends” and said during the interview that because of this, he wasn’t able to watch the show.

Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc co-starred alongside Perry on “Friends,” which ran from 1994 to 2004.

The actors have yet to comment on Perry’s death.

On Sunday, “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright released a statement to CNN, saying they were “shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing.”

“It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives,” their statement said. “He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us.”

The statement added: “We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment - not just to his work, but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart…This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”

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Matthew Perry: Autopsy pending in actor’s death - CNN
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US Pending Home Sales Rise But Index Stays Near Record Low - Bloomberg

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US Pending Home Sales Rise But Index Stays Near Record Low  Bloomberg
US Pending Home Sales Rise But Index Stays Near Record Low - Bloomberg
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Saturday, October 28, 2023

Tale of Two Sales: New Homes Doing Great While Pending Homes Suffer - Mortgage News Daily

There's not much by way of "new news" for the housing market when it comes to sales data.  New home sales continue strongly outperforming while Existing and Pending Sales suffer.

This week's reports for the month of September offer no objection to that thesis.  Yesterday's New Home Sales report showed a 12.3% surge to an annual pace of 759k. This is a notoriously volatile data series in month-to-month terms, but September's gains were more than enough to offset the downtick seen in August. The result is the highest sales pace since 2021 when the housing market was still decelerating from the post-covid surge.

Improvement was broad-based across regions.  As is the norm, the southern region does most of the heavy lifting with the West playing a supporting role.  The Midwest is measurable but barely, and the Northeast continues to be "out of land." Still, the Northeast managed a 22.5% increase from last month, adding 4k to the total.  Contrast that to a 14.6% uptick in the South for a total addition of 36k.

Builders continue working through their construction pipelines.  In non-seasonally adjusted terms, unsold homes under construction remain in the 260k range, down from the low 300s in late 2022.  Completed homes have consistently hovered in the same 60-75k range.  

One of the most notable shifts in the data series is the percentage of homes in the 200-299k price range.  21% of homes fell into that category in 2021, followed by only 9% in 2022.  With rates and median prices increasing since then, it's a surprise to see a bounce back to 16% of the market in the most recent data.  Granted, that's just for September, but the 2023 average is already up to 13%.  If you've seen an ad for a shoebox on a postage stamp recently, you have a sense of how these numbers could actually make sense.

In any event, it's clear and it's no surprise that new construction is the only game in town when it comes to inventory.  Builders are also being aggressive in their efforts to offer buyers the lowest possible rates in this high rate environment (frequently by using sales margins to buy down interest rates at "preferred lenders"). 

Pending Home Sales are dependent on homeowners listing their homes.  Some have to, but the barriers are very high in this interest rate environment.  Logical outcomes ensue.

Did you see this month's "uptick?"  Yeah... it is hard to see.  At least it was an uptick.  Thanks, Midwest!

This too shall pass, but not until rates come down a bit, or some other creative means of promoting residential mobility are devised.

Here are the official releases:

Pending Sales - https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/pending-home-sales-grew-1-1-in-september

New Home Sales - https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/pdf/newressales.pdf

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Tale of Two Sales: New Homes Doing Great While Pending Homes Suffer - Mortgage News Daily
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U.S. pending home sales stay near record low despite modest pickup in September - MarketWatch

The numbers: U.S. pending home sales rebounded in September but remain near a record low as high mortgage rates and low inventory continue to hurt the real-estate sector.

Pending home sales rose 1.1% in September from the previous month, according to the monthly index released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors.

But pending home sales were still depressed on an annual basis due to the dearth of home listings. The September figure was the second-lowest reading since the NAR began tracking the data in 2001.

Transactions were down 11% from last year.

Nonetheless, the sales pace exceeded expectations on Wall Street. Economists were expecting pending home sales to fall 1.5% in September.

Pending home sales reflect transactions where the contract has been signed for the sale of an existing home, but the sale has not yet closed. Economists view it as an indicator of the direction of existing-home sales in subsequent months.

