News & Media
Mortgage rates – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of February 5, 2026 were as follows:
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.11%, nearly unchanged from 6.1% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.5 %, nearly unchanged from 5.49% last week.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
Fed leaves rates unchanged – Trump nominated a new Fed Chairman – The Federal Reserve ended its January Open Market Committee Meeting (FOMC) on Wednesday and elected to leave interest rates unchanged. While many investors were not surprised due to comments from Fed Chairman Powell and other Fed members, it was a reverse in direction from a ¼% rate drop at its previous three meetings. Powell stated after the meeting that inflation remained elevated but that they felt that it was tariff-related, not demand-driven, an indication that he was not feeling that the economy was heating up. He also said that they felt the labor market was stabilizing. It had suffered its worst year in job gains and the highest unemployment rate since COVID. On Friday, President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as the next Fed Chairman. Powell’s term ends in May.
Inflation – Consumer prices show inflation levels remained unchanged in December – The December Consumer Price Index (CPI) was released this week. It showed that consumer prices rose 2.7% from one year ago in December. This was slightly higher than analysts’ expectations of a 2.6% annual increase. Core CPI, which excludes volatile goods like food and energy, rose 2.6% on an annualized basis. This was below the 2.7% increase experts had forecasted.
Job growth stalled and the unemployment rate rose in 2025 – December Jobs report shows hiring was sluggish while the unemployment rate dipped. Recent labor market data point to a continued moderation in U.S. hiring activity. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 50,000 new jobs were added in December. That was below the analyst’s expectations of 70,000. Revisions to the prior two months reduced reported job gains by a combined 76,000. As a result, average monthly job growth for 2025 stands at 49,000, down from 168,000 in 2024, and the three-month average has turned modestly negative. For the year employers added just 584,000 jobs last year, down from 2.2 million new jobs in 2024, marking its worst non-recession year of job growth since 2003. At the same time, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.4% in December, down from a revised 4.5% in November. That is better than economists’ expectations of 4.5% and below the long-term historical average of approximately 5.5%. Despite the slowdown in hiring, average hourly earnings rose 3.8% compared to one year ago.
The graph below shows the CPI rate since 2021
Stock markets – The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the month at 48,892.47, up 1.7% from 48,063.29 on December 31, 2025. The S&P 500 closed the month at 6,939.03, up 1.4% from 6,845.50 on December 31, 2025. The NASDAQ closed at 23,461.82, up 0.9% from 23,241.99 at the end of December.
U.S. Treasury Bond Yields – The 10-year U.S. Treasury bond yield closed the month at 4.26%, up from 4.18% on December 31, 2025. The 30-year US treasury bond yield ended the month at 4.87%, up from 4.84% on Dec. 31, 2025. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates often follow Treasury bond yields.
Mortgage rates – The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of December 29, 2025, were as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.10%, down from 6.15% on December 31, 2025. The 15-year fixed was 5.49%, up from 5.44% on December 31, 2025.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
Home sales figures are released on the third week of the month for the previous month from the National Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors. Here is a summary of the December existing home sales reports.
U.S. existing-home sales – December 2025 – The National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales totaled 4.35 million units on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate in November, up 5.1% from the number of homes sold in November and up 1.4% from the number of homes sold last December. The median price paid for a home sold in the U.S. in November was $404,400, down slightly from $409,200 in November, but up 0.4% from $403,700 one year ago.
California existing-home sales – The California Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales totaled 288,200 on an annualized basis in December, up 2% from a revised 282,490 last December. The statewide median price paid for a home was $850,680 in December, down 0.4% from $855,680 in November. The statewide median price peaked at $910,160 in April before falling steadily each month to end the year down 7% from its peak. Year-over-year, the median price dropped 1.3% from $861,020 on December 31, 2024.
The graph below shows CAR sales data by county for Southern California. 
