Industry News

After a large decline in 2019 to the lowest levels in several years, mortgage rates turned higher this week for a variety of reasons. Stronger than expected economic data, reduced trade tensions, and a mixed message from European Central Bank (ECB) officials all were negative for rates. While the manufacturing sector has taken a hit […]

The final week of August was relatively quiet for mortgage rates. The latest news on the trade negotiations between the U.S. and China captured the most attention, but had little lasting impact. The economic data also had just a minor effect, and rates ended the week a bit lower. Since the end of July, however, […]

This week, investors were focused on a highly anticipated speech from Fed Chair Powell and the trade negotiations between the U.S. and China. These events did little to alter the outlook for investors, however, and the reaction was minor. The economic data released this week also had little impact, and mortgage rates ended nearly unchanged. […]

Increased concerns about the outlook for global economic growth and about numerous geopolitical events deflated global stock markets and benefited mortgage rates this week. However, the latest news on the trade talks between the U.S. and China mostly offset this, and rates ended another volatile week just marginally lower. Investors face a lot of significant […]

Trade negotiations with China completely dominated the other economic news this week.  Mortgage rates dropped to the lowest levels in about three years early in the week, but later reversed direction. After very large swings, rates ended just a little lower. Last Thursday, President Trump announced that the U.S. will impose additional tariffs of 10% […]

Despite key labor market data and a highly anticipated Fed meeting, it was unexpected news about the trade negotiations which had the greatest influence on mortgage rates this week. Increased trade tensions are positive for rates, and they ended at the lowest levels in years. Thursday, President Trump announced that the U.S. will impose additional […]

While there were some significant economic events this week, they held few surprises, and mortgage rates ended with little change. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the broadest measure of economic activity, revealed modestly stronger than expected growth of 2.1% during the second quarter, but was down from a rate of 3.1% in the first quarter. While […]

Rising expectations for looser global monetary policy outweighed stronger than expected major U.S. economic data this week, and mortgage rates ended a little lower. Early in the week, comments from European Central Bank (ECB) officials suggested that there may be a rate cut soon to help stimulate economic activity. Then the U.S. Fed’s Williams made […]

Stronger than expected inflation data was unfavorable for mortgage rates this week. Highly anticipated testimony from Fed Chair Powell caused some volatility, but its net effect was small. As a result, rates ended the week higher. In June, the Core Consumer Price Index (CPI), which excludes the volatile food and energy components, rose 0.3% from […]

Sorry for the delay!  We’re back up and running with weekly updates: As is common, thin trading conditions helped make the week containing the July Fourth holiday very volatile again. A decline in global bond yields was positive for U.S. mortgage rates early in the week, but stronger than expected job gains had the opposite […]