Daily Mortgage Rate Lock Advisory

Rate Lock Advisory – Thursday Nov. 13th

Rate Lock Advisory – Thursday Nov. 13th

Thursday’s bond market has opened in negative territory, erasing part of yesterday’s late rally that came as a result of strong stock losses. The stock markets have opened in negative ground, continuing yesterday’s selling. The Dow is currently down 90 points while the Nasdaq has lost 27 points. The bond market is currently down 4/32, but we will still likely see a small improvement in this morning’s mortgage rates of approximately .125 of a discount point due to strength in bonds late yesterday.

This morning’s first piece of news was the release of September’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report. It gave us the size of the U.S. Trade Deficit, showing a $56.5 billion deficit. That was a little smaller than forecasts of $57.0 billion, but this data is not considered to be of high importance to the markets and has had little impact on this morning’s trading or mortgage pricing.

The other news released this morning was weekly unemployment figur es from the Labor Department. They reported that new claims for benefits jumped to 516,000 last week, exceeding forecasts of 479,000. The previous week’s figures were revised to 484,000, meaning analysts were expecting to see a small decline in claims when we actually saw a sizable jump. While this data is not considered to be of high importance because it tracks only a week’s worth of filings, it can influence trading and rates when it varies from forecasts such as today’s variance.

There are two reports scheduled for release tomorrow morning with one of them considered to be very important to the markets. October’s Retail Sales report is the first and the highly important one because it measures consumer spending. Since consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. economy, any related data is watched closely. If this report reveals weaker than expected sales, the bond market should thrive and mortgage rates will fall. Current forecasts are calling for a drop in sales of approximately 2.1%.

The second report comes late tomorrow morning when November’s preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment will be released. This index measures consumer confidence, which gives us an indication of consumer willingness to spend. It is expected to show a reading of 57.0, down from October’s final reading of 57.6.

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.

Tags: balance report, bond, bond market, closing, consumer spending, lock, mortgage rates, negative territory, release tomorrow, report, stock losses, stock markets, trade balance, U.S., U.S. Trade, yesterday

Rate Lock Advisory – Wednesday Nov. 12th

Rate Lock Advisory – Wednesday Nov. 12th

Wednesday’s bond market has opened in positive territory as investors shift funds from stocks into bonds. This has pushed the stock indexes significantly lower again with the Dow down 312 points and the Nasdaq down 46 points. The bond market is currently up 14/32, which should improve this morning’s mortgage rates by approximately .125 – .250 of a discount point over Monday’s rates. The bond market was closed yesterday in observance of the Veteran’s Day holiday.

There is no relevant data being released today, but we will get the results of today’s 10-year Treasury Note auction at 1:00 PM ET. These results can influence bond trading enough to affect mortgage rates this afternoon. If the sale was met with a strong demand from investors, bonds will likely rally and mortgage rates should fall. However, a lackluster interest could lead to weakness in bonds and higher mortgage rates.

The first economic data of the week is September’s Goods and Service s Trade Balance report Thursday morning. It helps us measure the size of the U.S. trade deficit, but usually is not a major influence on bond trading or mortgage pricing. It does affect the value of the U.S. dollar, which makes U.S. securities more attractive to international investors when the dollar is strong. This is because the securities’ proceeds are worth more when sold and converted to the investor’s domestic currency. However, its results will not likely directly lead to changes in mortgage rates.

Overall, look for a fairly quiet week in the mortgage market compared to previous weeks unless something totally unexpected transpires. The two Treasury auctions that are of the most interest are today’s and Thursday’s since they can impact mortgage rates the most. But there is only one important report being posted and that doesn’t come until Friday morning.

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.

Tags: balance report, bond, bond trading, closing, domestic currency, international investors, lackluster interest, lock, mortgage market, mortgage rates, shift funds, stock indexes, today, treasury auctions, U.S., Wednesday

Rate Lock Advisory – Tuesday Nov. 11th

Rate Lock Advisory – Tuesday Nov. 11th

TUESDAY’S UPDATE:

The bond market is closed today in observance of the Veterans Day holiday and will reopen tomorrow morning. The stock markets are trading today but in negative territory. The Dow is currently down 240 points while the Nasdaq has lost 42 points. Some lenders may post rates today, but will likely use yesterday’s afternoon rates.

