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GCA Forums News For Wednesday December 24 2025
Updated Information for SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA)
- SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF is an Exchange Traded Fund (an investment fund traded on stock exchanges) that focuses on institutional investors in the U.S. market. The market opened at $487.01 USD, up $2.71 USD or 0.01 percent from the last closing price.
- The last Open price of the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) market was $484.17, with a trading volume of 1,543,045 shares.
- Today’s trading saw 8 trades, with an intraday high of $487.54 and a low of $483.68 USD.
- The last recorded trade was on December 24, 13:20:00 CST.
GCA Mortgage Forums News Live Market and Mortgage Update. Live Market Snapshot. Date: December 24, 2025 (America/Chicago).
Holiday trading volume is low, but Wall Street is higher, influenced by declining inflation, tariffs, and economic uncertainty for 2026.
As major cash indexes can be more challenging to quote in real time through some feeds, the following are real-time ETF proxies that track them closely:
- Dow Jones (proxy: DIA): 487.01, +0.56% (last trade 1:20pm CT).
- S&P 500 (proxy: SPY): 690.38, +0.34% (last trade 1:20pm CT).
- Nasdaq 100 (proxy: QQQ): 623.93, +0.32% (last trade 1:35pm CT).
Rates: The 10-year Treasury yield was about 4.15% midday Wednesday, and this remains a key factor in mortgage pricing.
LIVE Mortgage Rates: Where the 30-Year Fixed Sits Today
Two key “headline” readings are defining the psychology of borrowers this very moment:
- Freddie Mac weekly average: 30-year fixed 6.18% (down from 6.21%). ([AP News][1]).
- Mortgage News Daily: 30-year fixed 6.21% (15-year 5.70%). ([Mortgage News Daily][2]).
Lock desks: Rates are mostly stable but still too high to boost move-up buyers. Volume is uneven, and pipelines are prone to fragility.
Economic Data Watch: Tariffs Are Showing Up in the Real EconomyInflation: Still Higher Than Where It Stands
Reuters reports businesses are raising prices to cover higher import costs from tariffs.
Transfer taxes are a major hidden cost of tariffs.
The Tax Foundation estimates tariffs will add about $1,200 in taxes per U.S. household in 2025.
JP Morgan says existing tariffs add about 0.2% to inflation.Loss of Economic Consumer Confidence
AP News: The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index dropped to 89.1 in December, marking five straight months of decline since import taxes began in April.
Housing Market Update: Myths vs. Actual Trends
December sales are at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13 million, a modest 0.5 percent increase, but down 1 percent from the same month last year, resulting in negative annual growth.
Existing homes for sale rose to 1.43 million, giving a 4.2-month supply.
There is still no national housing glut.
The median sale price has risen for 29 consecutive months to just over $409,200, up 1.2 percent from a year ago.
No national price collapse: Housing prices remain historically up, though the increase slowed to 2.2 percent year over year, and is flat over Q2.
Case-Shiller reports annual growth of just over 1.3 percent for most of 2025, with annual price declines.
A national housing collapse is unlikely right now. Strict lending rules introduced after 2008 remain in place. Home price growth remains modest, and inventory levels remain tight.
Some states remain risky due to higher housing costs and unstable incomes.
Mortgage delinquencies are increasing again, differing from post-2008 stability.
Application demand continues to be spotty.
MBA’s most recent Weekly Applications Survey report shows volume bouncing around:
- Week 12 Dec – Applications -3.8% w/w. ([MBA]\
- Week 5 Dec – Applications +4.8% w/w (holiday adjusted). ([MBA]\
- Another Abstract of the Weekly Survey Results, dated 19 Dec, still showed the Purchase Index down, and the Refi Index remained volatile (including inequity refis increasing year-over-year when compared to at least one of the weekly results).
Why are so many LOs saying “business is dry” when rates are around ~6.2%?
What you heard from the field aligns with the macro setup:
- Move-up buyers are stuck with older 3-4% mortgages and avoid resetting at 6% or higher.
- There are a lot of Rate Shoppers because payment sensitivities are extreme.
- Easy-approval borrowers have bought or refinanced, leaving mostly credit-challenged leads.
- Longer timelines mean more ghosting and fallout, as deals drag out to final requests or condition checks.
Are Lenders Tightening or Adding Overlays?
You mentioned wholesalers increasing the tightness of their guidelines “because loans are defaulting.” (To what extent each lender’s overlay decisions are internal), it’s further visible in the cross-sectional delinquency data.
- MBA National Delinquency Survey (3 QTR 2025) – Delinquency rates rose across the board – 30-day: 2.12% 60 60-day: 0.76% 90 90-day: 1.11% ([MBA][14])
- Reporting focused on Ginnie Mae – Delinquency levels coming from government loan segments have been high.
- At least one report has mentioned a 9.2% increase in September, accompanied by rising stress levels within the lower FICO buckets.
Overlays occur when lenders tighten standards in response to defaults or payment issues.2026 volume may improve, but not dramatically.
MBA forecast: 2026 single-family originations will rise nearly 8% to $2.2 trillion, with $1.46 trillion in purchases and $737 billion in refinances.
The base is bruised, but it’s better.
Many shops remain in survival mode.
LIVE Precious Metals: Silver has, in fact, surpassed the 70 dollar mark.
