Builders Are Cutting Prices, but 7% Mortgages Keep Buyers Away

Daily Economic Freedom Briefing

If you are buying, selling, or renting a home, today’s builder survey says the U.S. market has stalled: Homebuilder confidence fell to 29, the lowest since June 2012, and 43% of builders cut prices this month. In Europe, France’s weekend riots raised what Paris pays to borrow, which feeds into French loan rates and leaves…

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The Diesel Rescue Was Old Barrels, and Wholesale Prices Just Jumped

Daily Economic Freedom Briefing

If you buy diesel, heat with oil, or buy groceries that arrive by truck, today’s two signals point the same way. The International Energy Agency’s board agreed only to speed up about 100 million barrels already promised since March, including “over 20 million” barrels of diesel, and put no number on any new volume. The…

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Inflation Came In Hot at 3.7%, and Heating Oil Is Up 74%

Daily Economic Freedom Briefing

This morning’s inflation print just repriced your mortgage quote, your card rate, and your winter heat bill. September consumer prices rose 3.7% from a year ago and core prices 2.6%, both above forecasts. The fuel-oil index that tracks heating oil is up 74.2% in a year, and the 10-year Treasury yield jumped to about 5.30%…

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