The market has opened this morning right where it left off last week. It continues to deteriorate. But, first let’s recap what happened last week. Looking at the graph to your right, the last 5 out of 6 trading days got worse for mortgage rates – note the “red escalator” on the far right of the chart. In addition, last week wasn’t kind to stock market investors as well.
Here is a review of the major events of the week: Continue reading
When the U.S. economy hit rock bottom a few years ago we called it the Great Recession, and saw the mortgage banking industry come to a screeching halt. A thankful by-product, after the dust settled – we were treated to some of the lowest interest rates in our lifetime. Those historically low rates may have run their course as the past week brought encouraging economic news from several sources, and with that, rates are rising.
For my clients of late, I have been in a “locking” mood, and based on the technical’s – I am not changing my mind anytime soon. As you can see from the graph on your right, Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) have traded below a ceiling of resistance going on 10 days now. The economic news this week shouldn’t have enough push, to get above that ceiling. Continue reading
Mortgage Rates Trending
It’s been 3 weeks since Sacramento mortgage rates hit their highest point of 2013. Since that Friday, July 5th, we have seen a welcome rebound. I stress, the words, for now. Last Monday, retail sales came in weaker than expected – as you know, weak economic news translates to lower mortgage rates, for the most part.
Weekly jobless claims fell, and Fed Chair Ben Bernanke testified before the Senate, saying that falling gold prices were an indication of increasing confidence in the economy, but that it was “way too soon” to say when the Fed’s quantitative easing program would be reduced. Continue reading
Have you ever been on a roller coaster? Not the little one that comes to your state fair every year, but the big one that you spend days preparing yourself for that inevitable ride of your life. Well, comments by Fed chairman Ben Bernanke after last week’s FOMC meeting caused quite the upheaval in financial markets, and put investors on the proverbial roller coaster, as they anticipated the potential effects of any rollback of the Fed’s policy of quantitative easing (QE). Chairman Bernanke said that the Fed may begin reducing its $85 billion monthly purchase of Treasury securities and MBS toward the end of this year. Continue reading
Last week, the S&P/Case-Shiller Index showed home prices gaining 8.1 percent during the 12-month period ending January 2013, marking the largest year-over-year increases since the summer of 2006. Looking closer to home, here in Sacramento, that number is much greater.
The Case-Shiller Index measures changes in home prices by tracking same-home sales throughout 20 housing markets nationwide; and the change in sales price from sale-to-sale.
All 20 Case Shiller Index Markets Show Growth Continue reading