Mortgage Daily News Rate Watch

• Mortgage Rates Surge Toward 8-Month Highs
  Posted on Friday May 15, 2026
  Mortgage rates are driven by bonds and the bond market hoped to see more evidence of shift toward peace during the 2-day Trump/Xi meeting in China. As soon as Trump got back on the plane to head home, bonds began tanking (i.e. jumping to higher yields). When bond yields spike, mortgage rates follow, and today is no exception. The average top-tier 30yr fixed rate is up to 6.62% this morning, right in line with levels seen on March 26th and 27th and the highest since August 1st. If there's a silver lining, it's that mortgage rates aren't higher. Much of the credit goes to the ramp in purchases of mortgage-backed debt by Fannie and Freddie. The more mortgage debt they buy, the better it is for mortgage rates relative to benchmarks like U.S. Treasuries. For instance, Treasuries are now well above the levels seen in late March and in line with levels from the first half of 2025 when mortgage rates were 7% instead of 6.62%. Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Move Moderately Lower
  Posted on Thursday May 14, 2026
  May continues to be a more volatile month than the bulk of April when it comes to day over day mortgage rate movement. While the average day has seen that volatility play out in favor of higher rates, today was thankfully the opposite.  Yesterday's latest levels left the average lender at 6 week highs with a top tier 30yr fixed rate of 6.57. The underlying bond market was already beginning to recover yesterday afternoon. Combined with additional, modest bond market improvement overnight, today's 30yr fixed rate fell to 6.52% on average. The Iran war remains the primary source of volatility for markets. Some analysts expect more traction on a peace deal to come out of Trump's meeting with Xi (which will continue into tomorrow). This is far from a given, but if it happens, it would almost certainly put additional downward pressure on rates. Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Officially at 6 Week Highs
  Posted on Wednesday May 13, 2026
  Mortgage rates rose somewhat sharply yesterday to match the highest level since March 27th. They're just a hair higher today, thus officially at 6-week highs.  Whereas yesterday's Consumer Price Index (CPI) didn't have an obviously negative impact on rates, today's Producer Price Index (PPI) did. Both are big inflation reports. CPI is typically much more likely to cause a reaction in rates, but PPI showed a much bigger surge in inflation this morning. Even then, the underlying bond market wasn't too much worse by the end of the day and the mortgage-specific bond market actually made a full recovery. But that recovery was too gradual and shallow for the average lender to adjust their rates today. That left our rate index 0.01% higher day over day at 6.57% for a top tier 30yr fixed. [thirtyyearmortgagerates] Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Match Highest Level Since March
  Posted on Tuesday May 12, 2026
  When the Iran war was in its initial escalation phase, the initial surge in markets took the top-tier 30yr fixed rate to 6.64% for the average lender by March 27th. Rates moved more than 0.30% lower by mid April as peace prospect improved.  The third phase of rate movement began in late April and has generally involved a jump back up toward 6.5% with the first 2 days of the present week accounting for a move from 6.42% to 6.56%. That matches the highest level seen since March 27th. Bonds yields (which underlie rates) have followed longer-term oil prices to their highest recent levels as Trump said the U.S. is not in a hurry to end the war.  [thirtyyearmortgagerates] Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Rising to Start New Week
  Posted on Monday May 11, 2026
  Last week was decidedly stronger for mortgage rates as they either held steady or moved lower on 5 out of 5 days. All told, it was a 0.14% drop from the previous week in terms of the average top-tier 30yr fixed rate.  The new week is starting out in opposite fashion with rates moving up 0.07% today alone. This follows news over the weekend that Trump rejected Iran's counterproposal to end the war. In general, the longer the war continues, the higher oil prices will remain.  Oil price don't dictate rates, but there's currently a lot of correlation due to inflation implications. Oil naturally impacts the cost to ship goods, so a rapid spike in oil prices increases inflation. Rates are based on bonds, and bonds hate inflation. In fact, inflation is technically a component of bond yields (aka "rates"). Despite the rocky start to the week, we're not necessarily destined to move in one direction or the other. Everything depends on progress toward peace, or lack thereof. To a lesser extent, this week's incoming economic data can also have an impact. Coincidentally, much of that data focuses on inflation for the month of April. Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates End Week Slightly Lower
  Posted on Friday May 08, 2026
  It ended up being a decent round trip for rates this week. Monday kicked things off with a jump to the highest level in more than a month, and the third highest since August 2025. But that ended up being the only day where rates went higher.  Wednesday brough the biggest chunk of the recovery with MND's daily rate index dropping 0.10%.  Tuesday and Friday (today) each added a 0.02% drop, taking the index to 6.42% after ending last week at 6.44%. War-related headlines were less of a factor today and volatility was unsurprisingly lighter as a result. This is an adjustment for seasoned rate watchers who are used to monthly jobs report being a distinct source of volatility. It's especially notable that the job count came in significantly higher with no ill effect on bonds/rates. Over the past 6 months, markets have shifted their jobs report focus from the payroll count to the unemployment rate, reversing decades of precedent. Today's outcome is more logical in that context as the unemployment rate was right in line with expectations at 4.3%. Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Erase Early Improvement
