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Compliments of

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors

Phone: 610.834.8700

600 W. Germantown Pike | Suite 270

Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

 

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors is a licensed mortgage lender by the PA Department of Banking & Securities, NJ Department of Banking and Insurance, the State of DE and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. NMLS #128570.

       

 
 

Fed Meeting and North Korea

 
Wednesday's Fed meeting was viewed as mildly negative for mortgage rates. Threats from North Korea on Friday were slightly positive. As a result, mortgage rates ended the week with little change.
 
For investors, the most notable information from the Fed meeting was that a rapid pace of raising the federal funds rate received support from more Fed officials than expected. Roughly 75% of Fed officials forecasted one more rate hike this year and three rate hikes in 2018. This news caused mortgage rates to rise.
 
In the years following the financial crisis, the Fed sought to drive longer-term interest rates lower and stimulate the economy by purchasing enormous quantities of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities (MBS). While there is broad agreement that those goals were achieved, the purchases left the Fed with massive holdings of these securities. On Wednesday, the Fed said that it is going to gradually shrink its balance sheet beginning in October. Investors had been expecting this announcement at this meeting, so there was little reaction.
 
On Friday, North Korea threatened to detonate a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean. Investors reacted to this by shifting to relatively safer assets, including MBS. The increased demand for MBS caused mortgage rates to decline a little. 
 

In August, single-family housing starts rose from July. The streak of strong readings seen over the last three months may be at risk, however, as the effects of the hurricanes will be seen in coming months. According to the Commerce Department, about 13% of home construction takes place in regions in Texas and Florida that were affected by the recent hurricanes. 

 
Looking ahead, New Home Sales will be released on Tuesday and Pending Home Sales on Wednesday. Durable Orders, an important indicator of economic activity, also will come out on Wednesday. The core PCE price index, the inflation indicator favored by the Fed, will be released on Friday. In addition, there will be Fed speakers every day next week including a speech by Fed Chair Janet Yellen on Tuesday.
 
 
All material Copyright © Ress No. 1, LTD (DBA MBSQuoteline) and may not be reproduced without permission.
 
 

 
 

Compliments of

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors

Phone: 610.834.8700

600 W. Germantown Pike | Suite 270

Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

 

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors is a licensed mortgage lender by the PA Department of Banking & Securities, NJ Department of Banking and Insurance, the State of DE and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. NMLS #128570.

       

 
 

Hurricane Effects

 
Early in the week, good news regarding North Korea impacted mortgage rates. The economic data caused little reaction. Mortgage rates ended the week higher, up from the best levels of the year.
 
In recent weeks, investors have reacted to news about North Korea in the expected fashion. Each time North Korea has conducted a missile test, investors have shifted to relatively safer assets, including mortgage-backed securities (MBS). The added demand has been positive for mortgage rates. As the North Korean government celebrated its 69th anniversary last weekend, many investors had expected another missile test. When this did not occur, investors took the reverse action on Monday. They added riskier assets to their portfolios, which was negative for MBS and mortgage rates. On Friday, however, investors broke from the recent trend and showed surprisingly little reaction to another missile launch.
 

Two big economic reports released on Friday fell well short of the expected levels. Retail sales in August fell 0.2% from July, below the consensus for a small increase. Auto sales dropped sharply from July, partly due Hurricane Harvey. Estimates of vehicles destroyed by the storm are around 300,000, though, which should boost auto sales in coming months. 

 
Industrial production posted a much bigger miss with a decline of 0.9% from July, well below the consensus for a small increase. However, the Federal Reserve attributed nearly all of the drop to the effects of the hurricane, so there was little market impact. 
 
It is difficult to know what effects the hurricanes will have on economic activity. Some areas will look weak now due to the storms, but the rebuilding efforts will boost activity in the future. As a result, investors likely will not react much to individual reports for some time. Instead, they will look at the results over a longer time frame to try to judge the underlying strength of the economy.
 
 
 
Looking ahead, the next Fed meeting will take place on Wednesday. Investors widely expect the Fed to announce that it will begin to reduce the quantity of Treasury and mortgage securities on its balance sheet. In addition, Housing Starts will be released on Tuesday and Existing Home Sales on Wednesday.
 
 
All material Copyright © Ress No. 1, LTD (DBA MBSQuoteline) and may not be reproduced without permission.
 
 
 

 
 

Compliments of

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors

Phone: 610.834.8700

600 W. Germantown Pike | Suite 270

Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

 

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors is a licensed mortgage lender by the PA Department of Banking & Securities, NJ Department of Banking and Insurance, the State of DE and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. NMLS #128570.

       

 
 

Geopolitical Events

 
An increase in tensions with North Korea was positive for mortgage rates early in the week. Political headlines then caused some volatility later in the week, but the net impact was small. At Thursday's meeting, the European Central Bank (ECB) essentially postponed a discussion about tapering its bond buying program until its next meeting, so there was little reaction. The net effect was that mortgage rates reached the best levels of the year.
 
Geopolitical events were the primary influence on mortgage rates over the past week. On Sunday, North Korea conducted its most powerful missile test yet. Once again, the reaction from investors to the increase in tensions was to buy relatively safer assets such as U.S. mortgage-backed securities (MBS). The added demand for MBS caused mortgage rates to decline. Later in the week, mortgage rates rose and then fell based on shifting prospects for a plan to extend the debt ceiling. Increases in uncertainty about the debt ceiling have been good for mortgage rates. Conversely, when signs of progress on a plan have appeared, it has been negative for rates. 
 

