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Market Perspective


Good News for Global Bonds; Trade Tensions Increase
Overview: Bond-friendly news from the European Central Bank meeting and increased concerns about a trade war were favorable for mortgage...
Jun 20, 20182 min read


Inflation Rising; Fed Hikes Rates
Overview: With little major news, mortgage markets were relatively quiet ahead of Wednesday’s Federal Reserve meeting. The Fed’s comments...
Jun 13, 20182 min read


Strong Data Indicates Strong Economy
Overview: Stronger than expected data in several important areas was good news for the economy but was negative for mortgage rates over...
Jun 6, 20182 min read


Geopolitical Events Prove Favorable to Mortgage Rates
Overview: Increased concerns about the future political direction of the new Italian government were once again a positive influence on...
May 30, 20182 min read


European Politics Impact U.S. Rates; New-Home Sales Indicate Healthy Market
Overview: Over the past week, political news from Europe was the main influence on mortgage rates. The U.S. economic data came in close...
May 23, 20182 min read


Investors Concerned by ECB, Economic Data on Target
Overview: Over the past week, mortgage rates reached their highest levels in seven years, mainly due to comments by a European Central...
May 16, 20182 min read


Job Gains On Target, Unemployment Drops
Overview: Mortgage rates were little changed over the past week. Friday’s Employment Report, the one piece of economic news that had a...
May 9, 20182 min read


Fed Holds Rates Steady
Overview: After reaching the highest levels in four years last week, mortgage rates managed to reverse direction unrelated to any...
May 2, 20182 min read


Stocks Drop, Rates Rise, Home Sales Strengthen
Overview: The stock market dropped sharply over the past week. Normally, this would result in investors shifting assets to bonds, and the...
Apr 25, 20182 min read


Single-Family Housing Starts Drop, Retail Sales Pick Up
Overview: Over the past week, strength in the stock market was mildly negative for mortgage rates. But the reaction to the economic data...
Apr 18, 20181 min read


Job Gains Stumble, Inflation Rises
Overview: Despite the release of some important economic data, it was another quiet week for mortgage markets. There was little reaction...
Apr 11, 20182 min read


Manufacturing and Inflation Data Signal Economic Improvement
Overview: While the stock market was extremely volatile over the past week, mortgage markets were quiet. The reaction to the economic...
Apr 4, 20182 min read


Stocks Fall, Mortgage Rates Dip, GDP Forecasts Revised Downward
Overview: As the stock market continued to decline over the past week, investors shifted assets to bonds, including mortgage-backed...
Mar 28, 20182 min read


Fed Hikes Rates, Officials Predict Rates Will Continue to Rise
Overview: Over the past week, investors were mostly focused on today’s Federal Reserve meeting. In anticipation of its outcome, mortgage...
Mar 21, 20182 min read


Fed Hikes Rates, Officials Predict Rates Will Continue to Rise
Overview: Over the past week, investors were mostly focused on today’s Federal Reserve meeting. In anticipation of its outcome, mortgage...
Mar 21, 20182 min read


Jobs Up, Wages Down, Inflation on Target
Overview: Over the past week, good news on inflation more than offset strong job gains in the view of bond investors. As a result,...
Mar 14, 20182 min read


Trump Announces Tariffs
Overview: The primary influence on mortgage rates over the past week was a policy change from the Trump administration concerning...
Mar 7, 20182 min read


Hawkish New Fed Chair Predicts Rising Inflation
Overview: Surprisingly hawkish comments from new Fed Chair Jerome Powell caused mortgage rates to rise on Tuesday. However, mortgage...
Feb 28, 20182 min read


Quiet Week
Overview: The past week was relatively quiet for mortgage rates, with few market-moving events. It was a light week for economic data,...
Feb 21, 20182 min read


Inflation Exceeds Expectations
Overview: Good news for mortgage rates was scarce over the past week. Stronger than expected inflation data, hawkish comments from...
Feb 14, 20182 min read
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