Weekly Rate Lock Advisory – 01/26/2009

Weekly Rate Lock Advisory

This week is extremely busy in terms of economic data scheduled for release and will likely be another active week for mortgage rates. The number of releases is actually irrelevant due to the importance of the some of the reports. There are eight economic releases scheduled for the week in addition to the first Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting of the year. All but two of the releases scheduled are considered to be of moderate or high importance, meaning we should see quite a bit of movement in mortgage rates again this week.

The first report of the week is tomorrow’s release of December’s Existing Home Sales. It gives us a measurement of housing sector strength by tracking sales of newly constructed homes. It is one of the week’s least important reports, therefore, it will likely not have a significant impact on bond trading or mortgage rates. Current forecasts are calling for a small decline in sales.

December’s Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) will also be posted late tomorrow morning. This index attempts to measure economic activity over the next three to six months. It is considered to be of moderate importance to the bond and mortgage markets. Analysts are currently expecting to see a 0.3% decline, meaning that economic growth over the next few months will likely slow. A larger than expected drop would be good news for the bond market and mortgage rates, but an unexpected rise could lead to bond selling and an increase to mortgage rates tomorrow morning.

January’s Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) will be released Tuesday morning. This report is considered to be of high-importance to the bond market and therefore can move mortgage rates. It is an indicator of consumer sentiment, which is important because a decline would be construed as a sign that consumers may be less willing to make large purchases in the near future. Since consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. economy, market participants are very attentive to related data. A reading smaller than the expected 38.0 would be ideal for the bond market and mortgage rates.

There is no factual economic data scheduled for release Wednesday, but we will get the results of this year’s first FOMC meeting. It will begin Tuesday and adjourn at 2:15 PM ET Wednesday. It is expected to yield no change to short-term interest rate, but as is often the case, traders will be looking for any indication of the Fed’s next move. However, I am not expecting this meeting to have a major impact on the markets or mortgage rates because the Fed can’t lower key rates much more. There is little chance of indicating a possible rate hike in the near future, so I don’t believe that this meeting will have the influence they usually do.

Thursday morning brings us the release of December’s Durable Goods Orders. This data helps us measure manufacturing strength by tracking new orders at U.S. factories for products that are expected to last three or more years. The data often is quite volatile from month to month, but is currently expected to show a decline in orders of 1.8%. A larger than expected drop would be good news for bonds and mortgage rates.

December’s New Home Sales report, the sister release to Monday’s Existing Home Sales, will be posted late Thursday morning. It is expected to show another decline in sales of new homes, but is not important enough to heavily influence mortgage pricing.

Next up is Friday, which has three reports scheduled for release. The first of them is one of the most important reports that we see regularly. The initial reading of the 4th Quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be posted early Friday morning. This data is so important because it is considered to be the best measure of economic growth. The GDP itself is the total sum of all goods and services produced in the United States. Its’ results usually have a major impact on the financial markets and can cause significant changes in mortgage rates. There are three readings to each quarter’s activity, each released approximately one month apart. The first, which usually carries the most volatility, is expected to be a decrease of 5.2%. A weaker reading would be great news for the bond market, but the 5.2% decline would be the biggest quarterly drop in 26 years.

The 4th Quarter Employment Cost Index (ECI) is also scheduled for release early Friday morning. It measures employer costs for employee wages and benefits, giving us an indication of the threat of wage inflation. It usually has more of an effect on the bond market than the stock markets. Current forecasts are showing an increase of 0.7%. A lower than expected reading would be favorable to bonds and mortgage rates, but the GDP reading will be the biggest influence on trading and rates Friday morning.

The last report of the week is the revised reading to the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment. This index measures consumer confidence, which is thought to indicate consumer willingness to spend. I don’t see this data having much of an impact on the markets or mortgage rates due to the importance of the employment index and GDP figures.

Overall, look for Tuesday or Friday to be the biggest days for mortgage rates. Friday’s GDP is the single most important piece of data this week, but we may see quite a bit of movement in rates Tuesday also. If we see weaker than expected results from the most important reports, we should see rates close the week much lower than last Friday’s closing levels. If the data shows stronger than expected results, we may see mortgage rates move higher again this week. This is of course, assuming that the Fed meeting doesn’t reveal any surprises. I strongly recommend that fairly constant contact is maintained with your mortgage professional this week if still floating an interest rate.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would…. Float if my closing was taking place within 7 days… Float if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days… Float if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days… Float if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now… This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers.

Weekly Rate Lock Advisory – 01/19/2009

Weekly Rate Lock Advisory

 

This holiday-shortened week brings us the release of only one monthly economic report for the markets to digest and it is not considered to be of high importance. This will likely leave the stock markets to be a major influence on bond trading and mortgage rates a good part of the week. Whether this is good or bad news for bonds depends if stocks rally or fall. If stocks move higher, bonds will likely suffer, leading to higher mortgage rates. However, if stocks show weakness, funds may shift into bonds, driving mortgage rates lower.

