Average fixed mortgage rates ticked up in the week ending July 23, to 6.58% for the 30-year and 5.96% for the 15-year https://bit.ly/4x4jvKV #EconSky

In the week ending July 18, seasonally adjusted initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits—those filed for the first time after a job loss—fell by 22,000, to 187,000. The four-week moving average ticked down by 7,250, to 207,500 https://bit.ly/4wQat3Y #EconSky

U.S. commercial paper outstanding—reflecting short-term promissory notes issued mostly by corporations—ticked up in the week ending July 22, by $2.8 billion to $1.39 trillion https://bit.ly/4hunX0F #EconSky

Daily spot prices for crude oil as of July 17: Brent was at $82.93 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate crude oil was at $80.77 a barrel. For more, see FRED: https://bit.ly/4wtasmw #EconSky

Because of their simplicity, economic models can be a powerful tool for testing economic hypotheses and theories. But building a model that looks at the entire economy is far from simple: https://bit.ly/4mzGskM

The FRED Blog tackles the nuances of U.S. public debt: intragovernmental transactions, fiscal vs. calendar year, stock vs. flow variables … https://bit.ly/4un3T3g

Average fuel prices per gallon ticked higher in the week ending July 20: Diesel rose to $5.13 from $4.80 a week earlier, and gasoline rose to $4.00 from $3.86 https://bit.ly/45kefGQ #EconSky

Enjoy an "edu-staycation" this summer at our Economy Museum! The St. Louis Fed's Liz Senzee recently spoke with @stlmag.bsky.social about free activities the museum is offering to engage kids: https://bit.ly/4aZPwer ⌚ Visit the museum 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.

U.S. industrial production increased 0.1% in June after a similar increase the prior month. Mining output rose by 0.1%, utilities activity ticked up by 0.4% and manufacturing was little changed https://bit.ly/3QWRLIM #EconSky

U.S. import prices increased 7.1% year over year in June. Excluding fuel prices, import prices increased by 4.2% year over year https://bit.ly/4fhj9ZR #EconSky

Permits to build privately owned U.S. housing were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.367 million units in June, a pace 3.0% below the May rate of 1.410 million and 2.3% below the June 2025 rate of 1.399 million https://bit.ly/4fqLJbn #EconSky

Lenders use a benchmark of 43% debt-to-income ratio or lower when assessing whether to approve a mortgage application. Research from St. Louis Fed economists Carlos Garriga and Manu Garcia finds the effective debt-to-income ceiling is actually about 50%: https://bit.ly/4dMpImn

The producer price index for final demand—representing the wholesale cost of U.S. goods and services—declined 0.3% in June, following a downwardly revised 0.6% increase in May https://bit.ly/4pmk1B7

What is the latest picture of economic activity and employment in the communities served by the St. Louis Fed? https://bit.ly/4pk0NMp

New research by St. Louis Fed economist Fernando Martin shows removing energy goods from PCE inflation data offers a clearer picture of underlying inflation, without cutting out other important spending categories https://bit.ly/4vugiDb

Thank you to @jasonfurman.bsky.social — respected economist and Harvard professor — for delivering this year’s Homer Jones Memorial Lecture. Furman explored why consumer sentiment remains low despite strong economic fundamentals.

Of the 50 U.S. state economies, 47 grew at least a little in the first quarter of 2026. South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa slipped a bit. Check the FRED Blog for @BEA_News data to see how your state fared https://bit.ly/4vxCyM9

Debt-to-income ratios, loan type, collateral, and lender behavior create compounding effects that make mortgages harder to get for first-time buyers https://bit.ly/4proEdh

Lenders use a benchmark of 43% debt-to-income ratio or lower when assessing whether to approve a mortgage application. Research from St. Louis Fed economists Carlos Garriga and Manu Garcia finds the effective debt-to-income ceiling is actually about 50%: https://bit.ly/4dMpImn

Income, housing, family composition and age all shape inflation experiences, with renters and low-income households bearing bigger burdens https://bit.ly/4vWebZl #EconSky

The U.S. trade deficit widened in May to $77.6 billion, up $23.0 billion from a gap of $54.6 billion in April, per the U.S. Census Bureau and BEA News. https://bit.ly/4p9DzbX #EconSky #economy

The #JobsReport, out today, shows June’s unemployment rate fell to 4.2%. Our Flash Report looks at how the combination of moves into and out of unemployment and the labor force contributed to the U.S. jobless rate’s overall decline https://bit.ly/4giuJX1

In the week ending June 22, average U.S. diesel and gas prices per gallon declined to their lowest levels since March. Diesel declined to $4.83 per gallon and gas to $3.91 https://bit.ly/4oGJpB8 #EconSky

Keep up with scholarly research from the Fed’s 12 Reserve banks. Subscribe now to the monthly working papers digest: ➡️ https://bit.ly/3BSRJJT The latest edition features working papers on topics such as banking regulation, rental prices and labor force participation. #EconSky

Average U.S. diesel prices per gallon ticked down to $5.21 in the week ending June 8. Gas prices per gallon also fell, to $4.15 https://bit.ly/4xdt4YB #EconSky

St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem heard insights from leaders in Kentucky and Indiana. He visited River Ridge Commerce Center, met Kentucky and Indiana business leaders, and toured Goodwill's West Louisville Opportunity Center. Jobs, training and economic growth were key discussion topics.

What does the May #JobsReport reveal about the state of the U.S. labor market? Read our Flash Report, which analyzes unemployment flows https://bit.ly/3Sndwl2

The St. Louis Fed’s second-quarter survey of regional business contacts shows a slight increase in overall activity but a deterioration in their economic outlook. See the full results: https://bit.ly/4dzRKBG #EconSky

Christopher Neely and Anna Cole of the St. Louis Fed study the dynamics of disinflation by analyzing 100+ episodes of policymaking since 1960. Some of these efforts are associated with reduced inflation, while others correlate to inflation rebounding, https://bit.ly/4sEpDro

St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem visited St. Charles Community College’s Regional Workforce Innovation Center in Wentzville, Mo. He learned how training is offered to students in areas such as robotics. Visits like these maintain real-time understanding of economic conditions in our District.