Fed leaves rates unchanged – Trump nominated a new Fed Chairman – The Federal Reserve ended its January Open Market Committee Meeting (FOMC) on Wednesday and elected to leave interest rates unchanged. While many investors were not surprised due to comments from Fed Chairman Powell and other Fed members, it was a reversal in direction from a ¼% rate drop at its previous three meetings. Powell stated after the meeting that inflation remained elevated but that they felt that it was tariff-related, not demand-driven, an indication that he was not feeling that the economy was heating up. He also said that they felt the labor market was stabilizing. It had suffered its worst year in job gains and the highest unemployment rate since COVID. On Friday, President Trump nominated Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as the next Fed Chairman. Powell’s term ends in May.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 48,892.47, down 0.4% from 49,098.71 last week. It is already up 1.7% from 48,063.29 on December 31, 2025. The S&P 500 closed the week at 6,939.03, up 0.3% from 6,915.71 last week. The S&P is up 1.4% from 6,845.50 on December 31, 2025. The Nasdaq closed the week at 23,461.82, down 0.2% from 23,501.24 last week. It is up 0.9% from 23,241.99 on December 31, 2024.
The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 4.26%, up slightly from 4.24% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 4.87%, up from 4.82% last week. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields.
Mortgage rates – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of January 29, 2026, were as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.1%, almost unchanged from 6.09% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.49%, up from 5.38% last week.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
Have a Great Weekend!
Mortgage rates – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of January 29, 2026 were as follows:
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.1%, almost unchanged from 6.09% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.49 %, up from 5.38% last week.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
| Mortgage rates – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of January 22, 2026, were as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.09%, up slightly from 6.06% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.44%, up from 5.38% last week.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
Stock Markets and most prominent financial news of the week – It was another wild week for stocks, bond markets, and interest rates. It began with stock markets, which were closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Day, dropping over 2% on Tuesday when new tariffs on Europe were announced to begin on February 1 over the Greenland controversy. Stock markets dropped over 2%, their biggest one-day drop since tariffs were first announced on April 2, 2025. Bond yields and interest rates also rose. Fortunately, the “framework of a deal” was announced on Thursday and stock markets recovered much of their losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 49,098.71, down 0.5% from 49,359.33 last week. It is already up 2.2% from 48,063.29 on December 31, 2025. The S&P 500 closed the week at 6,915.71, down 0.4% from 6,940.01 last week. The S&P is up 1% from 6,845.50 on December 31, 2025. The Nasdaq closed the week at 23,501.24, down 0.1% from 23,515.39 last week. It is up 1.1% from 23,241.99 on December 31, 2024. The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 4.24%, unchanged from 4.24% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 4.82%, almost unchanged from 4.83% last week. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields. Home sales figures are released on the third week of the month for the previous month from the National Association of Realtors and the California Association of Realtors. Here is a summary of the December existing home sales reports. U.S. existing-home sales – December 2025 – The National Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales totaled 4.35 million units on a seasonally adjusted annualized rate in November, up 5.1% from the number of homes sold in November and up 1.4% from the number of homes sold last December. The median price paid for a home sold in the U.S. in November was $404,400, down slightly from $409,200 in November, but up 0.4% from $403,700 one year ago. California existing-home sales – The California Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales totaled 288,200 on an annualized basis in December, up 2% from a revised 282,490 last December. The statewide median price paid for a home in was $850,680 in December, down 0.4% from $855,680 in November. The statewide median price peaked at $910,160 in April before falling steadily each month to end the year down 7% from its peak. Year-over-year the median price dropped 1.3% from $861,020 on December 31, 2024. Have a Great Weekend! |
Mortgage rates – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of January 22, 2026, were as follows:
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.09%, up slightly from 6.06% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.44%, up from 5.38% last week.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
January is shaping up to be one of the most exciting months for Los Angeles art exhibitions in recent memory. Across the city, major museums and contemporary galleries are ushering in the new year. From immersive installations to long‑anticipated museum exhibitions, there is something for everyone. From pop‑culture icons to experimental audiovisual experiences, these exhibitions offer the perfect excuse to start 2026 inspired.
Below are some of the most compelling exhibits opening and running through January and early 2026.