  Posted on Thursday May 07, 2026
  The day began on a fairly hopeful note for the mortgage market. During overnight trading hours, the bond market improved following a report regarding a peace framework sent to Iran by The U.S.  When bonds improve, rates fall, all else equal. The gains were modest, but they allowed the average lender to set their first rates of the day at slightly lower levels compared to yesterday. Lenders prefer a "one and done" strategy when it comes to setting mortgage rates for the day, but they will make mid-day changes if the underlying market moves enough. The underlying market began moving more than enough just before the noon hour. Most lenders were forced to recall their initial rate offerings and make upward adjustments. The net effect at the time of printing is that the average lender is back in line with yesterday's levels.  Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Make a More Serious Recovery
  Posted on Wednesday May 06, 2026
  Mortgage rates spiked sharply on Monday, hitting the highest levels in more than a month as escalation fears ramped up surrounding the Iran war. Yesterday technically saw some recovery, but it may as well have been an "unchanged" day. Now today, we're seeing a more legitimate recovery with the average lender back down to last Friday's levels. The move follows a drop in oil prices inspired by progress toward a peace agreement. News came out overnight that The U.S. and Iran were close to signing a one-page memo outlining a more formal peace agreement. While full details would take time to hammer out, this would effectively end the war. Oil prices and bond yields fell at their fastest pace since mid April. Bond yields correlate with interest rates (in fact, they ARE interest rates), but mortgage rates are determined by slightly different bonds that are specific to the mortgage market. This means that mortgage rates and U.S. Treasury yields are almost always moving in the same direction, but at different paces, depending on the day.  [thirtyyearmortgagerates] Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Edge Just Barely Lower
  Posted on Tuesday May 05, 2026
  One popular refrain in the mortgage industry is that rates take the escalator on the way up and the stairs on the way down. Yesterday was definitely an "escalator" sort of day with the average lender moving up 0.12% for a top-tier 30yr fixed rate. Based on improvement in the bond market, rates are lower today, but just barely. It's not so much that rates are taking the stairs down, but more like they're a small child, waiting at the top of the staircase--afraid to take that first step. Some lenders are not even lower compared to yesterday's levels. Others are only modestly better. The absence of better improvement is at least partly attributable to the slower movement in the underlying bond market. Specifically, today's bond rally (good for rates) is less than one third the size of yesterday's sell-off (bad for rates). Continue Reading »
• Highest Rates in More Than a Month
  Posted on Monday May 04, 2026
  Top-tier 30-year fixed rates are back above 6.5% today for the first time in more than a month for the average lender. Many lenders raised rates during the course of the day as well.  Those who didn't will likely have to raise rates tomorrow unless the underlying bond market makes a significant recovery overnight. Rates are driven by bonds and bonds are starting the week at higher yields in response to war-related developments. In general, escalation in the Iran war pushes bond yields higher by implying higher inflation via higher oil prices. Additionally, funding the war implies the need for more Treasury supply in the future as the U.S. issues debt to pay for the war. Higher supply leads to lower prices for bonds, and lower prices mean higher rates. Today's top-tier rate of 6.56% is the highest since March 27th, when it was 6.62% and the third highest since August, 2025. [thirtyyearmortgagerates] Continue Reading »

Mortgage Daily News Rates Update

• Why Did Rates Completely Ignore This Week's Bad News?
  Posted on Friday November 05, 2021
  This week, the Fed announced a reduction in its bond buying. In separate news, the big jobs report was much stronger than expected. Both of these events should have pushed rates higher. So why didn't they? Let's start with the Fed and its bond buying adventures (also known as QE or "quantitative easing").  The following chart of 10yr Treasury yields (a broad benchmark for "rates") shows the paradoxical reactions to the Fed's previous decisions to stop buying bonds. In other words, we knew a paradoxical reaction was a possibility , even though past precedent is never a guarantee.  Beyond that, we also knew that rates were moving higher in anticipation of the Fed's eventual exit.  In fact, by last week, they'd already covered as much ground as they did in 2013. Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Started Flat, But Moved Lower During The Day
  Posted on Thursday November 04, 2021
  Mortgage rates  fell today as markets decompressed following yesterday's announcement from the Federal Reserve regarding the reduction of its bond buying efforts (aka "tapering").   Despite the proximity to Fed day, markets were more inspired by another central bank today: the Bank of England (BOE).   The BOE had its own policy announcement early this morning.  Unlike the Fed, there was broad disagreement about the BOE's course of action.  They ended up making the more rate-friendly decision and global bond markets reacted immediately.  Unsurprisingly, it was the British bond market that had the best day, but there's always a certain degree of correlation between UK and US lending rates.  As US sovereign debt yields fell, mortgage-backed b Continue Reading »
• Minimal Damage For Mortgage Rates Following Fed
  Posted on Wednesday November 03, 2021
