10/17/2026
Before I enjoy my weekend, I wanted to share an end-of-week update on inflation, housing, and consumer spending.
📊 Market Update | 10-17-26
Consumer prices rose 0.6% in September, bringing annual inflation to 3.7%. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, increased 2.6% over the past year.
Why does this matter? Inflation affects the bond market and expectations for interest rates, both of which influence mortgage pricing. The Fed raised its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point in September, but mortgage rates don’t automatically follow the Fed. They also respond to economic news and what investors expect in the months ahead.
🏡 In housing, existing home sales increased 1.5% from August but were still down 2.2% compared with September last year.
The number of homes available for sale increased 1.9% for the month and 4.6% from a year ago. For buyers, that could mean more homes to choose from and more room to negotiate. It still depends on the neighborhood, price range, and how the home is priced.
🛍️ Retail sales rose 0.8% in September. However, when gasoline stations are excluded, the increase was just 0.2%. Spending increased, but higher fuel costs contributed to the bigger headline number.
If you’re thinking about buying, we can look at what the payment would be and how it fits your budget. If you’re considering refinancing, we can compare the potential savings with the costs to see whether it makes sense.
Give me a call or text at (502) 655-0106. I’m happy to answer your questions.
Have a great weekend!