The NAR also released an updated forecast for existing-home sales on Thursday. The group expects sales to fall 17.5% in 2023 to a pace of 4.15 million, which will be the slowest pace since 2008. Yet due to low inventory, the median home price will increase by 0.1% in 2023, the NAR said, to $386,700.

The group expects home sales to rebound in 2024, rising 13.5% to a rate of 4.71 million. Home prices are expected to rise 0.7% next year, to $389,500. 

The NAR also expects the 30-year mortgage rate to fall to 6.9% in 2023 and 6.3% in 2024. The 30-year was averaging 7.98% as of Wednesday, according to Mortgage News Daily.

Big picture: The U.S. housing market is dealing with problems on both the demand and supply sides, but the NAR seems confident that the sector will recover in the new year.

At present, not only are rates high enough to discourage home buyers, the lack of inventory is also making homes more expensive, which further spooks buyers. The NAR expects the pace of existing-home sales to fall to the slowest in 15 years, when the U.S. was in the midst of a recession caused by the subprime-lending crisis.

What the realtors said: “Because of home builders’ ability to create more inventory, new-home sales could be higher this year despite increasing mortgage rates,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said. “This underscores the importance of increased inventory in helping to get the overall housing market moving.”

Market reaction: Stocks DJIA SPX were mixed in early trading on Thursday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note BX:TMUBMUSD10Y rose above 4.9%.

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U.S. pending home sales stay near record low despite modest pickup in September - MarketWatch
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Friday, October 27, 2023

Pending home sales rose in September, despite high mortgage rates - CNN

Washington, DC CNN  — 

US pending home sales ticked up in September despite mortgage rates surging over 7%.

In a surprise move, pending home sales rose 1.1% in September from August, according to a report released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors. Pending sales were down 11% from a year ago.

The Northeast, Midwest and South saw monthly gains in transactions while the West experienced a loss. All four US regions had year-over-year declines in transactions.

Pending sales had seen slight increases in June and July, despite elevated prices and higher mortgage rates. But mortgage rates topping 7% in August snapped that streak, and pending sales dropped 7% from July to August. September saw pending sales tick back up again.

“Despite the slight gain, pending contracts remain at historically low levels due to the highest mortgage rates in 20 years,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors. “Furthermore, inventory remains tight, which hinders sales but keeps home prices elevated.”

The market ahead

In an updated forecast released Thursday NAR predicts that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate will average 6.9% for 2023 and decrease to an average of 6.3% in 2024.

The higher cost to finance a home and the lower inventory of available homes is expected to lower total existing home sales for the rest of this year, but NAR expects them to rise again in 2024.

NAR forecasts existing-home sales will decrease 17.5% in 2023 from the year before, settling at 4.15 million, before rising 13.5%, to 4.71 million in 2024.

“Sales are expected to turn positive by early next year, with affordable regions and fast job-creating markets in better positions to recover, led by the Midwest and South,” said Yun.

In 2023 the total national median existing-home prices are projected to edge up by only 0.1% to $386,700, compared to 2022. However, they are expected to increase by a more substantial 0.7% next year to $389,500, according to NAR.

Housing starts are expected to have dropped by 10.4% to 1.39 million in 2023, compared to the year prior. They’re then expected to rise by 6.5% to 1.48 million in 2024.

“Because of home builders’ ability to create more inventory, new-home sales could be higher this year despite increasing mortgage rates,” said Yun. “This underscores the importance of increased inventory in helping to get the overall housing market moving.”

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Pending home sales rose in September, despite high mortgage rates - CNN
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Thursday, October 26, 2023

U.S. pending home sales stay near record low despite modest pickup in September - MarketWatch

The numbers: U.S. pending home sales rebounded in September but remain near a record low as high mortgage rates and low inventory continue to hurt the real-estate sector.

Pending home sales rose 1.1% in September from the previous month, according to the monthly index released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors.

But pending home sales were still depressed on an annual basis due to the dearth of home listings. The September figure was the second-lowest reading since the NAR began tracking the data in 2001.

Transactions were down 11% from last year.

Nonetheless, the sales pace exceeded expectations on Wall Street. Economists were expecting pending home sales to fall 1.5% in September.