  Mortgage rates  moved higher today after the Federal Reserve announced a reduction in its rate-friendly bond buying program.  Actually, to be fair, rates moved higher before  the Fed made that announcement, and largely for other reasons.  The biggest issue today was, in fact, a widely followed report on the service sector (ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI) which crushed its previous record high.  Bonds experienced additional volatility in the afternoon following the Fed announcement, but they were able to recover back to pre-Fed levels within 2 hours. The average mortgage lender began the day offering similar rates to those seen yesterday.  Several lenders responded to bond market weakness by raising rates slightly in the middle of the day.  The average b Continue Reading »
• Another Good Day For Rates, But Tomorrow is Anyone's Guess
  Posted on Tuesday November 02, 2021
  Mortgage rates began the day moderately lower compared to yesterday's latest levels.  The size of the move depends on the time of day in question due to intraday movement in the bond market.  Simply put, bonds improved steadily from the beginning of the day yesterday and ultimately peaked around 11am today.  In general, bond market improvement correlates with lower rates. The first effect of this 2-day move was for the average lender to offer mid-day improvements yesterday.  Those who did (a vast majority) were still able to offer even lower rates this morning.  Lenders who did NOT offer mid day improvements yesterday made even bigger leaps toward lower rates.  When the dust cleared, the peak to trough move accounted for almost an eighth of a percent Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Catch Up To Last Week's Market Movement (That's a Good Thing)
  Posted on Monday November 01, 2021
  Mortgage rates moved moderately lower today despite an absence of significant movement in the bond market.  In general, when bonds improve, rates fall (and vice versa), but it's not feasible for mortgage lenders to adjust their rates offerings in relative real-time as bonds can send massively mixed signals on any given day.   Last Friday was just such a day.  It began with bonds doing very poorly .  The weakness was in place before the average lender published their first rate sheet of the day, so mortgage rates started out higher.  As the day progressed, bonds improved enough for many lenders to make mid-day improvements to rates, but bonds suggested the improvements should have been bigger. That's where today came in.  Bonds began weaker yet a Continue Reading »
• Don't Fear The Taper
  Posted on Friday October 29, 2021
  For anyone following interest rates very closely in 2013, the taper tantrum is not easily forgotten. It describes the bond market's knee-jerk response to the realization that the Federal Reserve would be winding down its bond purchase program. With the Fed almost certain to make a similar announcement next Wednesday, should we be scared yet again? In a word: no .   Of course, we'll need to qualify that.  First off, whether or not we should be scared has little to do with whether or not the taper announcement will push rates higher.  Perhaps the better question--the one to which we can answer a more unqualified "no"--is as follows: Should we be afraid that next week's tapering announcement from the Fed will push rates higher?! There are a few reasons we can answe Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rate Mini-Winning Streak Comes to an End
  Posted on Thursday October 28, 2021
  Mortgage rates  finally ended this week's winning streak today.  In light of the general upward trend in rates over the past month, bond yields (which tend to correlate with mortgage rate movement) made it to surprisingly low levels as of yesterday afternoon.  Mortgage lenders responded by dropping rates to the best levels in nearly 2 weeks. Things changed today as bonds lost ground after the European Central Bank noted a still-decent outlook for the economy recovery and an earlier-than-expected outlook for ending its bond purchase program.  In general, a stronger economy hurts bonds and central bank purchases help. Then in the afternoon, a scheduled auction of 7yr US Treasuries was met with less enthusiastic demand compared to recent auctions.  The day Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Hold Steady Near Multi-Month Highs
  Posted on Wednesday October 20, 2021
  Mortgage rates  began moving off longer term lows in early August and that trend has continued ever since.  The September 22nd Fed Announcement (and press conference with Fed Chair Powell) served as a jumping-off point for additional volatility and upward momentum.  In contrast, October has generally seen rates rise at a more gradual pace.  On several occasions, they've merely held almost perfectly in line with the previous day's levels. Today is just such a day! There were no notable motivations for the underlying bond market today (bonds dictate interest rates).  As such, today's sideways momentum makes sense.  That said, it's worth mentioning that there are different versions of "sideways" when it comes to the financial market.  Today's versio Continue Reading »
• Highest Rates in Months
  Posted on Monday October 18, 2021
  Mortgage rates had a mixed showing last week.  They started out high before improving through Thursday.  Finally, they took a step back up on Friday.  Now at the start of the new week, the upward momentum is continuing.  The bond market was much weaker in overnight trading, and weaker bonds mean higher rates, all other things being equal.  Bonds hit their weakest levels just before the average mortgage lender released rates for the day.  As such, the average conventional 30yr fixed rate quote was the highest in roughly 4 months .   As the day progressed, bonds found their footing to some extent.  It was enough for most lenders to offer mid-day improvements to rates.  Keep in mind though, these improvements are generally small. Continue Reading »
• No, Mortgage Rates Are Not "Sharply Higher" This Week
  Posted on Thursday October 14, 2021
  Mortgage rates   fell today as a majority of lenders finally got caught up with the past few days of strength in the bond market.  Lenders rely on bonds--specifically mortgage-backed securities (MBS)--to determine where to set mortgage rates.  Bonds are constantly on the move, but lenders prefer to just set mortgage rates once per day, if possible.  As such, when volatility is higher and when rates have been rising more than falling, lenders tend to be more defensive.  In other words, they need to see more sustained improvement than normal before bringing rates back down. Today's improvement was the biggest of the week, and it brings the average conventional 30yr fixed quote well below those seen at the end of last week.  Even so, there are numerous Continue Reading »