The Grammy Museum launches one of the most emotionally resonant Los Angeles art exhibitions of the season with Selena: From Texas to the World. Co‑curated by Selena’s sister Suzette Quintanilla, the exhibition explores the singer’s artistry, personal style, and lasting cultural impact. Visitors can view her Grammy Award, stage‑worn fashion sketches, handwritten designs, and even her lipstick‑marked microphone, many displayed publicly for the first time outside Texas.
This deeply personal exhibition positions Selena not only as a global music figure but as a lasting symbol of empowerment.
Transforming six floors of the historic Variety Arts Theater, this immersive Los Angeles art exhibition blurs the boundary between visual art and cinema. Drawing from the Julia Stoschek Foundation’s renowned time‑based media collection, the show juxtaposes contemporary video works by Marina Abramović, Arthur Jafa, and Doug Aitken with early cinematic experiments from Walt Disney and Georges Méliès.
The result is a sweeping sensory experience that makes this one of the most ambitious exhibits of early 2026, particularly for fans of experimental and large‑scale installation art.
At Marta Gallery, a special January exhibition marks the one‑year anniversary of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Designers and artists have created furniture and sculptural works from reclaimed Altadena wood, transforming remnants of destruction into pieces centered on resilience and remembrance.
While January brings strong openings, several highly anticipated art exhibits set to debut in early 2026 are already generating buzz:
The USC Pacific Asia Museum will unveil Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry. The exhibit is an immersive exhibition using mythology to explore the immigrant experience. 
The Academy Museum begins its year with Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo, featuring original animation materials and interactive environments. LACMA’s Fútbol Is Life will present whimsical sculptural tributes to soccer. Likewise, this is in anticipation of the 2026 World Cup. Of course, this exhibit reinforces how Los Angeles art exhibitions reflect both global culture and local identity.
With cooler weather, January is one of the best times to dive into Los Angeles art exhibitions. Whichever your preference, the city’s creative institutions are setting a powerful tone for the year ahead. January 2026 offers a citywide invitation to explore, reflect, and reimagine.
| Mortgage rates hit their lowest level in one year – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of January 15, 2026 were as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.06%, down from 6.16% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.38%, down from 5.46% last week.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
Consumer prices show inflation levels remained unchanged in December- The December Consumer Price Index (CPI) was released this week. It showed that consumer prices rose 2.7% from one year ago in December. This was slightly higher than analysts expectations of a 2.6% annual increase. Core CPI, which excludes volatile goods like food and energy rose 2.6% on an annualized basis. This was below the 2.7% increase experts forecasted The graph below shows the CPI rate since 2021
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 49,359.33, down 0.3%from 49,504.07 last week. It is already up 2.7% from 48,063.29 on December 31, 2025. The S&P 500 closed the week at 6,940.01, down 0.4% from 6,966.28 last week. The S&P is up 1.4% from 6,845.50 on December 31, 2025. The Nasdaq closed the week at 23,515.39, down 0.2% from 23,702.88 last week. It is up 1.2% from 23,241.99 on December 31, 2024. The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 4.24% up from 4.18% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 4.83%, almost unchanged from 4.82% last week. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields. California existing-home sales – The California Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales totaled 288,200 on an annualized basis in December, up 2% from a revised 282,490 last December. The statewide median price paid for a home in was $850,680 in December, down 0.4% from $855,680 in November. The statewide median price peaked at $910,160 in April before falling steadily each month to end the year down 7% from its peak. Year-over-year the median price dropped 1.3% from $861,020 on December 31, 2024. California existing-home sales – The California Association of Realtors reported that existing-home sales totaled 288,200 on an annualized basis in December, up 2% from a revised 282,490 last December. The statewide median price paid for a home in was $850,680 in December, down 0.4% from $855,680 in November. The statewide median price peaked at $910,160 in April before falling steadily each month to end the year down 7% from its peak. Year-over-year the median price dropped 1.3% from $861,020 on December 31, 2024.
Have a Great Weekend! |
Mortgage rates – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of January 15, 2026 were as follows:
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.06%, down from 6.16% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.38%, down from 5.46% last week.
