What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 10, 2015

This week's scheduled economic news includes reports on construction spending, a survey of senior loan officers, and reports on labor markets including ADP private sector jobs, the federal government's reports on non-farm payrolls, core inflation and the national unemployment rate. Construction Spending Slows, Loan Officers Survey Suggests Growing Confidence Construction spending fell in June after the May reading was revised upward to 1.89 percent from the original reading of 0.90 percent. Spending for residential construction rose by 0.40 percent, while non-residential construction spending remained flat. The seasonally-adjusted annual outlay for construction was $1.06 billion in June. Analysts continue to note…
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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – August 3, 2015

Last week's scheduled economic reports included the Case-Shiller 20 and 20-City Index reports, pending home sales data released by the National Association of Realtors® and the scheduled post-meeting statement of the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee. Case-Shiller: Home Prices Growing at Normal Pace The Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price index for May reported that year-over-year home prices grew by 4.40 percent year-over-year. S & P Index Committee Chair David M Blitzer said that home prices are increasing gradually by four to five percent a year as compared to double-digit percentages seen in 2013. Mr. Blitzer said that home price growth…
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Federal Reserve FOMC Announcement

The stage was set in high suspense for FOMC's post-meeting announcement on Wednesday. As fall approaches, analysts and the media are looking for any sign of when and how much the Fed will raise its target federal funds rate. According to CNBC, some analysts were projecting two interest rate hikes before year end, but the truth of the matter remains unknown until the Federal Open Market Committee announces its intentions. Meanwhile, reports of what Fed rate hikes will mean for consumers were released prior to the FOMC statement. Real estate analyst Mark Hanson said that a rate hike would "crush"…
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What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – July 13, 2015

Last week's scheduled economic events were few due to the Independence Day holiday. Freddie Mac's weekly survey of mortgage rates brought good news as mortgage rates fell across the board. The Federal Reserve released the minutes of its most recent Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting and weekly jobless claims rose. Job Openings Rise to Highest Level Since 2000 The Labor Department reported that U.S. job openings rose from April's reading of 5.33 million to 5.36 million job openings in May. This was the highest reading for job openings since the report's inception in 2000. Private sector job openings rose…
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