(https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/09/demand-for-riskier-mortgages-rises-again-along-with-interest-rates.html) as rates climb, and the Consumer Analyst flagged this as margin compression for discretionary retailers. Wrong angle. ARM adoption among creditworthy borrowers actually signals *rate optimization*, not desperation — these are the same households that trade seasonally into private label at Walmart and skip Amazon Prime.

Research these companies