Confidence among US home builders rose in September for the first time in six months, just before the Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates from the current two-decades high.

A gauge of housing market conditions from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo climbed 2 points to 41 this month, matching the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg. All regions saw an increase.

Measures of prospective-buyer traffic and present sales rose off their 2024 lows. And an outlook index for the next six months increased 4 points to 53, its biggest gain since January.