This week is packed with economic reports that may impact the direction of mortgage interest rates. Mortgage rates are based on mortgage backed securities (bonds). When the Fed minutes revealed hints that the FOMC may stop purchasing mortgage backed securities last week, mortgage rates ticked slightly higher. However Japan is hinting of buying US bonds, which is helping rates trend lower this morning.
Signs of inflation or the economy recovering may also cause mortgage rates to trend higher. Here are some of the economic indicators scheduled to be released this week:
- Mon, January 14: No scheduled data – however, Ben Bernanke is speaking this afternoon on monatary policy.
- Tue, January 15: Producer Price Index (PPI), Retail Sales and Empire State Index
- Wed, January 16: Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Beige Book
- Thurs, January 17: Initial Jobless Claims, Building Permits, Housing Starts and Philadelphia Fed Index
- Fri, January 18: UoM Consumer Sentiment Index
NOTE: Monday, January 21, 2012 our office will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day.
As I write this post (8:24 am pst) the DOW is up 5 at 13493 and MBS for the FNMA 30 year is up slightly.
If you would like a mortgage rate quote for your Washington state home, please click here. I’m happy to help!
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