US households have built up massive equity in their homes, but homeowners are not rushing to tap into equity. Rising rates are probably to blame. The situation is unlikely to get better in quarters to come, as the Fed keeps … Continued
US home prices continue to rise at an accelerating pace but may be in the process of cooling down. This can have implications for consumer sentiment, hence consumer spending. In June, home prices nationally shot up 18.6 percent year-over-year. This … Continued
As the FOMC winds up its two-day meeting today, one cannot help but think of the Fed put that has led investors to take on risk and go up the risk curve, driving one after another metric into uncharted territory. … Continued
Consumer sentiment tumbled in March but remains elevated. The latest collapse in stocks probably played a role. Another important variable worth watching is home prices, which for years have risen faster than inflation and have been a big tailwind from … Continued
US home prices continue to rise. Consumer sentiment is more or less sideways at an elevated level. Supply of homes is limited. The cycle marches on. Nationally, using the S&P Case-Shiller national home price index, US home prices appreciated 3.5 … Continued
Appreciation in US home prices – or a lack thereof – tends to impact consumer psyche. Currently, prices are not that far away from record levels, but the rate of growth is in deceleration. If the trend persists, this has … Continued