Mortgage Daily News NewsLetter

• Mortgage Rates Surge Toward 8-Month Highs
  Posted on Friday May 15, 2026
  Mortgage rates are driven by bonds and the bond market hoped to see more evidence of shift toward peace during the 2-day Trump/Xi meeting in China. As soon as Trump got back on the plane to head home, bonds began tanking (i.e. jumping to higher yields). When bond yields spike, mortgage rates follow, and today is no exception. The average top-tier 30yr fixed rate is up to 6.62% this morning, right in line with levels seen on March 26th and 27th and the highest since August 1st. If there's a silver lining, it's that mortgage rates aren't higher. Much of the credit goes to the ramp in purchases of mortgage-backed debt by Fannie and Freddie. The more mortgage debt they buy, the better it is for mortgage rates relative to benchmarks like U.S. Treasuries. For instance, Treasuries are Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Move Moderately Lower
  Posted on Thursday May 14, 2026
  May continues to be a more volatile month than the bulk of April when it comes to day over day mortgage rate movement. While the average day has seen that volatility play out in favor of higher rates, today was thankfully the opposite.  Yesterday's latest levels left the average lender at 6 week highs with a top tier 30yr fixed rate of 6.57. The underlying bond market was already beginning to recover yesterday afternoon. Combined with additional, modest bond market improvement overnight, today's 30yr fixed rate fell to 6.52% on average. The Iran war remains the primary source of volatility for markets. Some analysts expect more traction on a peace deal to come out of Trump's meeting with Xi (which will continue into tomorrow). This is far from a given, but if it happens, it would al Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Officially at 6 Week Highs
  Posted on Wednesday May 13, 2026
  Mortgage rates rose somewhat sharply yesterday to match the highest level since March 27th. They're just a hair higher today, thus officially at 6-week highs.  Whereas yesterday's Consumer Price Index (CPI) didn't have an obviously negative impact on rates, today's Producer Price Index (PPI) did. Both are big inflation reports. CPI is typically much more likely to cause a reaction in rates, but PPI showed a much bigger surge in inflation this morning. Even then, the underlying bond market wasn't too much worse by the end of the day and the mortgage-specific bond market actually made a full recovery. But that recovery was too gradual and shallow for the average lender to adjust their rates today. That left our rate index 0.01% higher day over day at 6.57% for a top tier 30yr fixed. Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Match Highest Level Since March
  Posted on Tuesday May 12, 2026
  When the Iran war was in its initial escalation phase, the initial surge in markets took the top-tier 30yr fixed rate to 6.64% for the average lender by March 27th. Rates moved more than 0.30% lower by mid April as peace prospect improved.  The third phase of rate movement began in late April and has generally involved a jump back up toward 6.5% with the first 2 days of the present week accounting for a move from 6.42% to 6.56%. That matches the highest level seen since March 27th. Bonds yields (which underlie rates) have followed longer-term oil prices to their highest recent levels as Trump said the U.S. is not in a hurry to end the war.  [thirtyyearmortgagerates] Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Rising to Start New Week
  Posted on Monday May 11, 2026
  Last week was decidedly stronger for mortgage rates as they either held steady or moved lower on 5 out of 5 days. All told, it was a 0.14% drop from the previous week in terms of the average top-tier 30yr fixed rate.  The new week is starting out in opposite fashion with rates moving up 0.07% today alone. This follows news over the weekend that Trump rejected Iran's counterproposal to end the war. In general, the longer the war continues, the higher oil prices will remain.  Oil price don't dictate rates, but there's currently a lot of correlation due to inflation implications. Oil naturally impacts the cost to ship goods, so a rapid spike in oil prices increases inflation. Rates are based on bonds, and bonds hate inflation. In fact, inflation is technically a component of bond yie Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates End Week Slightly Lower
  Posted on Friday May 08, 2026
  Mortgage applications declined last week, reversing some of the prior period’s gains as rates climbed to their highest level in a month. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 4.4% decrease on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending May 1. The decline was broad-based, with both purchase and refinance activity moving lower. The Refinance Index fell 5% from the previous week but remained 29% higher than the same week one year ago. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 4% week over week and was still 5% above last year’s level. In the bigger picture, purchase apps remain closer to the highest levels of the past few years. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6.45% from 6.37%, marking the highest reading Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Erase Early Improvement
  Posted on Thursday May 07, 2026
  The day began on a fairly hopeful note for the mortgage market. During overnight trading hours, the bond market improved following a report regarding a peace framework sent to Iran by The U.S.  When bonds improve, rates fall, all else equal. The gains were modest, but they allowed the average lender to set their first rates of the day at slightly lower levels compared to yesterday. Lenders prefer a "one and done" strategy when it comes to setting mortgage rates for the day, but they will make mid-day changes if the underlying market moves enough. The underlying market began moving more than enough just before the noon hour. Most lenders were forced to recall their initial rate offerings and make upward adjustments. The net effect at the time of printing is that the average lender Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Make a More Serious Recovery
