Tariffs go higher, rates go lower

Last Week in Review: US/China uncertainty

The biggest story in the financial markets and around the globe is the ongoing US/China trade negotiations.
At the moment, there is no resolution and it appears there will be no resolution for at least several weeks as the US and China are not expected to talk again until the G-20 Summit June 28-29.
The uncertainty surrounding the talks helped home loan rates improve this week, and are at lows seen in January 2018. 
The US, China and the entire globe would benefit from a deal and should it happen, Stocks will likely recover all of their recent losses and then some. At the same time, should the story drag on and escalate as higher tariffs are instituted -- it would have a negative effect on global economies and Stocks may suffer as home loan rates improve further.
Looking at the US economy, it continues to do very well. Walmart posted incredibly strong corporate earnings this past week. Seeing they have $500B in annual sales -- if Walmart is doing well, the US economy is doing well.
In housing news, April Housing Starts and Building Permits came in higher than expectations, providing further evidence of confidence in the sector.
Bottom line: The backdrop to housing could not be much better. The economy is strong and home loan rates are historically low. Today presents an incredible window to consider buying or refinancing a home.