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The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday morning that consumer prices rose 0.3% in December, with annual inflation stuck at 2.7%, lending credence to the Federal Reserve's cautious stance toward interest rates heading into 2026.

Financial markets took a tumble Monday morning after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced that he was the subject of a Justice Department inquiry concerning the central bank's headquarters renovation. Lawmakers and former Fed officials decried the move as political intimidation.

Continuing to retreat from Biden-era rules, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Department of Justice withdrew a 2023 advisory opinion that had cautioned about denying credit to immigrants.

A new move that would open up more use of certain dedicated savings accounts for home purchase purposes is under consideration, according to Politico.

Nearly half of all credit card users carry a balance, according to Academy Bank. Higher non-mortgage debt levels can affect home loan underwriting.

The survey, taken before Pres. Trump's $200 billion MBS buy demand, finds panelists worried over inflation, but also see employment as the larger downside risk.

But a senior administration official said the DOJ, not Pulte, is behind the subpoena that relates to Powell's congressional testimony about Fed building renovations.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank has been served grand jury subpoenas and been threatened with criminal indictment, moves he called "pretexts" to influence interest rates through "political pressure or intimidation."

Trump's proposed $200B MBS purchase briefly tightened mortgage spreads, but analysts question the long-term impact on mortgage rates and GSE balance sheets.

Home prices are now something Americans can wager on. Polymarket partnered with Parcl to offer prediction markets tied to housing price indices.