This week brings us the release of only three relevant economic reports with only one of them being considered highly important. There is no relevant news scheduled for release tomorrow except for the results of the 10-year Treasury Note auction. Results will be posted at 1:00 PM ET and can influence bond trading enough to affect mortgage rates. If the sale was met with a strong demand from investors, bonds will likely rally and mortgage rates should fall. However, a lackluster interest could lead to weakness and higher mortgage rates.

The first economic data of the week is September’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report Thursday morning. It helps us measure the size of the U.S. trade deficit, but usually is not a major influence on bond trading or mortgage pricing. It does affect the value of the U.S. dollar, which makes U.S. securities more attractive to international investors when the dollar is strong. This is because the securities’ proceeds are worth more when sold and converted to the investor’s domestic currency. However, its results will not likely directly lead to changes in mortgage rates.

Overall, look for a fairly quiet week in the mortgage market compared to previous weeks unless something totally unexpected transpires. The two Treasury auctions that are of the most interest are Wednesday’s and Thursday’s since they can impact mortgage rates the most. But there is only one important report being posted and that doesn’t come until Friday morning.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would…. Lock if my cl osing 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.

Tags: auction results, balance report, bond, closing, domestic currency, international investors, lackluster interest, lock, mortgage market, mortgage rates, release tomorrow, today, treasury auctions, Tuesday, U.S., veterans day holiday, week

Rate Lock Advisory – Monday Nov. 10th

Rate Lock Advisory – Monday Nov. 10th

Monday’s bond market has opened down slightly following early stock gains. The stock markets have started the week in positive territory with the Dow up 54 points and the Nasdaq up 3 points. The bond market is currently down 2/32, which will likely keep this morning’s mortgage rates at Friday’s levels.

This week brings us the release of only three relevant economic reports with only one of them being considered highly important. It is a holiday shortened week with the bond market closing at 2:00 PM today and remaining closed tomorrow in observance of the Veterans Day holiday. I am not expecting this early close to impact bond trading enough to affect mortgage pricing.

The first data of the week is September’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report Thursday morning. It helps us measure the size of the U.S. trade deficit, but usually is not a major influence on bond trading or mortgage pricing. It does affect the value of the U.S. dollar, which m akes U.S. securities more attractive to international investors when the dollar is strong. This is because the securities’ proceeds are worth more when sold and converted to the investor’s domestic currency. However, its results will not likely directly lead to changes in mortgage rates.

Overall, look for a fairly quiet week in the mortgage market compared to previous weeks unless something totally unexpected transpires. As long as the stock markets remain fairly calm, I am expecting to see mortgage rates follow suit. The two Treasury auctions that are of the most interest are Wednesday’s and Thursday’s since they can impact mortgage rates the most. With only one important report being posted and that doesn’t come until Friday morning, I am expecting the bond market and mortgage rates to step back and take a breath per se, most likely until Friday’s data.

If I were considering financing/refinancing a home, I would…. Lock if my closing was taking plac e 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.

Tags: balance report, bond, bond trading, closing, domestic currency, economic reports, international investors, lock, mortgage market, refinancing a home, stock, stock gains, treasury auctions, U.S., veterans day holiday, week

Rate Lock Advisory – Sunday Nov. 9th

Rate Lock Advisory – Sunday Nov. 9th

This week brings us the release of only three relevant economic reports with only one of them being considered highly important. It is a holiday shortened week with the bond market closing early Monday and remaining closed Tuesday in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.

The first data of the week is September’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report Thursday morning. It helps us measure the size of the U.S. trade deficit, but usually is not a major influence on bond trading or mortgage pricing. It does affect the value of the U.S. dollar, which makes U.S. securities more attractive to international investors when the dollar is strong. This is because the securities’ proceeds are worth more when sold and converted to the investor’s domestic currency. However, its results will not likely directly lead to changes in mortgage rates.

There are two reports scheduled for release Friday. October’s Retail Sales report is the first. This report is very important to the financial markets because it measures consumer spending. Since consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. economy, any related data is watched closely. If this report reveals weaker than expected sales, the bond market should thrive and mortgage rates will fall. Current forecasts are calling for a drop in sales of approximately 1.2%.