The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
| It was a wild first week of the year. It began with US military action in Venezuela with the promise of returning US oil companies to run oil production, in what is believed to be the largest reserves of oil in the world. Followed by an announcement by President Trump to purchase mortgage securities to drop long-term interest rates, an estimate of fourth-quarter GDP that was off the charts, and a mixed December jobs report. This all caused stocks to surge to record highs.
Housing & Mortgage Rates: President Trump announced a plan directing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities, a move aimed at putting downward pressure on mortgage rates and improving affordability. The idea is to help offset the Federal Reserve’s ongoing pullback from the mortgage market and narrow the spread between mortgage rates and Treasury yields. Still, the announcement has been viewed positively by markets as a signal of increased policy support for housing. We saw 30-year mortgage rates drip to under 6% on Friday after Thursday’s announcement, the lowest rate since 2022. Mortgage rates – Every Thursday, Freddie Mac publishes interest rates based on a survey of mortgage lenders throughout the week. The Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Survey reported that mortgage rates for the most popular loan products as of January 8, 2026, were as follows: The 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.16%, nearly unchanged from 6.15% last week. The 15-year fixed was 5.46%, nearly unchanged from 5.44% last week. If Friday’s rates hold, we will see a big dip in next week’s survey rates. The graph below shows the trajectory of mortgage rates over the past year.
December Jobs report shows hiring was sluggish while the unemployment rate dipped – Recent labor market data point to a continued moderation in U.S. hiring activity. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 50,000 new jobs were added in December. That was below analyst’s expectations of 70,000. Revisions to the prior two months reduced reported job gains by a combined 76,000. As a result, average monthly job growth for 2025 stands at 49,000, down from 168,000 in 2024, and the three-month average has turned modestly negative. For the year employers added just 584,000 jabs last year, down from 2.2 million new jobs in 2024, marking its worst non-recession year of job growth since 2003. At the same time, the unemployment rate dropped to 4.4% in December, down from a revised 4.5% in November. That is better than economists’ expectations of 4.5% and below the long-term historical average of approximately 5.5%. Despite the slowdown in hiring, average hourly earnings rose 3.8% compared to one year ago. Estimated 4th quarter U.S. GDP suggest a surge in output – The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s GDPNow model sharply revised its estimate for U.S. fourth-quarter GDP growth to 5.4% annualized, up from roughly 2.7% just days earlier, driven by an unexpected plunge in the U.S. trade deficit and stronger consumer spending data. This dramatic jump reflects the trade gap narrowing to its lowest level since 2009, turning what had been a drag on growth into a significant contributor. While the GDPNow figure is a real-time nowcast rather than an official BEA release, it signals potentially robust economic momentum as we close out 2025 and reshapes market and policy expectations heading into 2026. Oil industry news – President Trump announced a US military action in Venezuela capturing and arresting President Nicolas Maduro over narcotic trafficking charges. This laid the groundwork for President Trump to announce that the US had control over Venezuelan oil and that US oil companies, who’s interests and investments in oil production was taken from them in 1976 when then President Carlos Andres Perez nationalized the oil industry, would be returned to US companies. Venezuela has the largest known oil reserves in the world. On Friday Trump hosted oil executives to formulate a plan to encourage investment to US oil companies into Venezuela promising security and cooperation from the Venezuelan government. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed the week at 49,504.07 up 2.3% from 48,382.39 last week. It is already up 3% from 48,063.29 on December 31, 2025. The S&P 500 closed the week at 6,966.28, up 1.6% from 6,858.47 last week. The S&P is up 1.8% from 6,845.50 on December 31, 2025. The Nasdaq closed the week at 23,702.88, up 2% from 23,235.63 last week. It is up % from 23,241.99 on December 31, 2025. The 10-year treasury bond closed the week yielding 4.18%, almost unchanged from 4.19% last week. The 30-year treasury bond yield ended the week at 4.82%, down from 4.86% last week. We watch bond yields because mortgage rates follow bond yields. Have a Great Weekend! |