The financial markets are closed tomorrow in observance of the Martin Luther King Holiday. They will reopen Tuesday morning for regular trading hours. I don’t believe many mortgage lenders will be open today, but any that are will likely use Friday’s rates or not allow a rate to be locked today.

Tuesday is Inauguration Day and while I don’t believe the ceremony or President Obama’s speech will directly affect the markets or mortgage rates, it does bring in the new administration, new policies and new theories. Those changes could come into play in the coming weeks and likely influence mortgage rates. Issues such economic stimulus and recovery along with tax and deficit news could create significant volatility in the markets and therefore mortgage pricing.

The week’s only relevant monthly economic data is December’s Housing Starts report early Thursday morning, but I don’t see it causing much movement in mortgage rates. This report gives us an indication of housing sector strength and future mortgage credit demand, but it is not considered to be a heavy influence on bond trading.

Also Thursdays is the Labor Department’s weekly update on unemployment filings. They are expected to show that 548,000 new claims were filed last week. A smaller number is considered negative for bonds while a larger than expected rise is positive. But, this data is also not considered t o be of high importance. Since it is one of the only two reports released at all, it may influence trading some but not enough to greatly affect mortgage rates.

Overall, I am expecting a relatively quiet week in the mortgage market. As long as the stock markets remain fairly calm, mortgage rates will probably close the week close to Tuesday’s opening levels.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would…. Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days… Lock if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days… Float if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days… Float if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now… This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers.

Weekly Rate Lock Advisory – 01/12/2009

Weekly Rate Lock Advisory

This week brings us the release of five pieces of economic data to digest. There is no relevant data scheduled for release tomorrow or Tuesday, but there is very important data scheduled for release each of the three remaining days.

December’s Retail Sales data is the first important data and it comes early Wednesday morning. This Commerce Department report measures consumer spending by tracking sales at retail establishments in the U.S. Since consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. economy, any related data is watched closely. Current forecasts are calling for a decline in sales of approximately 1.1%. A larger drop would be good news for bonds and mortgage rates.

The second report of the week will be released by the Labor Department early Thursday morning. They will post the Producer Price Index (PPI) then, which helps us measure inflationary pressures at the producer level of the economy. Rapidly rising prices raises inflation concerns and leads to mortgage rate increases. If it reveals weaker than expected readings, especially in the core data that excludes more volatile food and energy prices, the bond market should fair well. Current expectations are calling for a 1.9% drop in the overall reading and a 0.1% increase in the core data.

There are three relevant reports on the agenda for Friday. The first is December’s Consumer Price Index (CPI). This is also one of the most important monthly reports that we see since it measures inflationary pressures at the consumer level of the economy. It is very similar to Thursday’s Producer Price Index (PPI), but is considered to be of higher importance since it tracks consumer prices. The overall index is expected to fall 1.0% while the core data is expected to increase 0.1%. Weaker than expected readings should lead to bond improvements and lower mortgage rates Friday.

December’s Industrial Production report is the second report to be posted Friday. It will be released at 9:15 AM ET and measures output at U.S. factories, mines and utilities. This gives us a good indication of manufacturing sector strength or weakness. Current forecasts are calling for a decline of 0.8% from November’s production. A larger than expected drop would be good news and should lead to lower mortgage rates Friday as long as the CPI doesn’t reveal any surprises.

The final report of the week is January’s preliminary reading to the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment. This index measures consumer willingness to spend and can usually have enough of an impact on the financial markets to change mortgage rates. Good news would be if it shows a reading weaker than the 60.0 that is expected. However, it is the week’s least important of the five releases and probably will have little impact on Friday’s mortgage rates due to the importance of the CPI and production reports.

Overall, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday may end up being the most important day of the week. The single most important report is the CPI, but the PPI and Retail Sales reports are also considered to be of high importance and can heavily influence the markets. Therefore, I strongly recommend maintaining contact with your mortgage professional, especially the latter part of the week.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would…. Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days… Lock if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days… Float if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days… Float if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now… This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers.

What an Obama Administration Means to Your Mortgage

The debates are done, the election is over, and on January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as President of the United States. No matter where you fall in the political spectrum, no one knows for sure exactly what this will mean to the future of our country. With this in mind, let’s put all politics aside, and take a closer look at Obama’s plan for our future. And since a home is still the biggest, most important investment you’ll ever make, we’ll focus the limited space of this short article on Obama’s basic housing measures.

More Economic Stimulus – Since trouble in the economy won’t wait until January 20th, plans for another economic stimulus package are already in the works, so we might even see this happen, in one form or another, before Obama takes office.

Obama has also discussed a housing stimulus as well, to stem the tide of foreclosures, including a temporary 90–day freeze on foreclosures, as well as measures to address the demand side of the housing issue. This package includes $25 billion in state fiscal relief, which Mortgage Law Central says will help avoid “painful property tax increases.”

Obama also wants to “aggressively and comprehensively” implement the recently–passed rescue plan and the Hope for Homeowners Act. This means the Treasury, HUD, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and all of the banks and loan servicers who benefit from the rescue bill will continue to coordinate broad mortgage restructurings and loan modifications for struggling homeowners. No one knows for sure exactly how this will be implemented or what it even looks like yet, but we’ll keep you updated as the details are released.

