The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to drive the economic narrative, keeping energy costs painfully high for consumers and complicating the outlook for inflation and interest rates heading into peak leasing season.

For renters, the impact at the pump has been significant. The national gas average has surged past $4.50/gal according to AAA, up more than a dollar over the past two months, and that kind of sustained increase acts as a quiet drain on the discretionary budgets renters depend on to absorb higher monthly housing costs. Until energy prices meaningfully retreat, operators should expect that pressure to weigh on rent growth even as occupancy holds relatively steady. NBC News

• Energy: National gas average at $4.54/gal, up $1.00+ in roughly 60 days; oil prices remain volatile and elevated
• Capital Markets: The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at new record highs this week, with the Dow gaining over 600 points, though markets remain sensitive to any shifts in the geopolitical backdrop and could reverse quickly TRADING ECONOMICS
• Mortgage Rates: The 30-year fixed rate sits at 6.44% per Bankrate, high enough to keep would-be buyers renting longer, which supports occupancy but does not offset the broader affordability squeeze renters are feeling Bankrate

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