  Posted on Wednesday May 06, 2026
  Mortgage rates spiked sharply on Monday, hitting the highest levels in more than a month as escalation fears ramped up surrounding the Iran war. Yesterday technically saw some recovery, but it may as well have been an "unchanged" day. Now today, we're seeing a more legitimate recovery with the average lender back down to last Friday's levels. The move follows a drop in oil prices inspired by progress toward a peace agreement. News came out overnight that The U.S. and Iran were close to signing a one-page memo outlining a more formal peace agreement. While full details would take time to hammer out, this would effectively end the war. Oil prices and bond yields fell at their fastest pace since mid April. Bond yields correlate with interest rates (in fact, they ARE interest rates) Continue Reading »
• Mortgage Rates Edge Just Barely Lower
  Posted on Tuesday May 05, 2026
  One popular refrain in the mortgage industry is that rates take the escalator on the way up and the stairs on the way down. Yesterday was definitely an "escalator" sort of day with the average lender moving up 0.12% for a top-tier 30yr fixed rate. Based on improvement in the bond market, rates are lower today, but just barely. It's not so much that rates are taking the stairs down, but more like they're a small child, waiting at the top of the staircase--afraid to take that first step. Some lenders are not even lower compared to yesterday's levels. Others are only modestly better. The absence of better improvement is at least partly attributable to the slower movement in the underlying bond market. Specifically, today's bond rally (good for rates) is less than one third the size of Continue Reading »
• Highest Rates in More Than a Month
  Posted on Monday May 04, 2026
  Top-tier 30-year fixed rates are back above 6.5% today for the first time in more than a month for the average lender. Many lenders raised rates during the course of the day as well.  Those who didn't will likely have to raise rates tomorrow unless the underlying bond market makes a significant recovery overnight. Rates are driven by bonds and bonds are starting the week at higher yields in response to war-related developments. In general, escalation in the Iran war pushes bond yields higher by implying higher inflation via higher oil prices. Additionally, funding the war implies the need for more Treasury supply in the future as the U.S. issues debt to pay for the war. Higher supply leads to lower prices for bonds, and lower prices mean higher rates. Today's top-tier rate of 6.56% Continue Reading »

Mortgage Daily News Commentary

• Highest Yields in a Year After Trump/Xi Summit
  Posted on Friday May 15, 2026
  Far too many market participants were apparently hoping that some sort of positive news on the war would be somehow facilitated by the Trump/Xi summit over the past 2 days. But talks wrapped up in the overnight session with little to show for it. There was actually very little notable discussion about the war. Both parties want it to end, but China does not appear to be on the verge of taking action in that regard. Bonds began selling early in the overnight session and continued in the same direction into domestic hours. 10yr yields are the highest since May 2025 and MBS are down over half a point. Bonds also have considerations beyond simply following oil prices as the cost of the war continues to add up to more Treasury issuance and inflation expectations.  Continue Reading »
• Rally Reverses, Leaving Bonds Weaker in The Afternoon
  Posted on Thursday May 14, 2026
  Rally Reverses, Leaving Bonds Weaker in The Afternoon The day began with promise, but devolved into yet another disappointment. After being almost a quarter point higher at 10am, MBS slid to an eighth point loss by the close. 10yr yields were as low as 4.44% early but were as high as 4.48% in the final hour of trading. Just as frustrating as the weakness is the fact that there's no discrete scapegoat in the news or data. That said, oil prices were also moving higher during the bond sell-off. Given the absence of war-related headlines, some traders could be getting antsy due to a lack of progress in the first of Trump and Xi's 2 day meeting. Ahead of the event, there was some speculation that it would be a venue to announce a peace deal. ... Continue Reading »
• Stronger Start. Ho Hum Data
  Posted on Thursday May 14, 2026
  A recovery toward lower oil prices paved the way for the bond market to recover yesterday morning's weakness and the same theme continued in the overnight session. 8:30am econ data represented a modest risk of volatility, but with Jobless Claims slightly higher and Retail Sales right on target, there was almost no detectable trading response. With that, we head into the rest of the session with markets on the lookout for any meaningful war-related headlines. More than a few hot takes are expecting the Trump/Xi meeting to yield some sort of breakthrough with respect to the war, but it's probably best to be pleasantly surprised if it happens (rather than actually planning on it happening). Interesting bigger picture perspective: If we look past the covid-inspired volatility, Retail Sales have actually been in the same long-term trend that began after the 2008 financial crisis. Good to know: You may see mention of surging import prices attributed to the Iran war, and while it's true that petroleum import prices have spiked over the past 2 months, the initial pop in the chart happened in February and was attributable to capital goods and industrial materials. Also interesting is that ... Continue Reading »
• MBS Fully Recover After Initial Reaction to Inflation Data
  Posted on Wednesday May 13, 2026
