The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), which tracks US homebuilder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes, inched up to 25 in August of 2026 from 34 in the previous month. The result contrasted with expectations that it would ease to 33. Current sales conditions rose by two points from the previous month to 39, while sales expectations over the next six months were unchanged at 43. Despite this, 35% of builders were forced to cut prices in August, down two percentage points from July. Among those, the average price reduction was 6%.