Falling Rates, Inflation Trends, and HousingWire Summit Insights | February 17, 2026

Welcome to this week’s episode of Optimal Insights. Jim Glennon, Alex Hebner, and James Cahill kick things off with a market update, covering recent mortgage rate movement, inflation data, and labor trends, before recapping key insights from the HousingWire Housing Economic Summit in Dallas. From housing supply and affordability to demographic shifts and lender margins, the team breaks down what they heard at the Summit and why it matters for today’s mortgage market.Key Points:Mortgage rates drop below 6% for the first time since 2022Inflation trends and what they signal for Fed rate cutsHousing supply, affordability, and demographic shiftsHow hedge costs and servicing values impact borrower pricingChapters:00:00 – Welcome & Market Overview02:30 – Rates, Inflation, and Economic Data Breakdown15:40 – HousingWire Summit Takeaways24:30 – Hidden Forces Behind Mortgage Margins40:50 – Policy, Supply, and What’s Next for HousingOptimal Insights Team: Jim Glennon, Senior Vice President of Hedging and Trading Operations Alex Hebner, Hedge Account Manager James Cahill, MSF/MSR Account ManagerSpecial Guest:Mike Vough, Senior Vice President of Corporate StrategyProduction Team:Executive Producer: Sara HoltzProducer: Matt GilhoolyCommentary included in the podcast shall not be construed as, nor is Optimal Blue providing, any legal, trading, hedging, or financial advice.Mentioned in this episode:Is Your PPE Helping – or Holding You Back?Small delays can become everyday obstacles. If your team relies on workarounds, extra verification steps, or manual processes to keep loans moving, it may be time to rethink your pricing engine. Discover what a modern PPE should deliver – from real-time accuracy and intelligent automation to seamless workflow execution. Learn more today. Explore the Optimal Blue PPE - https://www2.optimalblue.com/optimalblueppe