We have some interesting housing market updates to share for September. Existing home sales increased by 1.5% m/m, which is a positive shift compared to the -0.8% est. that experts anticipated. This comes after the prior period recorded a -3.2% drop, a figure that was recently revised down from the initially reported -2.0%. Furthermore, the median home price continues to rise, moving up +1.3% y/y to settle at $417,500.
According to the most recent World Economic Outlook released by @IMFnews in October, global economic growth is now anticipated to reach 3.1% in 2026. This represents a slight upward revision from the 3.0% forecast made this past July. Following this period, the worldwide economy is expected to bounce back, achieving a 3.4% growth rate in 2027, which perfectly aligns with the previous July estimate.
The October document also offers some important perspective on the current economic landscape. It cautions that our capacity to adapt to challenges has its boundaries, and overall risks tend to lean in a negative direction. Global expansion could face significant headwinds if we see a worsening of international conflicts, a reevaluation of expectations surrounding artificial intelligence, also known as AI, renewed trade disputes, or underlying fiscal weaknesses.
On a more positive note, the worldwide economic picture could brighten considerably if geopolitical and trade frictions experience a lasting decline. Furthermore, accelerated investments in AI, coupled with the resulting enhancements in productivity, hold the potential to push global growth even higher.
Recent updates from @adpresearch reveal a slight shift in the job market, marking the first time in eight weeks that hiring has cooled down. Over the four-weeks concluding on Sep. 26, private payrolls grew by an average of 24,750 jobs, which reflects this marginal slowdown in employment.
Taking a look at the fund flows for the week ending 10/9/26, large-cap ETFs captured the highest amount of incoming capital among equities. Within the fixed income category, aggregate bond funds secured the most significant new investments. In contrast, thematic strategies dealt with the heaviest total withdrawals across the board.
During September, the quality of available labor was identified as the single greatest challenge for @NFIB, marking the third consecutive month it has claimed the top spot. The issue grew by 3 percentage points to reach 26%, with inflation and weak sales following closely behind as the next most significant concerns.
Based on the most recent @UMich Consumer Sentiment Survey, the purchasing environment for automobiles, residential properties, and major long-lasting household goods has experienced a considerable decline. The primary factors driving this downward trend are elevated price tags combined with increased expenses associated with borrowing money.
سجّل مؤشر S&P 500 إجمالي 124 إغلاقًا عند مستويات قياسية جديدة على الإطلاق منذ انطلاق السوق الصاعدة الحالية رسميًا في 12 أكتوبر 2022. ولإضفاء بعض السياق التاريخي، سُجّلت الذروة القياسية الوحيدة السابقة في عام 2022 في 3 يناير، قبل وقت طويل من بدء هذا الاتجاه الصاعد الأخير.
The September reading for the @NFIB Small Business Optimism index experienced a slight downturn, landing at 97.9. This result marks a decrease from the previous level of 98.7 and falls short of the projected estimate of 98.2. Furthermore, this latest figure sits just underneath its 52-week average of 98.0. A closer look at the individual elements making up the index reveals that six components saw a drop. Meanwhile, three metrics managed to increase, and a single component stayed completely unchanged.
Companies within the Russell 2000 index that generate a profit are currently maintaining their lead over those operating at a loss. This represents a distinct shift from last year, a period when unprofitable equities managed to outpace profitable ones by a 2-to-1 margin.
Based on information supplied by Bloomberg on 10/9/2026, a business is defined as profitable whenever its trailing 12-month earnings per share is greater than $0. Please keep in mind that indexes are unmanaged benchmarks. Because of this, they do not incur management fees, costs, and expenses, and they cannot be invested in directly. Finally, past performance is no guarantee of future results.