Data this past week was mixed and void of game-changing impact. Housing-related data remains mixed, with new home sales lower but the house price moderation trend generally remaining intact. Inflation data remains elevated, thereby keeping a Fed hike “in play” for the rest of 2026. The Mideast situation lingers and continues to potentially underpin commodity prices and inflation. The week ahead serves another steady stream of data before the holiday weekend. The series of labor market reports, including the monthly BLS jobs release, will attract close attention from the markets. However, the more immediate potential highlight could be Fed Chair Warsh’s Jackson Hole Symposium address, slated for ~10 a.m. on the 28th, near the time this publication hits inboxes...

Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion with Frank Farone, Managing Director at Darling Consulting Group, on how community financial institutions can evaluate the true cost of funds, challenge common misconceptions about wholesale funding, and develop a more effective approach to liquidity, profitability, and balance sheet management...

After years of anticipating a return to lower interest rates, many financial institutions have come to recognize that rates may remain elevated for longer than originally expected. While a higher-for-longer environment presents challenges—including deposit competition, funding pressures, slower loan demand, and margin compression—it also creates opportunities for well-positioned institutions to enhance earnings, strengthen liquidity, and support strategic growth...