Friday’s business headlines
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Here’s a look at Friday’s business headlines.
Farmland values
The August 2019 Purdue Land Value survey found that both farmland values and cash rents – what farmers are paid to farm someone else’s ground are going down in Indiana.
The survey found tight margins, low crop prices and the continued fallout from a trade war with China.
According to the survey, top quality and average quality farmland decreased in value from last year by 5.9%, respectively.
Mobile payments
Mobile payments have barely caught on in the U.S. despite the rise of smartphones.
Management consultant Bain says the U.S. is not a leader when it comes to mobile payments – at best, it’s the middle of the pack compared to other countries.
Experts say one reason for the lack of use is people don’t want to stop using their rewards credit cards.
Homes
Contract signings to purchase previously owned U.S. homes fell in July by the most since early 2018.
The National Association of Realtors’ index of pending home sales decreased 2.5% from the previous month, even as interest rates dropped.
Tariffs
Tariffs on smartwatches, Bluetooth headphones, flat-panel TVs and footwear are set to go into effect Sunday.
In all, $300 billion items will have the tariffs implemented.
The tariff is set a 15%.