Mortgage rates improved for the second straight week according to new Freddie Mac data, showing a continued lean toward a more affordable market in the fast approaching 2026. The latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® found that the 30-year fixed rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.19%, down from last week when it averaged 6.23%. A year ago…
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which measures American opinions of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months, declined by 6.8 points in November to 88.7 from 95.5 in October, as already negative consumer attitudes toward the economy appear to be souring further. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers’ assessment of…
While the uncertainty of the government shutdown is now more than a week behind us, consumer outlook on the economy has shown little improvement, per the latest index of Consumer Sentiment from the University of Michigan. In the latest index, consumer sentiment was reported at a near record low of 51; for reference, 100 is…
At the next Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting Dec. 9-10, the final one of 2025, the voting committee will decide whether to adjust interest rates—with one voting member, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, already making his voting intentions clear. In a Monday, Nov. 17 appearance at the Society of Professional Economists held at Oxford…
Since taking office on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in September, Stephen Miran has pushed for a looser monetary policy. At both the September and October Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meetings, Miran dissented from the majority vote to cut interest rates by a quarter point, in favor of a higher cut by half…
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook pointed to tariffs as the cause of a recent rise in inflation data during a Nov. 3 speech on economic outlook and monetary policy. During her speech, Cook noted the rise in inflation as of the September PCE report, which saw annual inflation hit “significantly” above the Fed’s 2% inflation…
Consumer reports of economic confidence are mixed in October as the government shutdown and other economic challenges persist. The latest Consumer Confidence Index from The Conference Board found that confidence fell by one point to 94.6 in October, down from an upwardly revised 95.6 in September. Stephanie Guichard, senior economist of Global Indicators at The…
Uncertainty is in the air as the government shutdown persists, with many on edge waiting for the Federal Reserve’s next meeting and a potential interest rate cut. Despite the delay of most government data releases that help the Fed determine rate cut decisions, the latest Consumer Price Index—an inflation gauge from the Bureau of Labor…
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the length of the government shutdown and its ongoing effects, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell yesterday highlighted concerns over employment data as all eyes are on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and a potential interest rate cut ahead of their next meeting Oct. 28-29. In a speech at the National…
At the September Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), where interest rates were cut by 25 basis points, newly appointed Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran dissented and voted for a larger interest rate cut of 50 points. Miran has since called for further rate cuts. Today, at a moderated interview at the Managed Funds Association’s Policy…
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