Fannie Mae launched the Home Purchase Sentiment Index this week to give monthly updates on the direction of the housing market from a consumers point of view. Results showed that attitudes toward the current home-selling climate have dipped back to their April 2015 level thanks to recent rising mortgage rates and economic concerns, according to Doug Duncan, Fannie’s chief economist.The index will be released on or around the seventh day of each month. The HPSI takes results from Fannie’s consumer-focused National Housing Survey to measure current attitudes toward the housing market. This index is different from other consumer economic sentiment indices because it’s devoted exclusively to housing. Fannie said it will help industry players make better informed business decisions. The GSE constructed...