Gold is $4,525 an ounce; silver is $72.70, both rising on inflation and safe-haven demand.
Silver’s surge past $70 has drawn fresh attention for 2025.
Inflation and policy shifts make lenders cautious, prompting borrowers to slow their activity. Demand for metals reflects a ‘risk off’ mindset.
Trump Administration: What is Confirmed vs. What is Rumor MillDan Bongino resigning
Reports indicate that Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino will step down in January, with President Trump stating that Bongino wishes to return to his former post.
Kash Patel on the chopping block
Trump is reportedly considering removing FBI Director Kash Patel.
The White House and Reuters confirm Trump supports Patel. (Reuters)
Pam Bondi Rumor Incompetence
There is a stream of Parnell Bondi Rumor.
Most recently, there was a documented Operational/legal backlash over coordination.
The Reuters Pam Bondi rumor led to significant operational/legal backlash, which was coordinated.
Unprecedented mistakes have damaged the reputation and operational credibility of the DOJ: there are missing documents, high dismissal rates, and a loss of talent from the VIP.
The Epstein files have been released in batches, with ongoing strategic delays.
Auto Industry: Sales Are Holding Up, But Incentives Are Coming BackAuto Industry: How It Is Overall
The last report from Cox Automotive for the year stated that new-vehicle sales for 2025 are at 16.3 million, the best figure since 2019, indicating that the automotive industry is not dead. (Cox Automotive Inc.) This figure also applies to the industry’s sales and projects; the industry will not die in the long run, even though sales in the industry are currently low.
Who’s offering 0% financing right now?
Offers differ by region and credit tier, but multiple aggregators show 0% financing on cars available in December 2025, including:
- Nissan (Pathfinder), VW (Taos), Chevrolet (Trailblazer / Equinox EV / Silverado EV), Kia (EV9), Ford (Mustang Mach-E), Toyota (bZ4X), Subaru (Solterra) (as per KBB December)
- CARFAX tracks 0% financing on cars by brand (also stating they are taken directly from manufacturer websites).
- Leaving something for the consumer: 0% financing on cars goes to people with top-tier credit and certain cars, especially EVs, and is more common.
- For the rest, manufacturers are more focused on giving cash back, subsidized rates, and lease cash.
What the Forums Will Watch Next (the “next domino” list)
- Mortgage rate direction: Will the 30-year mortgage rate stay close to ~6.2% or will we retest higher?
- Consumer confidence and spending (tariff fatigue + job worries).
- Home-price trend: When will the Case-Shiller index be released? It’s lagged but important.
- Delinquencies in government channels (credit stress may accelerate overlay tightening).
What You Should Be Telling Borrowers
This is what we call “defensive” strategy because it helps you when you see borrowers who are jumping lenders or are ghosting you in the middle of the transaction. You want to:
- front-load expectations (docs, conditions, cash-to-close ranges)
- pre-underwrite credit/income before they “fall in love” with the rate
- Lock strategy: In this market, stability beats the “perfect timing.”
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The gold to silver ratio is collapsing at a speed that has historically signaled major shifts in the precious metals market. In this in-depth 19-minute analysis, we break down what a rapid move toward the historic 7-to-1 ratio really means, why this level is rare, and how it has preceded some of the most explosive silver moves in history.This video explains the gold-silver relationship, the historical context behind extreme ratio compression, and why investors are paying close attention right now. We explore monetary demand, industrial demand, inflation pressures, and investor psychology to understand why silver may be entering a critical revaluation phase.If you are tracking silver price action, gold market trends, inflation hedging, or long-term wealth protection, this video provides essential insight into what may be unfolding beneath the surface of the metals market.This content is designed for investors, traders, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of precious metals cycles and historical valuation signals.
TIMESTAMPS (19 MINUTES)00:00 – Urgent Market Alert01:12 – What the Gold to Silver Ratio Really Measures03:05 – Why the Ratio Is CollAPSING Now05:10 – Historical Meaning of the 7 to 1 Level07:45 – Silver’s Monetary vs Industrial Role10:20 – Inflation, Currency Devaluation, and Metals12:40 – What Ratio Compression Means for Silver Price15:05 – Investor Positioning and Risk Considerations17:20 – Final Thoughts on the Coming Revaluation
WHY WATCH THIS VIDEO• Understand why the gold to silver ratio is one of the most important indicators in precious metals• Learn the historical significance of the rare 7-to-1 ratio level• Discover what ratio collapses have meant for silver prices in past cycles• Gain clarity on how inflation and monetary instability impact silver• Make more informed decisions as an investor in gold and silver
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The world’s view of the United States has completely tanked. In this video, we break down the heartbreaking reality of why American travelers are now wearing Canadian flags on their backpacks to avoid harassment abroad. The data is undeniable: US reputation is at an all-time low, even lower than the Bush years.
We cover the shocking news that 16,800 fans canceled their FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets overnight due to safety concerns and political protests. Plus, we analyze the terrifying reports that France is sending troops to Greenland and Emmanuel Macron’s recent speech about preparing for “harsh times”—a clear warning signal to the United States.
From giving Argentina $40 billion only to have flags burned in the streets, to China now tying with the US in global popularity, we are witnessing a massive geopolitical shift. Are we becoming the new Russia in the eyes of our allies?
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