Pending home sales reflect transactions where the contract has been signed for the sale of an existing home, but the sale has not yet closed. Economists view it as an indicator of the direction of existing-home sales in subsequent months.

The NAR also released an updated forecast for existing-home sales on Thursday. The group expects sales to fall 17.5% in 2023 to a pace of 4.15 million, which will be the slowest pace since 2008. Yet due to low inventory, the median home price will increase by 0.1% in 2023, the NAR said, to $386,700.

The group expects home sales to rebound in 2024, rising 13.5% to a rate of 4.71 million. Home prices are expected to rise 0.7% next year, to $389,500. 

The NAR also expects the 30-year mortgage rate to fall to 6.9% in 2023 and 6.3% in 2024. The 30-year was averaging 7.98% as of Wednesday, according to Mortgage News Daily.

Big picture: The U.S. housing market is dealing with problems on both the demand and supply sides, but the NAR seems confident that the sector will recover in the new year.

At present, not only are rates high enough to discourage home buyers, the lack of inventory is also making homes more expensive, which further spooks buyers. The NAR expects the pace of existing-home sales to fall to the slowest in 15 years, when the U.S. was in the midst of a recession caused by the subprime-lending crisis.

What the realtors said: “Because of home builders’ ability to create more inventory, new-home sales could be higher this year despite increasing mortgage rates,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said. “This underscores the importance of increased inventory in helping to get the overall housing market moving.”

Market reaction: Stocks DJIA SPX were mixed in early trading on Thursday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note BX:TMUBMUSD10Y rose above 4.9%.

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Pending Home Sales Grew 1.1% in September - NAR.realtor

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Pending Bills in Congress Key to AUKUS Success, Say Pentagon Officials - USNI News - USNI News

USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795) completing acceptance trials from shipbuilder Electric Boat on Oct. 3, 2023. US Navy Photo

The Pentagon’s legislative proposals for the current fiscal year are crucial to Australia’s pursuit of nuclear-powered attack submarines, officials told Congress on Wednesday.

U.S. Navy and the Department of the Navy’s number two civilian advocated for lawmakers to pass the Defense Department’s proposed language for the success of the technology-sharing partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, known as AUKUS.

“The message we send to our allies and the negative message that would be sent if we didn’t enact these legislative proposals, would be significant for us in the Indo-Pacific,” Vice Adm. Bill Houston, the commander of Naval Submarine Forces, told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.

“It’s absolutely critical that we execute on this. It’s going to uplift our industrial base. It’s going to uplift our undersea forces. And it uplifts all nations’ ability to defend and have a stable Indo-Pacific region that’s open for all countries. And so the continued support we get via these legislative proposals – which are absolutely critical to training, to accepting money, to do the information transfers we need – are absolutely critical to benefitting all three countries.”

The legislative proposals would allow the United States to sell two Virginia-class attack submarines to Australia, Australia to contribute funds to bolster the industrial base in the U.S., and Australia’s private industry to receive training to help create an indigenous industrial base, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, the program executive officer for attack submarines, told lawmakers that the proposals are an essential part of integrating the industrial bases of the three nations.

“If I look at the industrial base, today … we already have multiple U.K. companies supporting our Columbia and Virginia construction, providing parts that are vital to be able to build those ships,” Rucker said.

“We have an Australian company that’s already part of our consortium for doing additive manufacturing. So we’re already making those leaps forward. Getting these legislative proposals across allow us to continue to strengthen and partner with their industrial base, with our U.S. as well.”

The Biden administration in March announced a multi-pronged plan for the AUKUS partnership. Under the arrangement, which officials have dubbed the “optimal pathway,” Royal Australian Navy sailors would keep training with U.S. sailors and start training with U.K. sailors. The three nations would also work to have a submarine rotational force operating out of Australia as soon as 2027.

Under the current plan, the RAN could buy up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack boats in the 2030s before Australia has its own indigenous nuclear-powered submarine capability. The U.K. would build the first boats based on the U.K.’s SSNR design for a late 2030s delivery to the RAN. The goal is for Australian to start domestic construction of its first boats in the 2040s, once its workforce and submarine industrial base is capable of building and maintaining the platforms.

Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven told lawmakers that the administration started pursuing this plan in March when it announced the approach.

“If there’s one message that I get from the partners – especially on the ability to train Australians, bring them into our shipyards, whether it’s maintenance or new construction – it’s basically I think the legislative proposals are catching up to where we need to be,” Raven said. “So there is the base for urgency because we are deeply involved in execution today and we need these authorities to be able to move forward.”

During the hearing, Houston said the Navy is trying to improve the operational availability for its own submarines. While the U.S. Navy’s submarines are currently at 66 percent operational availability, the goal is to get to 80 percent by late 2027 or early 2028. Houston said the service is currently on track to meet that goal and that the recent $3.4 billion boost to the submarine industrial base that the Biden administration recently asked for in its supplemental funding request for FY 2024 will help.

Earlier this year, Virginia-class submarine builders General Dynamic Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding were cumulatively more than 400 months behind on construction. The shipyards are delivering 1.2 attack boats a year and are on a path to reach two Virginias a year by 2028, USNI News previously reported.

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Pending Bills in Congress Key to AUKUS Success, Say Pentagon Officials - USNI News - USNI News

USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN-795) completing acceptance trials from shipbuilder Electric Boat on Oct. 3, 2023. US Navy Photo

The Pentagon’s legislative proposals for the current fiscal year are crucial to Australia’s pursuit of nuclear-powered attack submarines, officials told Congress on Wednesday.

U.S. Navy and the Department of the Navy’s number two civilian advocated for lawmakers to pass the Defense Department’s proposed language for the success of the technology-sharing partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, known as AUKUS.

“The message we send to our allies and the negative message that would be sent if we didn’t enact these legislative proposals, would be significant for us in the Indo-Pacific,” Vice Adm. Bill Houston, the commander of Naval Submarine Forces, told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.

“It’s absolutely critical that we execute on this. It’s going to uplift our industrial base. It’s going to uplift our undersea forces. And it uplifts all nations’ ability to defend and have a stable Indo-Pacific region that’s open for all countries. And so the continued support we get via these legislative proposals – which are absolutely critical to training, to accepting money, to do the information transfers we need – are absolutely critical to benefitting all three countries.”

The legislative proposals would allow the United States to sell two Virginia-class attack submarines to Australia, Australia to contribute funds to bolster the industrial base in the U.S., and Australia’s private industry to receive training to help create an indigenous industrial base, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Rear Adm. Jonathan Rucker, the program executive officer for attack submarines, told lawmakers that the proposals are an essential part of integrating the industrial bases of the three nations.

“If I look at the industrial base, today … we already have multiple U.K. companies supporting our Columbia and Virginia construction, providing parts that are vital to be able to build those ships,” Rucker said.

“We have an Australian company that’s already part of our consortium for doing additive manufacturing. So we’re already making those leaps forward. Getting these legislative proposals across allow us to continue to strengthen and partner with their industrial base, with our U.S. as well.”

The Biden administration in March announced a multi-pronged plan for the AUKUS partnership. Under the arrangement, which officials have dubbed the “optimal pathway,” Royal Australian Navy sailors would keep training with U.S. sailors and start training with U.K. sailors. The three nations would also work to have a submarine rotational force operating out of Australia as soon as 2027.

Under the current plan, the RAN could buy up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack boats in the 2030s before Australia has its own indigenous nuclear-powered submarine capability. The U.K. would build the first boats based on the U.K.’s SSNR design for a late 2030s delivery to the RAN. The goal is for Australian to start domestic construction of its first boats in the 2040s, once its workforce and submarine industrial base is capable of building and maintaining the platforms.

Navy Under Secretary Erik Raven told lawmakers that the administration started pursuing this plan in March when it announced the approach.

“If there’s one message that I get from the partners – especially on the ability to train Australians, bring them into our shipyards, whether it’s maintenance or new construction – it’s basically I think the legislative proposals are catching up to where we need to be,” Raven said. “So there is the base for urgency because we are deeply involved in execution today and we need these authorities to be able to move forward.”

