Mortgage Rates

Last week’s economic reporting included readings on inflation and consumer sentiment along with weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims. Inflation Rate Unchanged in July According to the government’s Consumer Price Index, month-to-month inflation did not rise in July as compared to June’s reading of 1.30 percent growth. Analysts expected a reading of 0.20 percent inflationary growth. Inflation rose by 8.50 percent year-over-year against expectations of 8.70 percent year-over-year growth and June’s year-over-year inflationary growth of 9.10 percent. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and fuel sectors, rose by 0.30 percent month-to-month in July. Analysts expected a core inflation…

Last week’s economic reports included readings on construction spending, government reports on jobs, and the national unemployment rate. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. Commerce Department Reports Construction Spending Rose in May The U.S. Commerce Department initially reported less construction spending in May but revised its reading of $1.780 trillion to show that spending rose by 0.10 percent in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.782 trillion. Analysts expected construction spending to rise by 0.40 percent month-to-month as compared to April’s reading of  0.10 percent growth. Construction spending grew by 8.30 percent year-over-year.…

Last week’s economic news included reporting on home builder confidence in national and regional housing markets, a post-meeting statement from the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s news conference. The National Association of Home Builders released its national and regional housing market indices. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also published. NAHB Housing Market Indices Reflect Slowing Growth in Housing Markets June readings from the National Association of Home Builders showed slower growth in builder confidence in current and future U.S. housing markets. The NAHB reported the lowest reading in two years…

Last week’s economic reporting included readings on new and pending home sales, minutes from the Federal Reserve's recent Federal Open Market Committee meeting, and data on inflation. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. New and Pending Home Sales Fall The annual pace of new home sales fell in April according to the Commerce Department. Year-over-year sales of new homes fell to a pace of 591,000 sales as compared to the March reading of 709,000 sales of new homes. Analysts expected a year-over-year pace of 750,000 new home sales in April. Rising home prices and mortgage…

Last week’s economic reporting included readings and forecasts on inflation and the University of Michigan’s preliminary consumer sentiment survey. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. Inflation Reports: Mixed Results for April Commerce Department readings on consumer inflation showed mixed results in April; the Consumer Price Index dropped to 0.30 percent growth from the March reading of 1.20 percent inflation. Analysts expected 0.30 percent growth from March to April. The Core Consumer Price Index, which excludes volatile food and fuel sectors, rose by 0.60 percent in April as compared to the March reading of 0.30 percent…

Last week’s economic reporting included readings from S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index, and the Commerce Department on sales of new homes. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also reported. S&P Case-Shiller, FHFA Report Near-Record Home Price Growth February home prices continued their rapid growth, but analysts hinted at a coming slowdown in-home price growth as would-be buyers were faced with rising mortgage rates and affordability concerns. S&P Case-Shiller’s National Home Price Index reported year-over-year home price growth of 19.80 percent as compared to January’s national home price growth rate of…

Last week’s economic reporting included readings on monthly and year-over-year inflation and the preliminary reading on consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. Gas Prices Drive High Inflation in March Consumers felt near-record pain at the pump in March as gas prices continued to rise. Month-to-month inflation increased by 1.20 percent in March as compared to February’s month-to-month inflation rate of 0.80 percent. Analysts expected inflation to rise by 1.10 percent in March. The extent of rapidly rising gasoline prices on inflation is evident when comparing readings for the…

Last week’s economic news included remarks given by Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainard and the release of the minutes of the most recent meeting of the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released. Federal Reserve Leaders Prepared to Address Inflation Lael Brainard, a Governor of the Federal Reserve Board, addressed the central bank’s concerns over rapidly rising inflation in her remarks made at a financial conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “Currently, inflation is much too high and is subject to upside risks. It is of paramount importance to get inflation down”…