The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate drew closer this week to 6.5%, Freddie Mac reported, pushing up borrowing costs for prospective homebuyers.

A recent cyberattack on a global real estate firm is raising fresh concerns about how companies protect customer, tenant and transaction data. Propmodo reported the May incident involved vishing, or voice phishing, underscoring the need for employee training, access controls and verification procedures.

Federal Reserve minutes show officials remain split on where rates should go next, with some worried inflation will stay high because of the Iran war, AI-related costs and consumer expectations. The Fed kept rates unchanged in June, but policymakers were divided on whether to raise, hold or lower rates by year-end.