The last of the week’s three reports comes late Friday morning when November’s preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment will be released. This index measures consumer confidence, which gives us an indication of consumer willingness to spend. It is expected to show a reading of 57.0, down from October’s final reading of 57.6.

There are 10-year Note and 30-year Bond auctions this week, Wednesday and Thursday respectively. Strong or very weak results from these sales could affect the momentum in the bond market and lead to afternoon changes in mortgage rates. It i s common to see pressure in bonds ahead of these sales, but as long as interest from investors is decent we should see those pre-sale losses recovered during afternoon trading of the sale days.

Overall, look for a fairly quiet week in the mortgage market compared to previous weeks unless something totally unexpected transpires. As long as the stock markets remain fairly calm, I am expecting to see mortgage rates follow suit.

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.

Tags: balance report, bond, bond auctions, closing, consumer confidence, domestic currency, economic reports, index measures, index of consumer sentiment, international investors, lock, mortgage rates, report, U.S., veterans day holiday, week

Rate Lock Advisory – Thursday Sep. 11th

Rate Lock Advisory – Thursday Sep. 11th

Thursday’s bond market has bounced around in the wake of extremely volatile stock trading this morning. The stock markets are showing losses at the moment, but are currently significantly higher than earlier lows. The Dow is now standing down 19 points after falling as much as 170 points earlier. The Nasdaq is currently up 6 points but was as low as down 37 points before rebounding. The recovery in stocks is pressuring bonds and preventing much of an improvement in this morning’s mortgage rates. The bond market is currently unchanged from yesterday’s close, which should keep this morning’s mortgage rates at yesterday’s levels.

Today’s only monthly economic data was July’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report.

It showed that the U.S. trade deficit rose to $62.2 billion last month when it was expected to reveal a deficit of approximately $58.0 billion. Fortunately though, this data is not considered to be of high importance to the markets.

The Labor Department released weekly unemployment figures this morning, saying that 445,000 new claims were filed. This was a drop of 6,000, which was very close to forecasts and has not had an impact on the markets or mortgage rates.

Tomorrow morning brings us the release of three pieces of relevant data. The first is the release of August’s Retail Sales report. It will give us a measurement of consumer spending, which is very important to the markets because consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. economy. Current forecasts are calling for a 0.3% increase in sales. If we see a higher level of spending than what is forecasted, the bond market will most likely fall and mortgage rates will rise. However, a weaker than expected reading could push bond prices higher and mortgage rates lower tomorrow morning.

The second important piece of data is the release of August’s Producer Price Index (PPI). This report will give us a very importa nt measurement of inflationary pressures at the producer level of the economy. There are two readings that analysts follow in this release. They are the overall index and the core data reading. The core data is the more important of the two because it excludes more volatile food and energy prices. Analysts are currently calling for a 0.5% decline in the overall index, and a rise of 0.2% in the core data. Stronger than expected readings could fuel inflation concerns in the bond market and lead to an increase in mortgage rates Friday morning.

The last report of the week comes from the University of Michigan late tomorrow morning. Their consumer sentiment index will give us an indication of consumer confidence, which hints at consumers’ willingness to spend. If confidence is rising, consumers are more apt to make large purchases. But, if they are growing more concerned of their personal financial situations, they probably will delay making that large purchase. This influences future consumer spending data and can impact the financial markets. It is expected to show a reading of 64.0.

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.

Tags: balance report, bond, bond market, bond prices, closing, mortgage rates, producer price index, producer price index ppi, Release, spending, stock markets, three pieces, U.S., unemployment figures, volatile stock

Daily Rate Lock Recommendation – 08/11/2008 12:21:00 PM EST

Monday’s bond market has opened in negative territory despite early stock losses that are resulting from oil concerns. The Dow is currently down 42 points while the Nasdaq has fallen 5 points. The bond market is currently down 6/32, but we will likely see a slight improvement to this morning’s mortgage rates due to strength in bonds late Friday.

There is no relevant economic data scheduled for release today, but the rest of the week brings us five reports for the bond market to digest. The first is June’s Trade Balance report tomorrow morning that gives us the size of the U.S. trade deficit. It is the week’s least important report and likely will have little impact on the bond market and mortgage rates. Analysts are expecting to see a $61.9 billion deficit, but it will take a wide variance to directly influence mortgage pricing.

