Today in Markets & Money: Mortgages Still Squeezing 🏡
Ethan Teng
Published September 16, 2025
1 min read
🏷️ Inflation & Rates
CPI ticked up to 323.36 (core 329.79). Yearly inflation is now 2.9%, the fastest pace since January. The Fed Funds Rate sits at 4.33%, with Treasuries at:
- 1-year: 3.66%
- 5-year: 3.63%
- 10-year: 4.06%
All eyes are on the Fed’s next meeting: cut or hold?
💸 What this means for your wallet:
Rates aren’t dropping yet. If you’re carrying credit card or HELOC debt, brace yourself — the relief you’re waiting for may not come soon.
🏡 Mortgages & Housing
30-year fixed mortgage: 6.35%. Predictions have it stuck between 6.5–7% for the rest of 2025. For buyers, that means smaller homes, bigger payments, or more waiting. For current homeowners, refinancing dreams are still on ice.
💸 What this means for your wallet:
If you’re a buyer, run the numbers twice — a $500K house at 6.35% feels like a $600K house at 4%. If you’re an owner locked into a pre-2022 mortgage, count your blessings.
📈 Stocks (Context Check)
The S&P 500 is at 660.91, up +0.53% today and +17.6% year-over-year. The stock market doesn’t care about your mortgage pain — at least not yet.
🧾 Bottom Line
Inflation is ticking up, the Fed is cautious, mortgages are stuck high, and borrowers are paying the price. Savers and investors still have options — but homeowners and buyers? You’re carrying the load.
💡 Money Move of the Day
If your debt costs more than 7–8%, prioritize paying it down. But if your mortgage is in the 6s and you have spare cash, consider investing or buying Treasuries instead — the math may leave you ahead.
👋 This is the kind of everyday tradeoff Ask Linc — an AI investing app — was built to answer. It pulls in your actual accounts + today’s rates to solve:
👉 “Should I pay debt faster or invest instead?”
Find out at asklinc.com