Kai Risdahl

Not great, as we said.

The headline number I mentioned, 4 tenths percent increase month on month, 2.8 percent year over year.

You strip out those always volatile food and energy prices.

The annual increase isn't even 3 percent for the core, which comes as disposable income ticked down.

And yet...

consumers were still somehow spending money in this economy.

Daniel Ackerman has our consumer check-in.

I know it seems like longer ago than this, but it was a mere six or so weeks ago that the average rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage dipped below 6% for the first time in years.

5.98%, if you're curious.

And then, well, you know what then.

The mortgage market reacted accordingly, one manifestation of which is that the number of mortgage applications have gotten whacked, as have, say the good people at Redfin, pending home sales overall.

So we asked Marketplace's Carla Javier to call some real estate agents around the country to see how all of this is playing out.

It's an energy story, actually.

But first, sure, why not?

Let's do the numbers.

Dow Industrials up 275 today, 6 tenths percent, 48,185.

The Nasdaq added 187 points, 8 tenths percent, 22,822.

The S&P 500 lifted 41 points, 6 tenths percent, 68,24.

What are traders thinking, you ask?

I don't know.