July’s Retail Sales data will be released early Wednesday morning. This data is very important to the financial markets and mortgage rates because it helps us measure consumer spending. Since consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the U.S. economy, any data related to it can cause a fair amount of movement in the markets. A smaller than expected increase would indicate that consumers are spending less than previously thought, potentially slowing the economy. This is good news for the bond market and mortgage rates as it eases inflation concerns and makes long-term securities such as mortgage-related bonds more attractive to investors. Current forecasts are calling for an increase of 0.5%.

The most important data of the three is July’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 8:30 AM Thursday. The CPI is one of the most important reports we see each month. It measures inflation at the consumer level of the economy. There are two readings in the report- the overall index and the core data reading. The more important of the two is the core data because it excludes more volatile food and energy prices. Current forecasts call for an increase of 0.4% in the overall and 0.2% in the core data reading. Smaller than expected increases should lead to a bond rally and lower mortgage rates. However, stronger than expected readings will likely cause a spike in mortgage pricing.

There are two pieces of data scheduled for release Friday. The first is Industrial Production data for July. This report gives us a measurement of manufacturing sector strength by tracking output at U.S. factories, mines and utilities. It is considered to be of moderately high importance and may cause movement in mortgage rates. Analysts are currently expecting to see no change in production between June and July. N increase in output could lead to higher mortgage rates Friday, while a weaker than expected figure should help push rates lower.

The second report of the day will come from the University of Michigan who will release its Index of Consumer Sentiment for August at 9:45 AM. This index gives us a measurement of consumer willingness to spend. If confidence is rising, then consumers are more apt to make large purchases. This helps fuel consumer spending and economic growth. A drop in confidence will probably boost bond prices, leading to lower mortgage rates. If the index rises, indicating that confidence is rising and spending is likely to continue, we may see mortgage rates move higher Friday.

Overall, look for the most movement in bond prices and mortgage rates the middle part of the week. Wednesday or Thursday will likely turn out to be the most important days. If we get stronger than expected results in the Retail Sales and CPI releases, I fear that we may see mortgage rates spike higher fairly quickly. If those reports do further ease inflation concerns, I will likely be shifting to a float recommendation across the board. But, the risk versus reward comparison short-term still favors the risk side in my opinion, therefore, I am holding the lock recommendations for short-term closings for the time being.

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.

Tags: balance report, bond, closing, consumer price index, core data, index cpi, inflation concerns, measure consumer, report tomorrow, retail sales data, stock losses, U.S., volatile food

Daily Rate Lock Recommendation – 07/06/2008 9:44:00 PM EST

This week brings us the release of only two economic reports for the bond market to digest. It also is the beginning of corporate earnings season. Those quarterly earnings reports can lead to significant volatility in the stock markets, which could influence bond trading and mortgage rates. The first piece of economic news that may affect mortgage rates is Thursday’s weekly unemployment figures from the Labor Department. Analysts will be paying a little more attention to this week’s release than usual because last week’s report showed that claims had crossed above 400,000 the previous week. This is an important benchmark that will be watched closely. Last week’s numbers didn’t get much attention because they were posted at the same time as June’s monthly Employment report. But with little data scheduled for release this week, I believe more focus will be made on Thursday’s report. Both of the week’s monthly economic reports are scheduled to be p osted Friday morning. The first is May’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report early Friday morning, which measures the size of the U.S. trade deficit. This data is not considered to be of high importance to the bond market and will not likely have an impact on mortgage rates. However, if it does vary greatly from analysts’ forecasts of a $62.1 billion deficit, we may see some movement in bond prices and therefore possibly mortgage pricing. The second is the University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment that is released in a preliminary form each month and then followed up two weeks later with a final reading. The preliminary reading for July will be posted late Friday morning and is expected to fall slightly from June’s final reading of 56.4. This would indicate that consumers were a little less comfortable with their own financial situations this month than last month. It is believed that if consumers are confident in their own finances, they are more a pt to make large purchases in the near future. And with consumer spending making up two-thirds of our economy, investors pay close attention to reports such as these. Also worth mentioning are a couple of public speeches by Fed members including Fed Chairman Bernanke and a 10-year Treasury auction of inflation protected notes. The speeches will be watched closely for any possible hint of the Fed’s next move. The Treasury auction likely will not have an impact on rates, but could influence bond trading slightly if it is met with a strong or weak demand from investors. In a very light week of economic news such as this week is, events like these sometimes have a greater impact on the markets than if they took place during a busy week of news. Overall, I am expecting to see a fairly calm week in mortgage rates. Friday will be the most important day with the two reports scheduled for release. If the corporate earnings reports that are scheduled for this week are a disappointment, we could see stocks move lower and investors seek safe-haven in bonds. This would likely help push bond prices higher and mortgage rates lower for 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.

