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…
Summer arrives with a positive sign for the housing market, as the National Association of Realtors®’ (NAR) pending home sales report shows growth month-over-month and year-over-year in May 2026. Gains were felt across all four major regions of the United States. “A late spring buyer rush—even with mortgage rates not budging—is an indication of pent-up…
Consumers’ view of the U.S. economy has been shaped by the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Iran, which has boosted inflation in large part due to rising energy prices. The uncertain timeline for an end to the conflict has in turn led to an uncertain economic outlook, including by those at the Federal Reserve.…
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As the conflict with Iran has loomed over the heads of consumers and over the economy, the two-week ceasefire in April contributed to some relief in consumer views, according to the latest data from The Conference Board. The Consumer Confidence Index® saw a 0.6 point increase to 92.8 in April (baseline of 100 is based…
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Signs of a spring bloom in the housing market are finally at hand, but the potential for that growth could be curtailed by looming geopolitical headwinds, according to the latest data. Realtor.com®’s March 2026 Monthly Housing Trends Report found that both active and new listings grew month-over-month and year-over-year, despite rises in mortgage rates and…
Despite ongoing economic impacts surrounding the U.S. and Iran war, monthly consumer confidence as surveyed by the nonprofit Conference Board ticked up in March 2026. The survey, with results collected between March 1-24 (entirely during the Iran war), found that consumer confidence ticked up to 91.8 in March, up from the revised February findings of…
The commencement of the war with Iran caused further damage to consumer sentiment in March, according to the latest Survey of Consumers from the University of Michigan. The Index of Consumer Sentiment clocked in at 53.3 in March, down 5.8% from 56.6 in February and down 6.5% from 57 at the same time last year.…
While conflict continues to brew in the Middle East, mortgage rates continue to rise due to the war’s effect on oil prices, according to the latest Freddie Mac data. Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey found that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 6.38% as of March 26, 2026, up from last week when…
While many across the industry were predicting interest rate cuts and a transition to a more balanced economy in 2026, the year so far has been shaping up a bit differently. Inflation remains elevated, mortgage rates are facing difficulty due to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and the Federal Reserve has yet to…
Less than a week ago, the United States went to war against Iran. While pundits and economists seek to assess the domestic impact, most experts have so far agreed that it is far too early to make any prediction regarding economic consequences, especially as federal officials (including president Donald Trump) offer shifting objectives and timelines.…