The rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.12% this week, up from last week when it averaged 6.08%. A year ago, the 30-year rate was 7.49%. The rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.25%, up from last week when it averaged 5.16%. A year ago, the rate was 6.78%.
Builder confidence in the market for single-family homes in January was 47, up from 46 the previous month, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.
Business inventories in November 2024 came in at $2.59 trillion, up 0.1% from the month prior and up 2.6% from a year ago, the Commerce Department said.
Retail and food service sales for December 2024 were $729.2 billion, up 0.4% from the previous month and up 3.9% from a year ago, the Commerce Department said.
Many small business owners say they have difficulty obtaining information about financial products, “which may contribute to a less competitive market,” according to a report released by the U.S. Treasury Department
As part of a last-minute flurry of rulemaking and guidance, the CFPB released a report recommending states “strengthen” consumer protections by making several changes to their laws and regulations.
Economic activity increased slightly to moderately across the 12 Federal Reserve districts in late November and December, the Fed said in the first Beige Book report of 2025.
