Showing posts with label financial markets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label financial markets. Show all posts

Monday, June 8, 2020

Home Loans On The Increase For Six Consecutive Weeks

As the pandemic stay-at-home orders are now being lifted around the United States, more and more people are looking to purchase a home. The mortgage rates have now dropped even more since the pandemic hit at the beginning of 2020.

The 10-year Treasury yield has consistently lead the mortgage rates but this has not been the case since the coronavirus has produced an economic downturn. The unpredictable economy has fueled
unpredictable mortgage rates. On a good note, the parallel between mortgage rates and bond yields is improving.

“Financial volatility has notably decreased in recent weeks, resulting in steady improvements in the stock market, and more predictable — albeit modest — movements in bond markets,” Zillow ZG, 1.50% economist Matthew Speakman said. “The eased strains in financial markets have also resulted in mortgage rates remaining fairly flat in the last couple of weeks and are generally calmer following the turmoil experienced in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak.”

The end of May has shown “the lowest level since Freddie Mac began tracking this data starting in 1971.” Freddie Mac reported the week ending May 28 the average 30-year fixed-rate was 3.15%, a drop of nine basis points from the week before. This will make the third report in a row that has shown historical low-interest rates. The 15-year fixed-rate also dropped to 2.62% which was a drop in eight basis points.

Homebuyers are ready to buy and are looking to purchase a home in the next several months. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, the amount of mortgage applications has been on the rise making the volume of purchase loans up 54% from early spring. This is a great time to purchase a home and sales should see a rebound from the pandemic.

Click Here For the Source of the Information.

Monday, March 30, 2020

Fed Supports A Smooth Market

The Federal Reserve will address the strains in the market for Treasury securities and agency mortgage-backed securities. The Fed wants to ensure a positive flow of credit to residents and businesses throughout the country.

During their announcement, they revealed they would “purchase at least $500 billion of Treasury securities and at least $200 billion of mortgage-backed securities.” The Feds also proposed an
establishment of a Main Street Business Lending Program that will support lending to qualifying small and medium-sized businesses.

“The Fed’s action represents an open-ended and unlimited expansion of quantitative easing to control interest rates,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “The central bank’s role of lender of last resort has been expanded to be buyer of last resort in order to support liquidity and the operation of financial markets. The Fed clearly intends to use its full powers to support the economy during an extremely disruptive phase.”

During this time, the central bank will take many steps to see this plan to fruition. They will establish new programs that will support the flow of credit to consumers, employers and businesses in the US. They will provide $300 billion in new financing and the Department of the Treasury will use the Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF) to provide $30 billion.

There will be three facilities in total. They will create the Primary Market Corporate Credit Facility (PMCCF) which will support new bond and loan issuance. The Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility (SMCCF) will supply liquidity for outstanding corporate bonds. The third will be called the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) which will support the flow of credit to consumers and businesses. This third facility will issue ABS (asset-backed securities) that are supported by student loans, auto loans, credit card loans, SBA (Small Business Administration and other established assets.

“The Federal Reserve is committed to use its full range of tools to support the U.S. economy in this challenging time and thereby promote its maximum employment and price stability goals,” as stated in a press statement on the Federal Reserve website.

Click Here For the Source of the Information.