Breaking Flooring News

Fed Holds Rates Steady, Citing Higher Energy Prices

Washington, DC, March 19, 2026—"The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady Wednesday and tentatively preserved a path to cutting rates this year as higher energy prices from the Iran war threaten to prolong their yearslong inflation fight,” reports the Wall Street Journal.

Single-Family Home Sales Declined 17.6% in January

Washington, DC, March 19, 2026—Sales of new single-family houses in January 2026 were at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 587,000, according to estimates released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 17.6% below the December 2025 rate of 712,000 and is 11.3% below the January 2025 rate of 662,000.

Construction Input Prices Rose 1.3% in February

Washington, DC, March 19, 2026—Construction input prices increased 1.3% in February compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 1.3% for the month.

Homeowners Significantly Underestimate Cost of Home Upkeep

Stamford, CT, March 19, 2026--Synchrony released findings from its new national study, Lifetime of Home Care. The study reveals a significant gap between what homeowners expect to spend on home maintenance and repairs and what they are likely to pay over a lifetime, leaving most homeowners unprepared for the financial reality.

Coverings Names 2026 Coverings Champions

Las Vegas, NV, March 19, 2026––Coverings has announced the honorees of the show’s 2026 Coverings Champions, ahead of the show’s return to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 30 to April 2, 2026.

Architecture Billings Rose 5.6 Points to 49.4 in February

Washington, DC, March 18, 2026--Architecture firm billings showed signs of stabilization in February after months of decline, with an AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 49.4—up from 43.8 in January, indicating a slight majority of firms reported declining billings.