Reformed Bankruptcy Laws – Obama has promised to repeal the 2005 bankruptcy bill. A controversial measure, this will allow judges to alter mortgage terms during a bankruptcy, providing more protection for struggling homeowners.

New Mortgage Interest Tax Credit – Obama is expected to create a 10% universal mortgage interest credit for those who don’t currently itemize. This means about $500 in savings for 10 million American homeowners.

Protection Against Mortgage Fraud and Predatory Lending – During the campaign, Obama blamed the financial crisis on lax government regulations, so look for tougher regulations, new criminal penalties for mortgage fraud violators, more funding for enforcement programs, more detailed loan disclosure laws, new counseling programs and other consumer protections, including a new Home Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score (kind of like a new APR calculation) to help borrowers better understand and compare mortgage costs during the mortgage process.

This will go a long way in protecting new home buyers from the opportunists that have given good mortgage professionals like us a bad name in the last few years. And since so much of our business depends on referrals from satisfied clients, the good news is a lot of these people are now out of business. We hope that any new measures introduced by the Obama administration will help keep a new breed of copycats from invading our industry as the real estate market begins to change for the better in 2009 and beyond. From now until the end of the year, you can expect volatility to continue in the financial and credit markets. This means mortgage rates, too, so if you or anyone you know is looking to buy or refinance a home, give us a call. We monitor the performance of mortgage–backed securities on a daily basis, which allows our clients to capitalize on changes that will help lock in the best rate for their individual goals and needs. Also, if you’d like to discuss any of these or other changes that could affect your mortgage, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Weekly Rate Lock Advisory – 01/05/2009

Weekly Rate Lock Advisory

This week bring us the release of only two monthly reports that are relevant to the bond market and mortgage rates. However, in addition to those two reports, we also will see the minutes from the last FOMC meeting and a couple of Treasury auctions that may influence bond trading and possibly mortgage rates.

The first of the two reports will be posted late Tuesday morning when the Commerce Department releases November’s Factory Orders data. This data gives us a fairly important measurement of manufacturing sector strength. It is similar to the Durable Goods Orders release that was posted late last month, except this report includes orders for both durable and non-durable goods. Durable goods are items that are expected to last three or more years such as electronics and autos. Examples of non-durable goods are food and clothing. Analysts are expecting to see a decline of 2.6% in new orders. This report generally does not have a huge impact on the bond market or mortgage rates, but it can influence bond trading enough to create a minor change in rates.

Also Tuesday will be the release of the minutes from the last FOMC meeting. This will give market participants insight to the Fed’s thinking and concerns regarding inflation and monetary policy. It may also help form opinions of the Fed’s future moves toward interest rates, even though the Fed appears to be running out of options. It is one of those pieces of information that may cause a great deal of volatility in the markets or be a non-factor, depending on what the minutes show. They will be released at 2:00 PM ET, so they shouldn’t affect the markets or mortgage rates until afternoon hours.

There are two Treasury auctions that are worth watching also. The 10-year TIPS Notes (inflation-indexed securities) will be auctioned Tuesday while the traditional 10-year Treasury Note will be sold Thursday. If investor demand for these sales is strong, we should se e bonds strengthen during afternoon trading those days and possibly improve mortgage rates slightly. However, a lackluster interest in the sales could cause bond prices to fall and mortgage rates to move higher following the announcement of the sale results.

The final report of the week comes Friday morning when the Labor Department will post December’s employment figures. The Employment report is considered to be one of the most important monthly releases we see. It gives us the national unemployment rate, the number of jobs added or lost during the month and average hourly earnings, which is a key measure of wage inflation. Rising unemployment, a larger than expected drop in new payrolls and a small increase or even a decline in earnings would be good news for the bond market.

Current forecasts call for a 0.3% increase in the unemployment rate, pushing it to 7.0%. Analysts are expecting to see a drop in payrolls in the neighborhood of 475,000 with earnings rising 0.2%. If we see weaker than expected results, mortgage rates should improve Friday. However, stronger than expected readings will likely push mortgage rates higher.

Overall, the key data of the week will be Friday’s Employment report, but look for Tuesday to be important with the economic data, FOMC minutes and one of the two more important Treasury auctions. If they give us favorable results, mortgage rates will likely move lower for the week. But if not, we will probably see mortgage rates move higher again.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would…. Lock if my closing was taking place within 7 days… Lock if my closing was taking place between 8 and 20 days… Lock if my closing was taking place between 21 and 60 days… Lock if my closing was taking place over 60 days from now… This is only my opinion of what I would do if I were financing a home. It is only an opinion and cannot be guaranteed to be in the best interest of all/any other borrowers.

Happy New Year!

At Mortgage Guidepost, we like pause around this time of year and reflect on the blessings in our lives.  In addition to the love of family, companionship of friends, the bounty of this great country and health and happiness for all we love, we are grateful for the opportunity to serve your mortgage needs.  We both work hard all year and deserve to celebrate the passing of a wonderful year and look forward to an even better New Year.

Mark Brekhus CMPS^®