Portland
U.S. Home Builders Enter 2026 With Sentiment Slipping as Demand Falters
NAHB index falls to 37 in January as 65 percent of builders rely on incentives despite easing mortgage rates The U.S. housing market...
California’s Jobs Crisis Deepens: Nation’s Highest Unemployment Rate Signals Persistent Weakness
Analysis: At 5.5 percent, California ranks dead last among states as manufacturing losses and federal shutdown complications mask true extent of labor market...
Small Business Optimism Climbs to 99.5 as Economic Uncertainty Falls to Seven-Month Low
Policy clarity and monetary easing drive nine-point jump in near-term outlook despite persistent labor challenges American small business owners closed out 2025 with...
Trump Administration Unveils Housing Market Interventions to Address Affordability Crisis
New policies target institutional investors and mortgage rates, though implementation details remain sparse The Trump administration launched two major housing policy initiatives this...
Labor Market Treads Water as Job Growth Stalls in Final Month of 2025
December payrolls rose just 50,000 while unemployment edged down to 4.4 percent, leaving Fed likely on hold for January meeting The U.S. labor...
U.S. Housing Construction Starts Slide 4.2% to a 1.25MM Pace as Builders Pull Back
Elevated inventories, affordability pressures and uneven demand keep residential construction subdued After several years in which housing construction helped buffer the economy against...
Data Challenges Narrative on Institutional Investors and Homeownership Crisis
U.S. Lost 1.5 Million Single-Family Rentals as Individual Homebuyers Outcompeted Investors, Contradicting Claims About Institutional Impact on Affordability The heated debate over institutional...
NY State Pension Fund Taps Bridge Investment for $600MM Logistics Fund Targeting California and Pacific Northwest, Adds $181MM in Apartments
Pension fund establishes dedicated development vehicle while adding nearly $181 million in West Coast apartments to direct holdings The New York State Common...
Consumer Prices Expected to Rise 0.35% in December After Data Collection Issues
Wells Fargo forecasts 2.7 percent year-over-year headline inflation, down from September peak despite monthly rebound The longest government shutdown in U.S. history created...
Manufacturing Sector Closes 2025 With 10th Consecutive Month of Contraction, ISM Index at 47.8
Employment gauge shows modest improvement despite persistent weakness in new orders and production activity The disconnect between America’s booming overall economy and its...
Labor Market Treads Water as Job Openings Fall to 7.1 Million
The U.S. labor market showed continued signs of cooling in November, with job openings declining and workers increasingly reluctant to leave their positions,...
3D Printed Houses and Other Fairy Tales
By Billy the Broker (I just want to stay anonymous) The prophecy was always that technology would save us. And here we are in 2026,...