Tags: attention, balance report, bond, bond trading, Chairman Bernanke, closing, corporate earnings, earnings season, economic reports, financial situations, index of consumer sentiment, quarterly earnings reports, Release, report, U.S., unemployment figures, week

Daily Rate Lock Recommendation – 06/10/2008 11:00:00 AM EST

Tuesday’s bond market has opened in negative territory again as inflation concerns continue to hurt bonds and long-term securities that are sensitive to such issues. The stock markets are mixed with the Dow up 26 points and the Nasdaq down 12 points. The bond market is currently down 18/32, which will likely push this morning’s mortgage rates higher by approximately .375 – .500 of a discount point.

This morning’s only economic data isn’t the cause of today’s negative tone in bonds. April’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report gave us the U.S. trade deficit during that month. It showed a deficit of $60.9 billion that was higher than forecasts had called for. However, this data is not considered to be of high importance to the bond market and mortgage rates and therefore, has not influenced mortgage pricing this morning.

What caused this morning’s weakness was comments by Fed members, including Fed Chairman Bernanke that strongly hinted of a possible rate hike coming before another rate cut. The Fed is obviously concerned about inflation if they are talking rate increases, so mortgage related bonds are reacting negatively because they are extremely sensitive to inflation.

Later today, the Federal Reserve will release its Beige Book. This data details economic conditions throughout the U.S. by region. It is relied upon heavily by the Federal Reserve during FOMC meetings when determining monetary policy. If it shows slowing economic activity, the bond market may thrive and mortgage rates could drop shortly after the 2:00 PM ET release. If it reveals signs of inflation growing, we could see mortgage rates revise higher this afternoon.

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.

Tags: balance report, beige book, bond, bond market, Chairman Bernanke, closing, Fed, fed chairman bernanke, fomc meetings, inflation concerns, lock, mortgage rates, negative territory, negative tone, rate, refinancing a home, U.S.

Daily Rate Lock Recommendation – 06/09/2008 11:43:00 AM EST

Monday’s bond market has opened down sharply as investors turn away from inflation sensitive investments. The stock markets are mixed by a wide margin with the Dow up 110 points and the Nasdaq down 14 points. The bond market is currently down 30/32, which will likely push this morning’s mortgage rates higher by approximately .250 – .375 of a discount point. I also would not be surprised to see further upward revisions sometime today as the bond market appears likely to continue its selling.

There was no relevant economic news released today. The week’s first but least important data is April’s Goods and Services Trade Balance report tomorrow morning. This report gives us the size of the U.S. trade deficit and will be released at 8:30 AM. It isn’t likely to cause much movement in the markets or mortgage rates, but nevertheless forecasts are expecting to see a $59.5 billion deficit.

Late Wednesday, the Federal Reserve will release its Beige Book. This data details economic conditions throughout the U.S. by region. It is relied upon heavily by the Federal Reserve during FOMC meetings when determining monetary policy. If it shows slowing economic activity, the bond market may thrive and mortgage rates could drop shortly after the 2:00 PM ET release. If it reveals signs of inflation growing, we could see mortgage rates revise higher Wednesday afternoon.

Overall, it is going to be a fairly busy week for the financial markets. I feel that Friday will be the single most important day of the week with the release of the CPI, but Thursday also is likely to bring significant movement in rates due to the Retail Sales report being released. Accordingly, this would be a very good week to maintain fairly constant contact with your mortgage professional.

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.

Tags: balance report, beige book, bond, bond market, closing, fomc meetings, lock, mortgage rates, refinancing a home, report tomorrow, today, U.S., upward revisions, week, wide margin