U.S. stocks closed higher: all three major indexes posted slight gains, and leading chip stocks reached record highs

According to Freddie Mac data, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has risen to 7.4%, the highest level in nearly three years. Data from real estate brokerage Redfin shows that the volume of existing home pending sales in September fell 4% month-on-month, marking the largest single-month drop in over three years and hitting the lowest level since 2014. Nearly one-fifth of sellers have reduced prices, and the home purchase contract cancellation rate has reached a record high of 14.5%. Inventory levels have risen to the highest since March 2020, but high financing costs continue to constrain transactions.