The Federal Reserve has come under renewed fire from the Trump administration in recent weeks as the president and key housing officials battle with Chair Jerome Powell over the direction of interest rates. On Tuesday, while speaking to members of the House Financial Services Committee, Powell was resolute that the central bank will continue its […]
Jerome Powell says the Fed isn’t budging on interest rates Read More »
On Saturday night, the U.S. bombed Iranian nuclear sites, sending shockwaves around the world and leading people to ask me what this means for mortgage rates. This type of global event can lead to significant market movements in oil prices, the U.S. dollar and the 10-year yield in the short term. However, this year, we’ve
How will mortgage rates react to US bombing of Iran? Read More »
A rising tide of financial pessimism is washing over U.S. consumers, driven by concerns about inflation, global instability and a lack of economic clarity. At the same time, a solid majority of Americans remain optimistic about their financial future, according to TransUnion’s Consumer Pulse Study for the second quarter of 2025. The result is a
‘Feelings-based recession’: More Americans fearful of finances Read More »
A new Redfin survey reveals sharp divides among Americans over how immigration and tariffs are affecting housing affordability, reflecting a complex and politically charged landscape. More than half of U.S. homeowners and renters (51.2%) believe that reducing immigration could worsen housing affordability by shrinking the pool of construction workers and limiting the number of new
Americans are divided over housing impacts of immigration, tariffs Read More »
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Ginnie Mae on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a South Korean housing finance authority, with the goal of increasing investment in U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities. The agreement, signed with the Korea Housing Finance Corp. (KHFC), “underscores a shared commitment to expanding access
HUD signs agreement with South Korean housing finance agency to spur MBS investment Read More »
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg UPDATE: This article includes a quote from Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent. Inflation rose modestly last month, signaling that the U.S. economy might be feeling the effects of elevated tariffs. The Consumer Price Index increased 0.1% in May, bringing the year-over-year inflation rate to 2.4%. The monthly increase was less than the 0.2%
Fed likely to hold steady after muted tariff impact in CPI Read More »
Today marked a significant development in the ongoing dialogue between President Trump and Elon Musk, as their relationship appears to have reached a critical point of conflict. The question for those in housing is: How could this impact mortgage rates moving forward? The 10-year yield saw a slight increase earlier as it reacted to the
How the Trump/Musk dispute could influence mortgage rates Read More »
Federal Reserve Board NEW YORK — At least one Federal Reserve official expects tariffs to lead to higher inflation, and she is worried the effects could be long lasting. Speaking before the Economic Club of New York on Thursday, Fed Gov. Adriana Kugler said she sees ways in which higher trade barriers could lead to
Fed’s Kugler not ready to look past tariff inflation Read More »
Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher WallerBloomberg News As the Federal Reserve examines its approach to communications, one official said the central bank should consider changes to its quarterly forecasts. During an onstage appearance at an event hosted by the Bank of Korea, Fed Gov. Christopher Waller said he would like to see reforms to the summary
Fed’s Waller backs change to ‘dot plot’ economic outlook Read More »
The good news is the preferred measure of inflation for the Federal Reserve keeps trending downward. The bad news is that the economic backdrop that could lead to lower rates keeps getting more complicated. According to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index for April rose
Inflation is almost at 2%. Will that prompt a Fed rate cut? Read More »