Economy

The Federal Reserve's struggle in bringing inflation down from its current level to its 2% target may come down to how the government measures shelter costs in the U.S., leading some experts to question whether the problem is in the economy or in how it is measured.

News on the jobs front on Wednesday eliminated two-thirds of the six-day gain in Treasury yields.

First Foundation will use the large investment to shrink its multifamily loan portfolio, which has weighed down its earnings since interest rates began rising.

The core personal consumption expenditures price index, which strips out food and energy, increased 0.1% from the prior month, the smallest in six months.

But economists seem to differ on what the latest movement in mortgage rates means for the summer home sales business.

The sales pace is now at the low end of the range seen over the past year, suggesting limited momentum amid a lack of affordability.

The decline for the third consecutive week reflects investors' belief that the Federal Open Market Committee is likely to cut rates this year.

A decline in interest rates during the first quarter drove a Freddie Mac indicator higher for the first time since mid-2023, while a leading investment firm announced a deal aimed at boosting originations for government-sponsored enterprise financing.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says crushing inflation is the most important thing the Fed can do to reduce costs in the housing market. Some economists and policy specialists say higher rates are not the only tool at its disposal.

Markets appeared to welcome signs of future rate relief, with the latest Freddie Mac average falling for the fifth time in six weeks.