While the labor market briefly bowed under pressure this summer, August’s jobs numbers have “rebounded in a big way,” as characterized by Realtor.com® Senior Economist Jake Krimmel. The latest Employment Situation Summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics saw the U.S. add 162,000 jobs in August, with the unemployment rate unchanged at 4.1%. Employment specifically…
Above, Fed Governor Christopher Waller As the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) next meeting quickly approaches, real estate professionals are closely monitoring Federal Reserve governors for any hints as to whether rates will remain the same or face increases. At Reuters NEXT Newsmaker Interview Thursday, Fed Governor Christopher Waller described his economic outlook and stated…
In a Sept. 1 speech at the Second Chance Lending Forum in Washington, D.C., focusing on the economic outlook and financial inclusion, Federal Reserve Governor Michael S. Barr noted that the labor market is stable with relatively low unemployment, with the economy growing solidly, “powered in part by the boom in AI-related business investment and…
Above, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh Real estate professionals anxiously awaiting lower mortgage rates may not see a decrease anytime soon, as it remains uncertain what action the Federal Reserve will take at its September meeting. In his debut speech at the 2026 Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium Friday in Wyoming, Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh…
The latest University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, released Aug. 28, came in at 51.7 in August 2026, falling from 55.2 in July due to persistent inflation worries and a worsening economic outlook. “Consumer sentiment confirmed its early month reading, falling about 6% from last month and landing about 11% below a year ago amid…
In the face of ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and economic headwinds, consumers’ feelings about the economy remain dim. The nonprofit research firm, The Conference Board, released its latest month report Aug. 25, with its Consumer Confidence Index falling by 0.8 points to 89.4. July’s revised estimate was 90.2, leaving behind nearly a whole point between the…
As the question of affordability looms over homebuyers’ heads, recent reports by economists generally agree that the housing market is weighed down by economic and global constraints—though a new report offers some near-term reasons for optimism. The latest monthly Leading Economic Index (LEI) by nonprofit The Conference Board highlighted slight growth in many forward-looking metrics,…
When many economic indicators pointed to issues with inflation, the governors of the Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee (FOMC) instead voted once again to maintain their “wait and see” approach in their most recent meeting. Newly released minutes from the meeting, however, reveal that three members of the committee did in fact advocate for a…
Consumer attitudes toward the economy reversed course as sentiment fell by nearly 8% so far for August. The University of Michigan’s monthly preliminary consumer sentiment survey reported a sharp decline. On a month-over-month basis, consumer sentiment dropped by 7.6%, ending the nation’s two-month streak of consecutive growth. The decline is more severe on an annual…
As many Americans blasted their ACs and took to the roads for summer vacations in July, the cost of energy decreased slightly while inflation overall rose slowly. For the month of July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased slightly by 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis. This…
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