During the hearing, Houston said the Navy is trying to improve the operational availability for its own submarines. While the U.S. Navy’s submarines are currently at 66 percent operational availability, the goal is to get to 80 percent by late 2027 or early 2028. Houston said the service is currently on track to meet that goal and that the recent $3.4 billion boost to the submarine industrial base that the Biden administration recently asked for in its supplemental funding request for FY 2024 will help.

Earlier this year, Virginia-class submarine builders General Dynamic Electric Boat and HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding were cumulatively more than 400 months behind on construction. The shipyards are delivering 1.2 attack boats a year and are on a path to reach two Virginias a year by 2028, USNI News previously reported.

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Centralia man pleads guilty to six of ten child pornography charges pending against him - WJBD News - Salem, Illinois

Centralia man pleads guilty to six of ten child pornography charges pending against him | South Central Illinois' News, Sports and Weather Station

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Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Despite protests, city confirms Brighton Park tent plan, pending final ‘assessments' - NBC Chicago

Over protests and the local alderperson’s insistence she had nothing to do with the decision, city officials confirmed Monday evening their intention to turn a controversial site in Brighton Park into a tent shelter for migrants.

“The City of Chicago has been identifying viable sites across the city to construct base camps as an alternative to new arrivals sleeping outdoors, at O’Hare and on the floors of police district stations as winter fast approaches,” the statement from the mayor’s office reads. “The site at 38th and California appears viable, and the intention is to construct temporary shelter at this site.”

The statement is the city’s first clear confirmation it has officially designated the 12th Ward site, where many believed Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first “winterized base camp” would go after city crews were spotted recently at the large site near the Stevenson Expressway.

It comes after a contentious protest at the site last Thursday that left local Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th) and an aide battered by protesters who accused her of backing the tent plan for the neighborhood without community input.

Ramirez vehemently denied those accusations in a letter shared Sunday evening on “X,” the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The Mayor’s office did not consult with me or my office about their current plans to construct a temporary shelter — meant to house 1,500 people — at 38th & California,” Ramirez asserts in the letter released late Sunday night.

The site actually “may serve at least 2,000 family members with children,” according to a planning document accompanying the mayor’s statement.

The city has been assessing the site since at least last week and said they will “notify residents of the outcome of this final assessment and share further operations details prior to placing any new arrivals into the facilities.”

“The City intends to stand up a base camp if the infrastructure can support it based on the results of the environmental assessments currently underway,” it reads.

The assessments included “tree trimming, removing dead trees, removing debris, grading site for hazardous conditions, illuminating areas around the site, repairing alley lighting, determining if there is existing water and sewer lines, performing various environmental assessments, and bringing water and sewer to the site.”

A spokesperson for Ramirez expressed surprise when presented with the statement by a reporter and reiterated a need for the freshman alderperson’s planned meeting set for Tuesday night at Kelly High School, 4136 S. California Ave.

“This is exactly why we are having a community meeting,” Ramirez is quoted as saying in a statement. “For the Mayor’s administration to explain their intentions.”

The owner of the site at 3708 S. California Ave. — the Barnacares Corp. according to the Cook County clerk’s database — could not be reached for comment.

After the remaining assessments are completed, the city will notify the contractor and it will take “at least 96 hours to get equipment/supplies to the site,” according to the planning document.

Following that, “it will take several days to erect, outfit, and test systems before welcoming residents.”

On Monday, there were over 3,000 migrants awaiting shelter according to the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, but the pace of arrivals is expected to accelerate.

Nearly 20,000 migrants have arrived in Chicago since the end of August 2022. Nearly 12,000 are in city shelters, but thousands have begun sleeping outside around police stations awaiting shelter, even as the cold approaches.

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), Johnson’s City Council floor leader, cited those conditions in defending Johnson’s plan earlier Monday.

“Difficult decisions need to be made, and [Johnson’s] making those difficult decisions,” Ramirez-Rosa said.

He also defended Ramirez’s letter, saying the alderperson had every right to call out the “misinformation” that had been used against her.

Brighton Park residents have every right to protest the winterized base camp, he added. But the “xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment that we saw lead to violence” against Ramirez and her top aide last week was “totally unacceptable and has got to stop.”

