August 18th, 2026 1:43 PM by Richard Sardella MLO.100007700/NMLS 233568
July housing starts and permits; starts expected at 1.345 million were up just 1.239 million while permits were 1.443 million against estimates of 1.370 million. Starts dropped by 12.4% from June. Starts sank by 15.6% in multi-unit houses, while they dropped by 9.9% in single-unit housing. Units sank in the Midwest, (27.6% to 173 thousand), South (-12.6% to 645 thousand), and West (-13.8% to 149 thousand). In turn, starts were higher in the Northeast (17.1% to 164 thousand).
Looking or any positive news on inflation, July Import prices expected +0.1% month/month declined -0.4%, year/year +5.9% from +7.1% in June. Export prices month/month -1.3% against estimates at 0.0%, year/year +8.2% down from +10.2% in June.
July pending home sales at 10 am expected at +1.4%, declined 2.3%.
Interest rates off their highs at 10 am, helped by the stock indexes improving from the 9:30 am open.
PRICES @ 10:00 AM
10 year note: 4.73% +1 bp
5 year note: 4.38% unch
2 year note: 4.19% unch
30 year bond: 5.31 unch
30 year FNMA 6.0: @9:30 am 101.24 -9 bp (-14 bp from 9:30 am yesterday)
30 year FNMA 5.5 @9:30 am 99.08 -15 bp (-20 bp from 9:30 am yesterday)
30 year GNMA 6.0: @9:30 am 101.51 -14 bp (-21 bp from 9:30 am yesterday)
Dollar/Yen: 159.60 +0.14 yen
Dollar/Euro: $1.1584 +$0.0004
Dollar Index: 99.61 -0.03
Gold: $4,457.30 -$16.40
Bitcoin: 64,025 -240
Crude Oil: $85.43 +$0.93
DJIA: 53,434 -26
NASDAQ: 26,315 -330
S&P 500: 7706 -39
Richard Sardella has been actively managing and providing services in the mortgage industry for over 30 years. Richard serves on the board of directors as President of Colorado Home Mortgages Inc.
All information furnished has been forwarded to you and is provided by thetbwsgroup only for informational purposes. Forecasting shall be considered as events which may be expected but not guaranteed. Neither the forwarding party and/or company nor thetbwsgroup assume any responsibility to any person who relies on information or forecasting contained in this report and disclaims all liability in respect to decisions or actions, or lack thereof based on any or all of the contents of this report.
MLO of record MLO.100007700 / NMLS#233568 / CHM NMLS#127716.