Category Archives for "Mortgage Industry News"
The excitement of fall is palpable for sports enthusiasts as football, baseball, basketball, and hockey line up on TV screens, and finding golf and tennis is just a matter of searching. However, anyone dealing with condo lending or borrowing in Florida might face challenges, especially with Provident Funding pulling out, potentially making condo financing trickier than co-ops soon. As the year winds down, lenders and vendors are focused on preparing budgets for 2025, while holiday party invitations are being sent out and Costco begins stocking Valentine’s Day items. Intriguingly, Costco has also dipped into the housing sector by offering tiny houses, alongside playhouses and garden sheds, a product selection mirrored by Amazon.
Meanwhile, OptiFunder is enhancing the mortgage sector by providing a digital and automated solution that connects originators, warehouse lenders, and investors. Their Warehouse Management System is becoming a vital resource, funding a significant portion of the market’s loans. The Greyhound WMS offers a modern, flexible framework to cater to warehouse lenders’ distinct needs, offering a streamlined alternative to traditional platforms by enhancing connectivity and process automation. To explore these innovations, consider meeting the OptiFunder team at the MBA Annual or scheduling a Greyhound Demo, and for updates, you can
Continue readingA quiet and uneventful Friday unfolded in the bond market, with only minor changes observed. Overnight, bonds showed a slight decline but remained comfortably within the current yield range for the 10-year Treasury note, between 4.0 and 4.12%. By day’s end, yields modestly improved, reaching 4.063 at their lowest point and hovering there until closing. Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) recorded a tiny gain as well. This lack of significant movement aligns with the limited impact of the day’s economic data, which included residential construction figures that have not influenced markets in over ten years. As a result, the focus shifts to upcoming economic reports, with the next significant data release set for Thursday.
Key Economic Data:
– Housing Starts: 1.354 million, slightly below the forecast of 1.350 million but close to the previous figure of 1.356 million.
– Building Permits: 1.428 million, underperforming compared to the forecast of 1.46 million and the prior measurement of 1.47 million.
Market Recap:
– At 10:05 AM, the market experienced minimal change overnight, moving towards slight gains. MBS increased by 3 ticks (0
Continue readingMortgage rates have remained relatively stable lately, showing little variation from day to day after a significant increase spurred by the jobs report earlier this month. This upward movement plateaued on Monday, the 7th, and since then, the 30-year fixed-rate average hasn’t fluctuated more than 0.06%. Typically, a move is considered noteworthy only if it’s at least double this size; for perspective, the jobs report caused rates to soar by 0.36%. Today marked the smallest rate change of the week, with Friday’s average perfectly aligning with Thursday’s, and just 0.04% higher than the latest figures from last Friday. Essentially, today continued a trend of minimal variation in an already stable week. However, this calmness is poised to shift—you just have to wonder by how much and when. Most likely, the next significant rate change will happen between November 1st and November 6th due to an intersection of major events like a new jobs report, presidential election, and a Federal Reserve rate decision. Although the specific outcomes of these events are uncertain, they hold the potential to significantly impact mortgage rates in either direction.
Continue readingA while back, I parked my car near a government building in Sacramento, only to be told by a police officer that parking wasn’t allowed because politicians worked there. I jokingly assured him that my car was secure. Fast forward to the Banner Bank sales conference in Vancouver, where someone remarked that without the presidential election or issues concerning Israel, mainstream media would have little to discuss. Gone are the days when election results were clear by the next morning, with legal proceedings often required to determine the outcome now. In today’s podcast sponsored by Aidium, listeners can learn about Aidium’s AI Lead Prioritization. This tool uses AI to analyze extensive consumer behavior data and your CRM data, enabling better lead readiness prediction. Additionally, Brian Vieaux from Finlocker discusses the advantages of outsourcing, which can transform fixed costs into variable ones across market cycles.
Turning to marketing tools for lenders and brokers, nobody enjoys lengthy training for marketing software. To tackle this, Aduvo has developed a seamless marketing automation system that uncovers potential opportunities within your database, helping convert them into finalized loans. Aduvo streamlines mortgage marketing by providing only essential tools and offers fresh marketing content and loan updates to your clients, keeping them engaged. Unlike other systems, Aduvo is easy to
Continue readingThe recent downturn in the bond market isn’t surprising; it’s driven by logical factors. Besides some questions surrounding the election and the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting, economic data is the main influencer, even guiding the Fed’s decisions. Thursday saw the release of key economic reports that exceeded expectations, leading to a predictable decline in bond value. Today, in contrast, lacks major economic data releases, giving bonds no immediate reason to suffer further losses.
