Market Perspective

As the year winds down and the holiday season ramps up, it’s the perfect time to reflect, recharge, and refocus. This month, I’m doing something a little different: sharing a curated collection of Spark’s most popular business tips. I hope these ideas help you close out the year strong and build momentum for the year ahead.

Over the past week, there were no major surprises from the Federal Reserve meeting or the inflation data. Consumer spending was a good deal stronger than expected, but its impact was minor. Mortgage rates remained near their lowest levels of the year.

Lower rates boost affordability, but regional trends diverge.

The closely watched employment data released on Friday fell far short of expectations, increasing concerns about the strength of the labor market. As a result, mortgage rates ended the week near the lowest levels of the year.

Over the past week, the major economic data was mixed, and its impact was relatively small. Inflation moved higher, while the labor market data weakened. Mortgage rates ended the week with little change, remaining near the lowest levels of the year.

Over the past week, investors were focused on a speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. While far from a sure thing, Powell suggested that cutting rates was a reasonable option given current economic conditions, which was viewed as a win by investors hoping for looser monetary policy. As a result, mortgage rates ended the week a little lower.

Over the past week, economic reports revealed that consumer spending remained solid and inflation was stronger than expected. As a result, mortgage rates ended the week a bit higher.

You’re juggling listings, showings, and client calls, but are you tracking the numbers that matter most? If not, you might be overlooking a few crucial metrics that can make a big difference for your bottom line. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provide objective measures to help you see where your time and money are best spent. Keep your eyes on these three KPIs to gain clarity, improve your marketing, and close more deals with less guesswork.

Over the past week, investors were focused on major inflation data. The results were very close to expectations, and mortgage rates ended the week nearly unchanged.

More listings and improved affordability are creating new opportunities for summer buyers.

The story for mortgage markets over the past week was straightforward. The monthly Employment Report released on Friday showed that job gains in recent months were much weaker than expected. As a result, mortgage rates ended the week lower.

Although there was a significant amount of economic news over the past week, there were few market-moving surprises. In particular, the Federal Reserve meeting did little to alter the outlook for future monetary policy, and mortgage rates ended the week nearly unchanged.

Mortgage markets were relatively quiet over the past week. While consumer spending was stronger than expected, its impact was minor. Mortgage rates ended the week slightly lower.

Nothing brings beauty to a yard like a green, leafy tree, but as any horticulturist can tell you, the health of a tree doesn’t start with what you see ... it starts underground. Trees need strong root systems to stay nourished and withstand droughts and storms. Similarly, your business needs deep roots to build resilience and weather tough times.

Over the past week, investors were focused on major inflation data. While the headline figures were a bit lower than expected overall, the details suggested that the impact of higher tariffs may be a concern going forward. As a result, mortgage rates ended the week a little higher.