Anticipation of a 25-basis-point rate cut pushed mortgage rates downward in this week's survey, and we expect to see further downward drifts over the coming week or so as the market moves on the actual larger rate cut itself.

The anticipation of the World Cup is building more and more with every week now. As the season goes on, it becomes sharper in your mind and you can't help but start to get excited about it.

One of the big concerns is that businesses will start to gear up too quickly in anticipation of a rebound in demand or even the rebound we've already seen. But if the demand is temporary, then they will be stuck with too many goods on their shelves, so there's reason to be cautious in coming months.

That said, January housing starts were the highest in over 20 years, and that is based on higher rates than we are currently experiencing, ... All in all, the little run-up in rates that occurred this week will not be enough to cause a significant slowdown in current housing market activity.

That said, January housing starts were the highest in over 20 years, and that is based on higher rates than we are currently experiencing. All in all, the little run-up in rates that occurred this week will not be enough to cause a significant slowdown in current housing market activity.

That said, housing starts -- although down a little from the month before -- were still remarkably strong in May with most of the decrease in overall construction coming from a drop off in multiunit building,