The U.S. Commerce Department announced it is raising steel and aluminum tariffs on over 400 products, including appliances, heavy equipment, marine engines, furniture and more. The department says more categories are being added to the list of steel and aluminum …
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Existing Home Sales Rise in July
Existing home sales increased 2% in July as mortgage rates retreated and home price growth slowed, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Existing Home Sales Report. Month-over-month sales increased in the Northeast, South and West, while they decreased in …
Read More »Pittsburgh Paints Co. Announces Price Increases
The Pittsburgh Paints Company (PPC) notified customers that it will implement price increases of 5.8% on its products beginning August 15, citing rising production and distribution costs. Additional higher increases on a smaller group of products were also announced, but …
Read More »Fed Keeps Rates Steady as Economy Slows
The Federal Reserve kept its rates unchanged as it waits for information on how tariffs and other economic disruptions will affect the economy. The Fed still expects to cut rates twice this year, as growth slows and unemployment increases. In …
Read More »Home Improvement Market Growth Slows Amid Economic Headwinds
The total home improvement market is projected to grow 3.4% in 2025, a reduction from the 5% growth projected in the Home Improvement Research Institute’s (HIRI) June outlook. HIRI announced findings from its latest U.S. Size of the Home Improvement …
Read More »Consumer Confidence Down in March
The Conference Board released its March Consumer Confidence Survey, which reports consumer attitude, buying intentions, vacation plans and expectations for inflation, stock prices and interest rates. The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell 7.2 points in March to 92.9. The …
Read More »Existing-Home Sales Rise in February
Existing home sales rose 4.2% in February according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). For both monthly and year-over-year (YoY) sales, two major U.S. regions experienced growth, one region remained stable and two others noted a decline. …
Read More »Mortgage Rates Increase in January
Mortgage rates have been climbing since mid-December, with an average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reaching 6.96% in January, before easing after the bond market stabilized following President Donald Trump’s postponement of tariffs until Feb. 1, the National Association of Home Builders …
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