Tag Archives: rates

Mortgage rates take the biggest leap in 8 weeks as clock ticks on refinancing Despite yet another wave of COVID-19 putting stress on the economy, a long-running survey shows mortgage rates have posted their biggest rise in eight weeks. Analysts say rates jumped because of an encouraging report on hiring in the U.S. If one positive report in the midst of a major COVID flare-up is enough to push rates higher, further signs of economic stability could easily do the same. Experts warn that once the… Source link

Sharp dive for mortgage rates sets off new refinancing boom Many homeowners know a good deal when they see one. Demand for refinance mortgages is soaring, a survey by a major lenders trade association finds. Homeowners are stampeding toward mortgage rates that have been driven back toward all-time lows by worries about the Delta variant and by the elimination of a widely despised fee on refi loans. But U.S. homeowners are still leaving lots of money on the table. Online real estate marketplace… Source link

Mortgage rates fell for the 9th time in 13-weeks and for a fourth straight week in the week ending 22nd July Following a 2 basis points decline from the previous week, 30-year fixed rates decreased by 10 basis points to 2.78%. Since 21st April, 30-year mortgage rates had risen just once beyond the 3% mark before the current pullback. Compared to this time last year, 30-year fixed rates were down by 23 basis points. 30-year fixed rates were still down by 216 basis points since November 2018’s… Source link

The Federal Reserve managed to avoid turning to negative interest rates through the pandemic-induced recession of 2020. But if the economy faces another downturn, will the central bank be backed into short-term borrowing rates below zero? In a UBS survey of almost 30 central banks around the world, 21% of respondents said they could see the Fed turning to negative interest rates if needed. The concern: With U.S. short-term rates yet again backed up at near-zero, a Fed that may be slower to… Source link

Surging inflation is creating a conundrum for the Federal Reserve, economist Nouriel Roubini cautioned on Wednesday, adding that spiking prices will persist and potentially tie the central bank’s hands. With demand soaring, the resulting supply and labor bottlenecks are lighting a fire under prices. Although the Fed insists the effects are “transitory,” Roubini — also known as “Dr. Doom” for his gloomy economic predictions — warned that the central bank won’t be able to tighten monetary… Source link

Jamaica Blair finally quit her teaching job in April, demoralized by the low wages, insufficient staffing, and most recently the challenges from the pandemic. She wants to be a chef, a career decision that took a long time to make. “Last year, I really wanted to leave, but I guess I became complacent. I was too afraid to leave,” Blair, 26, told Yahoo Money. “This is the first time I actually took the leap of faith.” Blair joins the 4 million workers who quit their jobs in April, a… Source link

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday held interest rates at near-zero but optimism over the progression of the U.S. economic recovery spurred more Fed officials to pencil in rate hikes by the end of 2023. The Fed also reiterated for now its commitment to its asset purchase program, which is absorbing about $120 billion a month in assets. “Progress on vaccinations will likely continue to reduce the effects of the public health crisis on the economy, but risks to the economic outlook remain,”… Source link

Regarding looming inflation risks and their resulting Treasury yield rates, Wall Street veteran and co-founder of DataTrek Research Nicholas Colas stated that he has “never seen a stronger consensus” surrounding any macroeconomic issue in his career. “Fed money printing plus fiscal stimulus/debt issuance plus economic reopening is supposed to equal high and likely lasting inflation,” Colas said. “The 10-year Treasury will go to at least 2 percent and maybe 3 percent or… Source link

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Saturday that near-zero interest rates have completely changed the financial landscape, warning that the consequences of easy money policies remain an unanswered question. As the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the United States last year, the U.S. central bank slashed interest rates to near zero and began aggressively absorbing assets to prevent another financial crisis. Among the Federal Reserve’s purchases: government debt. Those actions allowed the Source link

Mortgage rates may be on the rise, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the housing boom is about to go bust. For the third consecutive week, mortgage rates pushed past 3%, with the average 30-year fixed loan hitting a nine-month high of 3.09% last week, according to Freddie Mac. The uptick is being driven by a rise in the yield on the 10-year Treasury, which is closely tied to consumer loans like mortgages, credit cards and auto loans. Rising mortgage rates typically signal a recovering… Source link