Fed Cuts Rates — But Mortgage Rates Refuse to Fall, Tech Stocks Surge to New Highs
The Federal Reserve cut its benchmark rate by 25 basis points in September and signaled two more cuts this year, but 30-year mortgage rates remain near 6.2%. Pending home sales fell 1.3% year-over-year in September as buyers wait for lower rates. The 10-year Treasury yield hovers around 4.0%, driven by surging federal debt. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq reached record highs in early October, led by tech and AI stocks.