Economy
America's Frozen Housing Market Just Started Thawing at 5.98% — But Is This Really Spring, or Just Government-Manufactured Warmth?
In March 2026 — with war, tariffs, and mass layoffs all detonating at once — the U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped below 6% for the first time in three and a half years. Millions of households are racing to refinance, and the dreaded lock-in effect is finally loosening its grip. But behind this thaw lies a carefully engineered political calculation that most people have not noticed yet.