Regarding the notion of “no data today,” it’s important to note that despite the release of Housing Starts and Building Permits, these figures have had a minimal effect on the bond market for over a decade. It would take a significant housing market crisis to change their impact, and even then, other housing metrics would likely have a more substantial influence.
Continue readingSignificant Sell-Off Emerges, Yet Last Week’s Boundaries Hold Steady
Today brought a trio of challenging economic updates that pressured bonds, with slightly stronger Retail Sales leading the way. Unpleasant contributions also came from Jobless Claims and the Philly Fed report. In the data lean period between monthly employment reports, certain days offer opportunities for market shifts, and today was such a day. The 10-year yield experienced an 8 basis point increase, signaling a significant sell-off. Nonetheless, the yields remain below last week’s peak, providing some reassurance that the market might still rally if subsequent data reveal weaknesses.
Economic Data and Events
Philly Fed: 10.3 compared to a forecast of 3.0
Retail Sales: 0.4 versus a predicted 0.3
Jobless Claims: 241,000 against an expected 260,000
Industrial Production: -0.3 compared to -0.2 forecasted, previous at 0.3
Builder Confidence: 43 versus a 42 forecast, previous at 41
Market Movement Overview
08:52 AM: Markets showed modest weakness overnight, with further declines after data releases. MBS fell by 6 ticks (.19), and the
Continue readingMortgage rates are influenced by the bond market, which often reacts to economic data. Traders had been anticipating Thursday’s economic reports since there had been no significant data releases in the preceding week. The market attempts to adjust in advance based on forecasts generated by economists. As such, the bond market generally incorporates these forecasts well before the actual data is published. When the reports are finally released, the market responds to any discrepancies from these expectations.
This morning, three crucial reports exceeded predictions. Jobless claims fell to 241,000 for the week, compared to the anticipated 260,000 and last week’s figure of 260,000. The Philly Fed Business Outlook Survey rose to 10.3, outperforming the predicted 3.0 and the previous figure of 1.7. Retail sales saw an increase of 0.4%, surpassing the forecast of 0.3% and the prior report’s 0.1%.
Following the data release at 8:30 AM ET, the bond market experienced a decline, leading to a drop in bond prices and a rise in yields, effectively increasing rates. Mortgage lenders adjust their daily rates based on these bond trading levels, which resulted in average mortgage rates nearing their highest recent levels
Continue readingSince last Thursday’s economic data didn’t shake up the financial markets as anticipated, we have been waiting for today to offer any significant data-driven market volatility. Market fluctuations can swing in either direction depending on the data. Unfortunately for the bond market, this morning saw three stronger-than-expected economic reports. As a result, bond yields reacted as expected by quickly climbing back toward the highs seen last week. It might be seen as a small success that yields are still several basis points below last week’s peak, suggesting that today’s data is not as significant as the upcoming jobs report.
Continue readingToday marks what would have been the 65th birthday of comedian Norm Macdonald. While this may be a moment for reflection, another pressing concern is the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to cause around $36 billion in insurance claims due to damage from wind, storm surges, and flooding, following closely behind Hurricane Helene’s $19 billion impact. Altogether, these two natural disasters amount to $55 billion in claims. It’s unclear just how much insurance companies have reaped in premiums in these regions since the previous major loss. In the world of finance, it’s crucial to pinpoint where funds are being allocated to maximize returns or simply to stay afloat. Freddie Mac has recently released a report on the cost of originating loans, which is worth a look to better understand current lending economics. On another note, the former head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Mark Calabria, is being interviewed today, likely discussing potential election-related changes affecting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Calabria, known for his efforts to draw Fannie and Freddie away from government conservatorship, left a significant legacy in housing finance policy. For those interested, today’s podcast, sponsored by Aidium, is available online. Aidium’s AI Lead Prior
Continue readingThursday holds the highest potential for market fluctuations this week, with mortgage rates and MBS reflecting a mostly stable trend despite a minor increase in Treasury yields towards the end of last week. Last Thursday’s data had the opportunity to create momentum but didn’t quite impact the market significantly. This Thursday, key economic data releases, especially Retail Sales, will be in the spotlight. The market’s reaction will largely depend on whether the actual numbers significantly deviate from expectations. As usual, the current market prices already factor in median forecasts, making any particular outcome’s likelihood uncertain. Though the upcoming data isn’t as impactful as major reports like the jobs report or events scheduled for early November, it remains the most critical release for this week.
Market Movement Recap
08:51 AM: The market showed initial strength overnight but began to slide somewhat in early trading. MBS remained stable, and the 10yr Treasury yield dropped by 1.1 basis points to 4.022%.
12:34 PM: Modest gains observed by midday. MBS increased by 2 ticks (0.06), and the 10yr yield decreased by 2.3 basis points to 4.01%.
03:19 PM: Trading remained largely flat. MBS rose
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