Omar Mohammed
Reporter, Economy & Finance
Omar Mohammed is a Newsweek reporter based in the Greater Boston area. His focus is reporting on the Economy and Finance. He joined Newsweek in 2023 and brings with him a decade of experience covering business and economics for the likes of Reuters, Bloomberg and Quartz. He also covered the Tokyo Summer Olympics in Japan for Reuters and his Guardian piece about the NBA's expansion into Africa was longlisted for The International Sports Press Association Media Awards in 2023. He has a Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism where he was a Knight-Bagehot fellow in 2022. You can get in touch with Omar by emailing o.mohammed@newsweek.com
Languages: English and Kiswahili.
Mortgage rates May 2024: Housing market prediction for this month
Borrowing costs for home loans have been elevated and discouraged activity in the housing market.
Florida homeowners overwhelm system giving out $10,000
The My Safe Florida Home Program, which helps Floridians mitigate hurricane impact, has stopped accepting applications.
Social Security cuts backed for some Americans
Swing state voters support the trimming of benefits for higher earning Americans, according to a poll.
Homebuyers are taking on riskier mortgages
Applications for adjustable-rate mortgages increased, according to lenders.
Texas' $500 monthly payments suddenly halted
The Texas Supreme Court paused the program after a challenge from the state's Attorney General.
California Gas Hits $7
Gas prices in California are higher than the national average, according to AAA.
Social Security map shows states where most people have been removed
There were over 10,000 fewer recipients of federal payments in March according to data from the Social Security Administration.
California residents can be vulnerable to homelessness due to their pets
Restrictions placed on pet owners can be a hurdle for some in search of housing, according to the Humane Society.
New York homeowner arrested after changing locks when finding 'squatters'
Police removed the property after a man said he had tenant rights to the home.
Thousands of children removed from Social Security
There were about 6,800 fewer under 18-year-old recipients of federal payments in March, according to data from the Social Security Administration.
Thousands of people removed from Social Security
There was a decline in the number of people who received federal payments in March from the prior month.
Income tax cut for millions of Americans
The new tax rate in Georgia will take effect in 2025 for returns filed for the 2024 tax year.
Map shows states where the most people are quitting their jobs
Three regions saw a jump in people quitting their jobs in February, data shows.
New mortgage rate spike threatens California housing market
Freddie Mac's weekly average as of April 18 rose above 7 percent for the first time this year.
Republicans want to take away child workers' lunch breaks
A bill being considered in the Louisiana legislature was proposed by a local Republican lawmaker.
California building sells for $64M less than 2019 as problems plague city
Office real estate market is still struggling, but there are huge bargains to be had.
Map shows where layoffs are hitting key swing states
In states where experts said may be key to deciding the 2024 presidential election, the picture was more nuanced.
California sees surge in homeowners trying to sell their houses
Listings are up in the state amid price increases, according to the California Association of Realtors.
California homebuyers fight over $1.7 million tiny home
The property has attracted significant attention since going on the market.
Florida sees thousands of people quit their jobs
In February, 35,000 people quit their jobs in the state, the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.
New York City gives "squatters" free lawyers
An expert told Newsweek that accused squatters can get legal assistance in New York.
Homebuyers are making a surprising move
Buyers are overcoming high rates to purchase homes, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Joe Biden gets bad news right before speech
The Fed chair Jerome Powell suggested that borrowing costs may stay higher for longer.
Social Security funding "failure" warning issued
A union of government workers warned that the agency needed funds to help with staffing issues.
Map shows states where homeowners are desperately trying to sell houses
Data suggests that Florida is seeing an uptick of homeowners who are motivated to sell.
Student loan forgiveness plan offered to inmates
The Education Department has announced a plan that will allow those in prison to consolidate their loans to avoid default.
Home building is collapsing
New home construction in the U.S. plunged in March, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Joe Biden may be getting new neighbors
Some new homes near the area where Biden vacations have been listed for sale, Zillow shows.
California's housing market is getting worse for buyers
Home values in cities in the Golden State keep going up, according to real estate firm Zillow.
