Stephen Kates, financial analyst at Bankrate and certified financial planner, on a mid-year look at the economy

Stephen Kates, financial analyst at Bankrate and certified financial planner, joins Lisa Price to review the first half of 2026, with the S&P 500 up nearly 10% for the year despite a recent pullback in technology and semiconductor stocks. Kates explains why inflation may have peaked in May but is still weighing on consumer confidence, how home prices in fast-growing Sunbelt markets like Raleigh are now declining year over year, and why the job market is improving in terms of raw numbers but workers still lack confidence.