Sharkey, Howes & Javer

This week on “Inside the Economy”, we discuss the consumer, markets, expectations, and the cost of money. Total retail sales exceeded $700 Billion in October. Are these high sales due to the upcoming holiday season? Have credit card debt delinquencies increased as a result of higher consumer spending? House prices have yet to retreat, despite higher mortgage rates. How much inventory is available for new home purchases? As for the markets, they continue to reach new record highs. According to the Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio, is the market currently overvalued or undervalued? Has the gap between U.S. and international securities widened? Tune in to learn more! Key Takeaways: • U.S. Head CPI is 2.6 (YOY) • Total Retail Sales in October at $718.9B • Median Single-Family Sale Price in October at $412.2k