16 Mar 2015
By Mark Feder

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – March 16, 2015

Market Outlook
Last week's economic reports included job openings, retail sales, retail sales except automotive, consumer sentiment for March and the usual reports on weekly jobless claims and mortgage rates. Job Openings Highest in 14 Years The Labor Department reported that job openings reached their highest level in 14 years in January, and rose by 2.50 percent over December 2014 job openings. On a seasonally adjusted basis, there were five million job openings in January. Job openings rose by 28 percent year-over-year. Hiring rose by 3.50 percent to 5.24 million, but analysts said that employers continue to have difficulty in finding workers…
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10 Nov 2014
By Mark Feder

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – November 10, 2014

Market Outlook
Last week's economic reports contained mixed reports indicating that the economy continues to recover with occasional "blips" in its progress. Construction spending was lower than expected. A Federal Reserve survey of senior loan officers indicated that credit standards remain strict for mortgages and other types of lending. According to the survey, a "modest net fraction" of large banks had eased credit standards for prime mortgage lending. First-Time Homebuyers Struggle as Market Share Hits 27-Year Low The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reported that first-time buyers' share of home purchases has slipped to 33 percent, which was its lowest level in…
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03 Nov 2014
By Mark Feder

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – November 3, 2014

Market Outlook
Last week's economic news brought mixed developments as pending home sales moved to their second highest level of 2014. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announced the expected end of asset purchases under its quantitative easing program. In its post-meeting statement, the committee noted improvements in overall economic conditions labor markets as indications of better than expected economic trends. The Case-Shiller Home Price Index reports for August showed continued slowing in housing price gains. Mortgage rates were higher, but consumer confidence exceeded expectations. Pending Home Sales Rise, Case-Shiller Reports Slower Price Gains The National Association of REALTORS® reported that pending…
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27 Oct 2014
By Mark Feder

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week – October 27, 2014

Market Outlook
Last week's economic news included a few developments connected with housing and mortgage industries. While no economic reports were released on Monday, the rest of the week provided good news for existing home sales, home prices and mortgage rates. The National Association of REALTORS® reported that existing home sales in September exceeded expectations and the prior month's reading with a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.17 million sales. Three of four U.S. regions posted higher sales of previously owned homes with only the Midwest region reporting a decline in existing home sales. Analysts said that consistent job growth and improved…
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