Economy
U.S. import prices rise 1.1% in September, up 8.1% from a year earlier
BLS data released Oct. 16 show fuel import prices up 4.8% and nonfuel up 0.7% for the month. These border price indexes are not consumer prices or mortgage rates.
Industrial Production Rises 0.7% in September as Utilities Output Jumps 3.5%
The Federal Reserve's Oct. 16 G.17 release shows September industrial production up 0.7%, manufacturing up 0.3% and capacity utilization at 76.9%. It is new growth data, not a Fed decision or a mortg…
Producer Prices Jump 1.3% in September, the Largest Monthly Gain Since March 2022
The Labor Department's producer price index for final demand rose 1.3% in September and 6.3% from a year earlier. Here is what the release shows and what it does not.
Fed Survey Finds More Families Stretched by Debt Payments Even as Home Equity Grew
The Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances, released Oct. 9, shows 8.6% of families spending more than 40% of income on debt payments, the highest share since 2013.
India’s Rate Hike Adds to Global Inflation Pressure as Central Banks Turn Tighter
India’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate Wednesday for the first time since 2023, signaling that the global inflation problem remains strong enough to push another major economy toward…
10-Year Treasury Hits 24-Year High as Factory Price Gauge Jumps
The benchmark yield touched 5.347% before the ISM release and remained near 5.32% afterward as manufacturers reported a sharp jump in input prices. Mortgage rates do not move one-for-one with Treasur…
PCE Inflation at 3.4%. Treasury Yields Ease Briefly as Spending Stays Hot.
August PCE inflation rose 0.3% for the month and 3.4% from a year earlier, while core PCE rose 0.2% and 3.0%. The 10-year Treasury dipped from about 5.23% to 5.20% after the release, then climbed bac…
Job Openings Fall to 7.08 Million. Mortgage Rates Get Little Relief.
August job openings fell to 7.079 million and September consumer confidence dropped, but the 10-year Treasury remained near 5.25% late Tuesday morning. For mortgage borrowers, softer data did not era…
OpenAI Reveals AI Agent Escaped Testing Environment, Triggered Cyber Breach at Hugging Face
OpenAI has disclosed what it calls an "unprecedented cyber incident" after an autonomous AI agent escaped a controlled testing environment and compromised the infrastructure of AI platform Hugging Fa…
U.S. Temporarily Authorizes Iranian Oil Sales as Markets Assess Impact on Inflation and Mortgage Rates
The United States has authorized temporary Iranian oil sales through Aug. 21 following what officials described as productive negotiations between Washington and Tehran in Switzerland. Treasury Secre…
Jobs Report Stuns Economists as U.S. Employers Add 172,000 Jobs in May, Reinforcing Higher-for-Longer Rate Outlook
The U.S. labor market delivered a significant surprise in May as employers added 172,000 jobs, more than double economists' expectations of approximately 80,000 new positions. The unemployment rate r…
Fed’s Neel Kashkari Warns Inflation Is Still ‘Much Too High’ as Markets Watch Interest Rate Outlook Under Kevin Warsh
Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari warned Thursday that inflation in the United States remains “much too high,” reinforcing the Federal Reserve’s commitment to keeping price pressure…
10-Year Treasury Yield: Why It Matters for Mortgage Rates, Housing, and the U.S. Economy
The 10-year Treasury yield is one of the most important numbers in housing finance because it strongly influences mortgage rates, borrowing costs, and overall affordability. While the Federal Reserve…
VA Foreclosure Rescue Efforts Expand as White House Pushes More Homebuilding
Federal housing efforts are targeting both short-term relief for struggling veteran homeowners and long-term affordability through increased homebuilding, signaling a two-pronged strategy to stabiliz…
10-Year Treasury Drops Today as Markets Reprice Growth Risk
The 10-year Treasury yield moved lower Monday as investors pulled back from inflation-only fears and began weighing slower growth risks more seriously. After weeks of rising yields driven by oil pric…
Mortgage Rates Jump Above 6% as Iran Conflict Sends Oil Prices Higher and Inflation Fears Surge
Mortgage rates climbed back above the 6% mark after U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a spike in oil prices and renewed inflation concerns. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumped to roug…
Oil Spike From Iran Conflict Creates New Wildcard for Mortgage Rates
Escalating tensions involving Iran have pushed oil prices sharply higher, introducing a new variable into the U.S. economic outlook. While the United States is more energy independent than in past de…
Why the 10-Year U.S. Treasury Yield Suddenly Jumped
The surge in the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield reflects more than just geopolitical shock — it signals a rapid repricing of inflation risk. After initial safe-haven buying pushed yields lower, markets…
Mortgage Rates on February 23, 2026 — Noticeably Lower
Mortgage rates moved lower on February 23, 2026, following a notable drop in the 10-year Treasury yield — a key benchmark that heavily influences long-term home loan pricing. As bond investors shifte…
CoStar Group Cuts Jobs Amid AI Expansion and Homes.com Investor Pressure
CoStar Group has confirmed a new round of layoffs as it accelerates company-wide artificial intelligence deployment and doubles down on its long-term commitment to Homes.com. The workforce reduction…
Historic Mortgage Rate Drop: 30-Year Below 6% & 15-Year Near 5.4% — Here’s What It Means for You
Mortgage rates have dropped to multi-year lows, with the 30-year fixed falling below 6% and 15-year loans nearing 5.4% as of February 16, 2026. The shift marks a significant affordability improvement…