  MBS Fully Recover After Initial Reaction to Inflation Data There's no question that this morning's PPI data hit the bond market. The volume spike was easily higher than that seen with yesterday's CPI and the market movement left nothing to the imagination. In the big picture, a few bps of weakness in bond yields isn't that alarming, but if we consider PPI isn't usually a big deal and that yields were already pushing recent highs, things begin looking more meaningful. Despite the initial reaction, bonds found their footing after 11:30am. 10yr yields made it almost all the way back to pre-data levels and MBS fared even better--ultimately turning green around 2pm.  Econ Data / Events ... Continue Reading »
• PPI Hit Even Harder Than CPI, But Damage is Minimal
  Posted on Wednesday May 13, 2026
  The Producer Price Index (PPI) is much more volatile and, on average, much less of a market mover than the Consumer Price Index (CPI), but occasionally, it swings for the fences. Today's release is a clear example with the monthly headline coming in at 1.5 vs 0.5 forecast. In annual terms, headline inflation is a whopping 6.0% versus a 4.9% forecast--up sharply from last month's 4.3% (itself upwardly revised from 4.0%). This is easily the most onerous spike since the pandemic. Even though PPI hit the market harder than CPI, that's not saying much. Bonds are only 2bps weaker at 10am ET--a testament to how little this data tends to matter. Continue Reading »
• Highest Yields in 10 Months on War Headlines and Auction Concessions
  Posted on Tuesday May 12, 2026
  Highest Yields in 10 Months on War Headlines and Auction Concessions Because CPI came out slightly higher today and because of its status as a bigger potential market mover, many rate watchers will assume that's the reason 10yr yields closed at their highest level since last July. But bond yields were actually lower in the first 40 minutes post-CPI. It wasn't until newswires cited Trump saying he's in no hurry to end the war that yields began spiking (and stocks began selling). It's also worth noting that yields were already up to 4.44% ahead of CPI and only moved 2bps higher by the close (i.e. not much intraday movement in the grand scheme). Could CPI have been a factor for some traders? Sure, but the majority of post-CPI volume suggests the data was largely taken in stride. ... Continue Reading »
• Slightly Hotter CPI No Problem For Bonds
  Posted on Tuesday May 12, 2026
  This morning's Consumer Price Index (CPI) came in slightly hotter than expected with core inflation running 2.8% annual vs 2.7% forecasts and overall inflation at 3.8% vs 3.7%. Bonds have traded both ways after the data, but after 20 minutes, yields were actually LOWER by a hair. What gives? We know traders are trading the data based on volume. The stalemate could have to do with core goods (a proxy for tariff-related inflation) moving lower. The Fed has called this category out as a prerequisite for considering rate cuts again. The rest of the data was less friendly but housing played an outsized role. This is actually better for the rate outlook because traders think housing will ultimately trend lower over time. That said, the non-housing metric (supercore, .454% monthly and 3.32% annually) remains far too high for a rate cut discussion to be on the table for the foreseeable future. Continue Reading »
• Over Before it Began
  Posted on Monday May 11, 2026
  Over Before it Began Monday proved to be a boring trading day despite the moderately big sell-off. Yields actually didn't move much during the domestic session. In fact, they didn't move during the overnight session either. Because the day's market-moving news happened on Sunday before trading began, it was instantly priced in at the open, and the rest of the day was spent drifting sideways to slightly weaker. Bonds ultimately underperformed their prevailing correlation with oil prices. We're not reading anything into this--especially in light of the Treasury auction cycle possibly adding some concessionary weakness.  Econ Data / Events ... Continue Reading »
• Weaker Start After Peace Deal Stalls
  Posted on Monday May 11, 2026
  Bonds are starting the day moderately weaker. The reasons are straightforward. Chief among them, Trump rejected Iran's counterproposal to end the war, calling it "totally unacceptable." In response, Iran's foreign minister said it will never bow to foreign pressure. Adding fuel to the fire, Netanyahu said the war was not over and there was "more work to be done."  When trading began late Sunday night, oil prices were roughly 5bps higher and 10yr yields rose 4bps to roughly 4.40%. Despite those losses, trading levels for both oil prices and bond yields remain lower than they were before last week's big rally on Wednesday morning. Continue Reading »
• Calm and Slightly Stronger, But Volatility Will be Back
  Posted on Friday May 08, 2026
  Calm and Slightly Stronger, But Volatility Will be Back Once or twice per week, the bond market manages to post a fairly calm trading day against the prevailing backdrop of generally higher volatility. Today was such a day. The most helpful catalyst was an absence of any major war-related headlines and associated oil price volatility. That said, it's a near certainty that war-related volatility will be back in the coming week.  Econ Data / Events Average earnings mm (Apr) 0.2% vs 0.3% ... Continue Reading »

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• April Housing Inflation Data Fills in The Dots That Went Missing During The Government Shutdown
  Posted on Friday May 15, 2026
