21 Jun 2013
By Mark Feder
0 Comments

The Federal Open Market Committee Holds Steady With Mortgage Backed Security Investments

Federal Reserve
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) of the Federal Reserve decided to continue its current policy of quantitative easing (QE) based on current economic conditions. The Fed currently purchases $40 billion in mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and $45 billion in Treasury securities monthly. Objectives for the QE program include: Keeping long term interest rates, including mortgage rates, low Supporting mortgage markets Easing broader financial conditions FOMC repeated its position of evaluating QE policy based on inflation, the unemployment rate and economic developments. Members of the FOMC determined that keeping the federal funds rate between 0.00 and 0.25 percent until the following…
Read More
23 May 2013
By Mark Feder
0 Comments

Fed Meeting Minutes Expose Rising Interest Rate Risk

Federal Reserve
Minutes of the April/May Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) recently released may have a significant impact on mortgage rates going forward.  One significant development from the meeting suggests that the present quantitative easing (QE)  program may be modified in the near future.  The current QE program involves the Fed purchasing $85 billion per month in mortgage backed securities (MBS) and Treasury bonds. The Fed's goal with QE is keeping long-term interest rates, including mortgage rates, low. Considerations mentioned in favor of slowing the current QE program include concerns over “buoyant” financial markets as evidence of a developing economic “bubble”. FOMC…
Read More
02 May 2013
By Mark Feder
0 Comments

Fed Meeting Statement Points To Continuing Low Interest Rates

Federal Reserve
Wednesday's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement indicates the Federal Reserve's commitment to keeping long term interest rates and inflation under control. The Fed will continue monitoring inflation, but does not expect inflation to rise more than 0.50 percent above its target rate of 2.00 percent over the next one to two years. Ongoing monitoring of inflation and unemployment, as well as developing economic news, will guide the Fed in its future determinations concerning policy for its present iteration of quantitative easing (QE3). Currently, the Fed purchases $85 billion of treasury securities and mortgage –backed securities each month with the…
Read More
11 Apr 2013
By Mark Feder
0 Comments

Fed Meeting Minutes Reveal Rising Wealth Among Homeowners

Federal Reserve
The minutes for the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting held March 19 and 20 were released on Wednesday April 10, 2013. These periodic meetings by the FOMC cover a wide ranging group of topics that impact the overall economy in the United States. The decisions made and acted upon from the FOMC meetings often sway the real estate and residential financing markets. Some highlights of the recent FOMC minutes for the March meeting include: Jobs and Unemployment Gaining Steam The unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent in February. While lower than the average unemployment rate for Q4 2012, the…
Read More