January 22, 2025 United States: US Mortgage Rates Drop to 7.02%, First Decline in Six Weeks   US mortgage rates dropped for the first time in six weeks, helping keep a gauge of home-purchase applications at a one-year high. The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage declined 7 basis points to 7.02% in the week ended Jan.

January 21, 2025 United States: US Bonds Rise as Tariff Respite for China Eases Inflation Fears Treasuries rallied as fears that Donald Trump’s policies will fuel inflation eased, after the US president refrained from imposing China-specific tariffs for now.   The 10-year US yield fell as much as 10 basis points to 4.53% on Tuesday,

January 20, 2025 United States: US Dollar Slips in Thin Trading Hours Before Trump’s Inauguration   The dollar fell sharply after a report that US President-elect Donald Trump would refrain from implementing aggressive tariffs immediately after his inauguration later in the day.   A Bloomberg gauge of the dollar extended losses to fall nearly 1%

January 17, 2025 United States: US Housing Starts Top All Forecasts on Multifamily Construction   Housing starts in the US climbed in December to the fastest pace since early 2024, reflecting a surge in multifamily projects and a more modest advance in one-family homes. New residential construction increased nearly 16% to an annualized rate of 1.50 million,

January 16, 2025 United States: US Retail Sales Broadly Advance, Capping a Solid Holiday Season   US retail sales broadly advanced in December, indicating strong consumer demand to wrap up the holiday season.   The value of retail purchases, not adjusted for inflation, increased 0.4% after an upwardly revised 0.8% gain in November, Commerce Department data