Weekly Talking Points for Financial Advisors (3/24/25)

Read the highlights of this week's commentary from Helios:

• At its March 2025 meeting, the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 4.25% to 4.50%, reflecting a cautious stance amid growing uncertainty. It now expects inflation to end the year at 2.7%, slightly above earlier forecasts, partly due to new trade tariffs. GDP growth was revised down to 1.7% from 2.8%, and the unemployment rate is expected to rise to 4.4% by year-end.
• US retail sales rose a modest 0.2% in February 2025, below the expected 0.6% gain, following a revised 1.2% drop in January. The weak rebound points to cautious consumer spending and a potential slowdown in first-quarter economic growth.
• US existing home sales rose 4.2% in February, reaching an annual pace of 4.26 million units. While this marks the strongest monthly gain in a year, sales were still down 1.2% compared to a year earlier. The market is showing signs of improvement as more homes come on the market, but affordability remains a key challenge.

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