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Crypto investors 'clasping at straws' on pending bitcoin ETF - Yahoo Finance

Bitcoin surges, now hovering below $35,000, around optimism of the SEC approving a spot bitcoin ETF. Currently, BlackRock's (BLK) iShares Bitcoin Trust is listed on the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation's (DTCC) website.

Opimas CEO Octavio Marenzi illustrates how crypto investors may be in for a "bit of disappointment" after enthusiasm has driven bitcoin prices higher.

"The difference is really that it's BlackRock behind it, it's the world's largest asset manager," Marenzi tells Yahoo Finance. "There's some sentiment that was going to basically make bitcoin investments sort of legitimate for institutional investors as well. That's something we have been waiting for years and there have been some hedge funds and some investors playing the space, but by and large, most of the long-only funds... [and] large institutional investors have sat by the sidelines and we're expecting them to jump in now."

Click here to watch the full interview on the Yahoo Finance YouTube page or you can watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance Live here.

Video Transcript

RACHELLE AKUFFO: Not to take too much of the wind out of the sails of the optimism that we're seeing here, but give us a reality check as to how well-founded this optimism at least for the token bitcoin is just based on this news of the stronger potential of a spot bitcoin ETF.

OCTAVIO MARENZI: Well, it does feel like they're clasping at straws a bit in terms of pushing the price up. I mean, there are other bitcoin ETFs out there. They're basically in the futures markets as opposed to being in the spot market. But really, in terms of price exposure to bitcoin, you can get that. And there have been ETFs out there for a few years now that have allowed retail investors to do that, and institutional investors as well, for that matter. They really haven't attracted that much attention. Some of them have around a billion dollars in assets. Most of them that have in the tens of millions haven't fared terribly well.

So I think this idea that this new ETF, spot ETF, is going to draw a whole bunch of new investors into the bitcoin market and drive up the prices, generate enough investment volume that's going to push up the price, I think are likely a bit disappointed. It just is not that big a market for that kind of investor. Most of the people who want to get exposure to bitcoin are quite happy to do it directly and buy bitcoin directly through an exchange or through a separate account to do that. So I think there might be a bit of disappointment. We might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves in terms of the boost that this is going to give to the market.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: That is true. We heard similar sentiments from Nicholas Panigirtzoglou, of JPMorgan, saying, "any approval won't be transformational for the sector," citing the same examples. As we've seen with Canada, with Brazil, other countries in Europe that have launched this haven't seen these tremendous inflows. So then what's the driver here? Because it's the difference between getting exposure to bitcoin's movements versus to the token itself. What is the institutional interest here then?

OCTAVIO MARENZI: Well, I suppose it is-- the difference is really that it's BlackRock behind it. So it's the world's largest asset manager. They're pushing forward a new bitcoin ETF, basically. And I think there's some sentiment that this was going to attract and basically make bitcoin investments sort of legitimate for institutional investors as well. And that's something we've really been waiting for years.

There have been some hedge funds and some investors-- institutional investors playing in this space. But by and large, most of the long-only funds, most of very large institutional investors have sat by the sidelines. And we're always expecting them to jump in now. And maybe that's really what they're thinking, that not only is that people are going to invest directly in this ETF, but rather what they're going to do is say, OK, now it's finally a legitimate investable asset class. I can do it. BlackRock's in there. Or pension funds and people like that can now come in in larger numbers. I think that's the expectation there.

But we've seen this many, many times. It's kind of false start many, many times over the course of the past few years, where we think the institutional investor stampede is just around the corner, it's just over the horizon, and it's about to arrive. And I fear that's, once again, what we're seeing here, that there's a sense that now the institutional investors are going to come. Now that BlackRock has got this ETF up and running, we're going to see all these pension funds and institutional investors come in and storm the market and drive the price up. But I think that's led to disappointment a few times in a row now.

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Crypto investors 'clasping at straws' on pending bitcoin ETF - Yahoo Finance
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2024 NFL Free Agency: 6 pending free agents on defense who deserve to get paid | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics - Pro Football Focus

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