The Lede

Washington Post, July 19, 2018--Kathy OrtonMortgage applications were down last week, according to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The market composite index--a measure of total loan application volume--decreased 2½ percent from a week earlier. The refinance index rose 2 percent, while the purchase index fell 5 percent.

Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2018--Nishant Mohan (subscription)An economic index that measures U.S. business trends rose in June following stagnation in May. The Conference Board Leading Economic Index rose 0.5% in June to 109.8.

MarketWatch, July 19, 2018--Jacob PassyDetroit had the most home price inequality of any city in the country, according to a recent study. But inequality could be good for housing markets.

Bloomberg, July 19, 2018--Sarah MulhollandNew York's commercial real estate market is crawling out of a slump. In the first half of 2018, $22.5 billion of properties such as office towers and apartment complexes changed hands, up 34 percent from a year earlier.

American Banker, July 19, 2018--Kate Berry (subscription)As much attention as Kathy Kraninger has drawn over her selection as the administration's choice to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, she has mostly been a blank slate on financial regulatory issues. That remained the case following her three-hour nomination hearing Thursday.

Mortgage Daily, July 19, 2018Fannie Mae is making it easier for borrower to cancel mortgage insurance through valuation alternatives and looser loan-to-value ratios.

WLWT5, July 19, 2018--Justin KirklandHere's a story, of a lovely lady, who decided to list her 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom mid-century ranch style home for $1.88 million.

Mortgage Daily, July 19, 2018The NMLS Mortgage Industry Report 2018 Q1 released by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors showed the quarterly trend of originators fleeing financial institutions for non-bank home lenders continued.

Bloomberg, July 19, 2018--Patrick ClarkRichard Branson, the billionaire founder of Virgin Group, and former National Football League quarterback Joe Montana are betting that artificial intelligence can make getting a mortgage a better experience.

Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2018--Nick Timiraos (subscription)President Donald Trump delivered a rare presidential critique of the Federal Reserve, saying he hoped the central bank would stop raising interest rates.