Mortgage News for May 1st, 2020

Mortgage News for May 1st, 2020

The Fed met this week, leaving policy rates unchanged as expected. The Fed committed to continue buying bonds, which should help keep rates low. The 1st qtr GDP declined more than expected, down 4.8% versus estimates of 3.5%. This was the first negative reading since...
Mortgage News for April 24th, 2020

Mortgage News for April 24th, 2020

A recent Reuters poll shows a majority of economists believe we will see a "U-shaped" economic recovery, in which the economy will stabilize a while before climbing to previous levels. After the first round of paycheck protection funding disappeared quickly, Congress...
Mortgage News for April 17th, 2020

Mortgage News for April 17th, 2020

Retail sales suffered a record drop of 8.7% in March, as stay-at-home orders and mandatory business closures to control the spread of COVID-19 curbed spending. Over 1.3 million Paycheck Protection Program loans were approved for more than $296 billion through...
Mortgage News for March 26th, 2020

Mortgage News for March 26th, 2020

Congress is passing a $2 trillion stimulus package to blunt the pandemic’s toll on the economy. The plan includes direct payments to Americans, as well as increased unemployment benefits. The Fed has pledged unlimited asset purchases to support markets as...
Mortgage News for March 13th, 2020

Mortgage News for March 13th, 2020

The economic fallout from the now pandemic COVID-19 coronavirus continues to grow. Stocks have plummeted globally and have now entered a bear market. Mortgage rates have recently spiked higher, despite stocks’ losing ground. The media will be late reporting this, as...
Mortgage News for March 6th, 2020

Mortgage News for March 6th, 2020

Panic surrounding spread of the coronavirus and the global economic fallout have stocks plummeting. Investors seeking safe havens have turned to bonds, improving mortgage rates. The 10yr Treasury yield has reached record lows, falling below 1.0% for the first time in...
Mortgage News for February 27th, 2020

Mortgage News for February 27th, 2020

Concerns about the global economic fallout of a spreading coronavirus continue to cause stocks to plummet and bond yields to drop, helping keep mortgage rates low. The economy grew moderately in the 4th qtr, but slower than initially reported. Consumer spending, which...
Mortgage News for February 20th, 2020

Mortgage News for February 20th, 2020

Investors are increasingly worried about the spread of the coronavirus outside China. Concerns over the economic impact of the virus are helping rates remain low. Producer prices increased by the most in more than a year in January, but most of the uptick appeared to...
Mortgage News for February 13th, 2020

Mortgage News for February 13th, 2020

Fed Chair Powell gave his semi-annual testimony before Congress. He said the Fed is “closely monitoring” the coronavirus for potential effects on the worldwide economy. Investor fears of the global economic impact of the coronavirus have helped keep...
Mortgage News for February 6th, 2020

Mortgage News for February 6th, 2020

Manufacturing activity rebounded in January, with the ISM index at its highest level since July. The improvement likely reflects ebbing trade tensions with China. Fears of a slowdown in the global economy caused by the coronavirus are dissipating. Stocks have...