  The Bureau of Labor Statistics released a highly technical research paper this week examining how the agency handled missing shelter inflation data during the October 2025 government funding lapse. The issue stemmed from the CPI’s housing survey, which was unable to collect rent data during the shutdown period. With no fresh survey results available, BLS relied on a “carry-forward” methodology that essentially treated rents as unchanged for the affected sample. That decision temporarily froze the CPI’s rent and owners’ equivalent rent (OER) indexes in October 2025, likely making shelter inflation appear somewhat cooler than it actually was for the next several months. In the new paper, BLS tested several alternative approaches to estimate what shelter inflation may have looked like under different assumptions. Every alternative method produced firmer rent and OER inflation readings than the official CPI figures published at the time. Depending on the methodology used, the research suggests shelter inflation may have been understated by roughly 0.3% to 0.6% on a year-over-year basis during the affected stretch. That may sound minor, but for markets closely tracking inflation and Fed policy expectations, a few tenths can matter. Still, BLS stressed that the distortion was ... Continue Reading »
• Servicer Retention Fell in Q1, But Remains at Multi-Year Highs
  Posted on Friday May 15, 2026
  Refinance activity continued to recover in the first quarter of 2026, but mortgage servicers retained a smaller share of borrowers despite the stronger lending environment, according to the latest ICE Mortgage Monitor. ICE estimated that roughly 585,000 first-lien refinances totaling $242 billion closed during the quarter, up from a revised 550,000 loans and $234 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025. Refinance volume more than doubled compared with the same period last year and reached its highest quarterly level since early 2022. Refinances accounted for nearly 44% of all mortgage originations in the first quarter, the highest share in four years. Rate-and-term refinances represented 60% of overall refinance activity, marking a five-year high as lower mortgage rates improved borrower incentive. Even with refinance activity gaining momentum, servicer retention weakened during the quarter. ICE reported that servicers retained 32% of refinancing borrowers, down from 35% in the prior quarter. Retention among rate-and-term refinances fell from 42% to 37% . It should certainly be noted that, although retention moved lower in the most recent quarter, overall levels ... Continue Reading »
• Existing-Home Sales Flat Year Over Year Despite Inventory Gains
  Posted on Friday May 15, 2026
  Existing-home sales edged slightly higher in April, stabilizing after March’s decline as improving affordability and increased inventory provided modest support for buyers. Sales increased 0.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million , matching the pace seen one year ago. “Despite mixed macroeconomic signals—including a record-high stock market and historically low consumer confidence—home sales were modestly boosted by the continued improvement in housing affordability,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. He also noted that mortgage rates remain lower than a year ago while income growth continues to outpace home price appreciation. Inventory continued to improve in April, though supply remains relatively constrained by historical standards. Total housing inventory climbed to 1.47 million units , up 5.8% from March and 1.4% higher than a year ago, representing a 4.4-month supply of homes. “Inventory still remains tight,” Yun said, adding that multiple offers are still occurring in some markets even as buyers take more time to make purchasing decisions. Home prices continued to move higher nationally, though appreciation remained relatively modest. The median existing-home price increased to $417,700 , up 0.9% year-over-year and marking the ... Continue Reading »
• Purchase Activity Lifts Mortgage Applications Despite Higher Rates
  Posted on Friday May 15, 2026
  Mortgage applications increased modestly last week, as stronger purchase activity more than offset a slight decline in refinances. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 1.7% increase in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending May 8. The gain was driven entirely by home purchase demand, which continued to show resilience despite mortgage rates remaining near recent highs. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 4% from the prior week and was 7% higher than the same week one year ago. Refinance activity, meanwhile, edged lower. The Refinance Index declined 1% week over week but remained 28% above year-ago levels. Even so, refinance share slipped to its lowest point since July 2025, reflecting the limited incentive for many borrowers to refinance at current rate levels. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased slightly to 6.46% from 6.45%, marking the highest level in five weeks. Despite the uptick, purchase demand improved across all major loan categories. Note: this data was collected before the rate spike at the end of the week (captured in MND's daily rate index) ... Continue Reading »
• Higher Rates Hit Mortgage Apps, But Only Modestly
  Posted on Friday May 08, 2026
  Mortgage applications declined last week, reversing some of the prior period’s gains as rates climbed to their highest level in a month. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 4.4% decrease on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending May 1. The decline was broad-based, with both purchase and refinance activity moving lower. The Refinance Index fell 5% from the previous week but remained 29% higher than the same week one year ago. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 4% week over week and was still 5% above last year’s level. In the bigger picture, purchase apps remain closer to the highest levels of the past few years. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6.45% from 6.37%, marking the highest reading in a month and weighing on overall application volume. Higher borrowing costs, driven in part by ongoing geopolitical tensions, continue to limit refinance incentives while creating some hesitation among prospective buyers. MBA’s Joel Kan said, " Mortgage rates last week increased to their highest level in a month... elevated rates and shrinking refinance incentives continued ... Continue Reading »
• 2-Month Glut of Data Brings New Home Sales Back to Center of The Range
  Posted on Friday May 08, 2026
