Daily Roundup of Key US Economic Data for Oct. 19

02:37 PM EDT, 10/19/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index fell to a 14-year low of 29 in October from 32 in September and was down sharply from a reading of 37 a year ago. NAHB attributed the decline to "rising mortgage rates, energy and material costs, and worsening labor and lot conditions." On Friday, the US Treasury reported a $26.9 billion budget deficit in September compared with a $197.94 billion budget surplus in September 2025. For the full fiscal year, the Treasury reported a $1.992 trillion budget deficit, larger than a $1.775 trillion gap in the 2025 fiscal year.