 

The effects of Hurricane Harvey were evident in the latest report on Jobless Claims which is released every Thursday. After holding very steady at levels near 240,000 for the last couple of months, claims jumped to 298,000 this week. This was the highest level since April 2015. It also was the largest weekly increase since 2012.

 

 
 
 
Looking ahead, the JOLTS report, which measures job openings and labor turnover rates, will be released on Tuesday. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) will come out on Thursday. CPI is a widely followed monthly inflation report that looks at the price change for goods and services which are purchased by consumers. Retail Sales will be released on Friday. Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of economic activity in the U.S., and the retail sales data is a key indicator. In addition, there will be Treasury auctions on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Headlines about the debt ceiling also could cause volatility in mortgage rates again.
 
 
All material Copyright © Ress No. 1, LTD (DBA MBSQuoteline) and may not be reproduced without permission.
 
 
 

 
 

Compliments of

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors

Phone: 610.834.8700

600 W. Germantown Pike | Suite 270

Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

 

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors is a licensed mortgage lender by the PA Department of Banking & Securities, NJ Department of Banking and Insurance, the State of DE and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. NMLS #128570.

       

 
 

Low Inflation

 
Low inflation and rising tensions with North Korea were good for mortgage rates this week, while strong labor market data was negative. The net effect was that mortgage rates ended the week a little lower, near the best levels of the year.
 

Fed officials are hoping for inflation to rise, but the recent data has not cooperated. On Friday, the core consumer price index (CPI), a widely followed indicator, revealed that inflation in July was just 1.7% higher than a year ago, which was the same annual rate as last month. Just a few months ago, the annual rate was 2.2%.

 
The recent trend in inflation has been good for mortgage rates, and it could slow the pace of monetary tightening by the Fed. Earlier in the week, the Fed's Evans said that December is the earliest that the Fed should consider another federal funds rate hike and that if inflation remains weak they could put off another rate hike "until later." 
 
Concerns about the threat posed by North Korea increased this week. Investors reacted by shifting from riskier assets such as stocks to relatively safer assets such as bonds. Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) were one beneficiary of this flight to safety. The added demand raised MBS prices, which was good for mortgage rates.
 
Tuesday's JOLTS report revealed job openings and labor turnover rates for June. While labor turnover rates were little changed, job openings unexpectedly surged to 6.2 million, which was a record high. A greater number of unfilled positions is viewed as a sign of strength for the labor market, so this data was good news for the economy. Stronger economic activity raises expectations for future inflation, however, so this report was negative for mortgage rates.
 
 
 
Looking ahead, Retail Sales will be released on Tuesday. Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of economic activity in the U.S., and the retail sales data is a key indicator. Housing Starts will come out on Wednesday. Industrial Production, an important indicator of economic activity, will be released on Thursday. In addition, the Minutes from the July 25 European Central Bank Meeting will come out on Thursday and could influence U.S. markets. News about North Korea could affect mortgage rates as well.
 
 
All material Copyright © Ress No. 1, LTD (DBA MBSQuoteline) and may not be reproduced without permission.
 
 
 

 
 

Compliments of

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors

Phone: 610.834.8700

600 W. Germantown Pike | Suite 270

Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

 

Philadelphia Mortgage Advisors is a licensed mortgage lender by the PA Department of Banking & Securities, NJ Department of Banking and Insurance, the State of DE and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. NMLS #128570.

       

 
 

Fed to Act "Relatively Soon"

 
This week's Fed meeting caused some volatility but had almost no net effect on mortgage rates. The economic data caused little reaction. Mortgage rates ended the week very slightly higher.
 
The statement released on Wednesday following the conclusion of the Fed meeting contained little new guidance about future policy. According to the statement, officials expect to begin to scale back (taper) the Fed's holdings of Treasury and mortgage securities "relatively soon." Many investors think that the Fed will announce the tapering at the next meeting on September 20. As expected, the Fed made no change in the federal funds rate. Officials provided little indication that the low inflation readings seen in recent months have altered their outlook for the pace of future rate hikes. 
 

On Friday, the first reading for second quarter gross domestic product (GDP), the broadest measure of economic activity, was 2.6%, which was very close to the consensus forecast. First quarter GDP was revised lower to 1.2% from 1.4%. During the second quarter, strength was seen in the key areas of consumer spending and business investment.

 
The large improvement during the second quarter was great news for the economy. However, since it was right on target with the expected levels, there was little market reaction.
 
Monday's report on home sales activity showed that little has changed over the last few months. In June, sales of existing homes were at roughly the same level as in April and May. They were slightly higher than a year ago. The inventory of existing homes for sale was at just a 4.3-month supply and was 7% lower than a year ago. The median existing-home price was 7% higher than a year ago. 
 
 
 
Looking ahead, the important monthly Employment report will be released on Friday. As usual, this data on the number of jobs, the unemployment rate, and wage inflation will be the most highly anticipated economic data of the month. Before that, the ISM national manufacturing index and the Core PCE price index, the inflation indicator favored by the Fed, will be released on Tuesday. The ISM national services index will come out on Thursday. 
 
 
All material Copyright © Ress No. 1, LTD (DBA MBSQuoteline) and may not be reproduced without permission.
 
 
 

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