  New home sales moved higher in March and February. Both months were reported on a single day this week as the Census Bureau continues catching up from the government shutdown.  After dropping to 587k in January, sales rose to 635k in February and 682k in March. This represents a solid bounce back into the center of the broadly sideways range that's been intact for the past 2 years.  For-sale inventory edged slightly lower to 481,000 , down 0.4% from February and 4.6% below year-ago levels. At the current sales pace, months’ supply fell to 8.5 months , down from 9.1 months in February and 9.2 months one year ago. The decline reflects a combination of stronger sales and modestly tighter inventory. Prices moved lower on both a monthly and annual basis. The median sales price declined to $387,400 (-5.3% MoM; -6.2% YoY), while the average price slipped to $503,100 (-3.4% MoM; -1.2% YoY). The continued softness in pricing suggests a shift in the mix of homes sold and ongoing pressure on affordability. Sales (MoM): +7.4% Sales (YoY): +3.3% ... Continue Reading »
• March Housing Starts Surge 10.8% as Permits Slide
  Posted on Thursday April 30, 2026
  Residential construction activity moved in opposite directions in March, as housing starts posted a strong rebound while building permits fell sharply from the previous month’s elevated pace. The latest Census Bureau report suggests builders accelerated new projects even as future pipeline activity softened. Privately owned housing starts rose 10.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.502 million , up from February’s revised 1.356 million pace. Starts were also 10.8% higher than March 2025 levels. Single-family starts increased 9.7% to 1.032 million, while multifamily starts (buildings with five units or more) came in at 446k. On the permitting side, activity pulled back notably. Total building permits fell 10.8% to an annual rate of 1.372 million , down from February’s revised 1.538 million pace and 7.4% below year-ago levels. Single-family permits declined 3.8% to 895k, while multifamily authorizations dropped to 427k. In general, there's no point in reading too much into month-to-month volatility in this data series. What's important is that there's been a decent, supportive floor of construction activity seen in 2024-2025 and a general upward trend since October, 2025. ... Continue Reading »
• Purchase Applications Rise Again Despite Higher Rates and Fewer Refis
  Posted on Thursday April 30, 2026
  Mortgage applications eased modestly last week, giving back a small portion of the prior week’s sharp gains as rates moved slightly higher. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 1.6% decrease on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending April 24. The pullback was driven by softer refinance demand, while purchase activity continued to improve. The Refinance Index fell 4% from the previous week but remained 51% higher than the same week one year ago. Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 1% week over week and stood 21% above last year’s level. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased slightly to 6.37% from 6.35%, contributing to the decline in refinance activity. Even so, steady inventory gains and resilient demand appear to be supporting buyers during the spring market. MBA’s Mike Fratantoni said, " Mortgage rates increased slightly last week, with the 30-year fixed rate rising to 6.37 percent... More notably, purchase application activity was more than 20 percent above last year’s pace... potential homebuyers certainly appear to be moving forward this spring and taking advantage of the more favorable ... Continue Reading »
• Home Prices Edge Higher, But Momentum Continues to Fade
  Posted on Thursday April 30, 2026
  Home price appreciation remained subdued in early 2026, according to the latest data from both FHFA and S&P Cotality Case-Shiller. The two reports show prices still edging higher nationally, but with momentum slowing further as affordability constraints and elevated mortgage rates continue to weigh on the market. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted House Price Index was unchanged in February from the prior month, following an upwardly revised 0.2% gain in January . On an annual basis, prices were up 1.7% versus February 2025, slightly below the pace seen in prior months and consistent with a cooling appreciation trend. Regional FHFA data showed continued divergence across the country. Monthly price changes ranged from -1.1% in the Mountain division to +0.6% in the South Atlantic division. Over the past year, appreciation ranged from -0.7% in the Mountain region to +4.2% in the Middle Atlantic, highlighting a growing split between softer Western markets and firmer Northeastern areas. The S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index posted a 0.7% year-over-year gain in February, down from 0.8% previously and marking another step lower in ... Continue Reading »
• Same Old Story For Pending Home Sales
  Posted on Friday April 24, 2026
  Short version: The Pending Home Sales Index remains in the same low, narrow, sideways range that's been intact for 3 years. The good news is that there's been a reliable floor. The bad news is that the top of the range lines up with the historic lows seen in 2010 (April 2020 notwithstanding).  Longer version: Pending home sales moved modestly higher in March, breaking from recent softness but remaining within a relatively subdued range. The National Association of Realtors’ Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) increased 1.5% month over month while declining 1.1% compared with the same time last year. The monthly gain suggests some underlying demand resilience, even as mortgage rates remained elevated. However, on an annual basis, contract activity continues to reflect a market still working through affordability constraints and uneven buyer participation. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun noted that, " Contract signings rose in March despite higher mortgage rates, pointing to pent-up housing demand… A greater supply of inventory will help translate that demand into more home sales. " He added that demand remains particularly rate-sensitive among first-time and younger buyers, underscoring the need ... Continue Reading »

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