Rate cuts likely delayed as economy hotter than projected

The Consumer Price Index, tracking the economy during the first month of 2024, suggests that the Federal Reserve will be unlikely to cut interest rates until late spring at the earliest.  Data for January showed that the annual inflation rate registered at 3.1%. While this is a noticeable decrease from the 3.4% of December, economists […]

Real Estate Update: Inventory Squeeze Cools Mortgages

Mortgage application volume dropped by 7.2% last week, a drop that the Mortgage Bankers Association is attributing to intense competition among buyers for a relatively small number of units available.  Across the nation, applications for mortgages for purchasing homes specifically declined by 11% over the week, which represented a total drop of 20% year-over-year.  This […]

AI Talks: HBJ previews the 2024 AI Symposium at the USSRC, talks the revolution of space technology

“AI Talks” is a new series from the Huntsville Business Journal on Artificial Intelligence and its applicability to the world of business. Each month, HBJ plans on bringing you interesting topics led by our new contributing expert writer, Carl Holden. This series will also introduce another new “writer” to our journal: Artificial Intelligence itself. Using Chat […]

December 2023 stats cap challenging year for Huntsville’s market

The Huntsville Area Association of Realtors (HAAR) has released its annual report for 2023, as well as the report for the month of December specifically.  2023 was a year defined by the interest rate shock, which reverberated throughout the entire real estate market. Would-be buyers found homeownership a more daunting prospect as 30-year fixed mortgage […]

Real Estate “Lock-In” effect weakens grip as market begins thaw

Housing and Real Estate statistics taken from the end of December 2023 indicate that the phenomenon of would-be buyers holding off until mortgage rates decline – an effect known as “lock-in” by the industry – has begun to weaken. This suggests that 2024 could see a turnaround from the sluggish pace seen since the twin […]

AI Talks: HBJ discusses Sam Altman, potential changes to employment with AI integration

AI Talks” is a new series from the Huntsville Business Journal on Artificial Intelligence and its applicability to the world of business. Each month, HBJ plans on bringing you interesting topics led by our new contributing expert writer, Carl Holden. This series will also introduce another new “writer” to our journal: Artificial Intelligence itself. Using […]

Event reminder: UAH hosting event honoring life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) will honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Program on Thursday, Jan. 11, at 3:30 p.m. in Room 112 of the UAH Student Services Building. Lisa McNair, sister of one of the four little girls killed in […]

Potential Government cybersecurity standards to bring major changes for Huntsville businesses

On 26 December 2023 the federal government released updated proposed cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors and subcontractors who conduct business with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).  This set of proposed regulations, known as CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) was released as a 234-page document, which is published online in the Federal Register.  The Huntsville […]

How Huntsville companies can win the engineering talent race in 2024

Ever since post-2020 COVID times, small and large businesses alike have shared one common problem: staffing.  From catering to engineering firms, “We Are Hiring” signs and online posts seem to be a commonplace occurrence, especially in the Rocket City. This led to what Forbes dubbed as an “employee driven labor market” back in 2022, alluding […]