It’s a double whammy for would-be homebuyers. Not only are interest rates soaring, it’s getting harder to qualify for a loan. The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage climbed over 7% at the end of last week, according to Mortgage News Daily, and is expected to hit around 7.125% on Tuesday. It’s been over 7% for several days.
The Bank of England on Tuesday announced an expansion of its emergency bond-buying operation as it looks to restore order to the country’s chaotic bond market. The central bank said it will widen its purchases of U.K. government bonds — known as gilts — to include index-linked gilts from Oct. 11 until Oct. 14. Index-linked gilts are bonds where payouts to bondholders are benchmarked in line with the U.K. retail price index.
In a market environment where the only hope left is a central bank pivot away from rate hikes and back to QE, any slight detour by any central bank in the west is now put under a microscope with excitement as if stocks are about to be saved. The Bank of England’s minimal intervention in long term gilt purchases to stave off a collapse in the UK pension system recently had investors buzzing with dreams that this was the beginning of a pivot by other central banks back to stimulus. This is not the case.
Newsfeed: No Pivot? BOE Says Rate Hikes Will Continue – Inflation Must Be Stopped Read More »
The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note climbed on Wednesday after two straight days of declines, as economic data failed to reinforce recent hopes the U.S. Federal Reserve might pivot to a less hawkish policy stance.
Newsfeed: TREASURIES-U.S. yields rise as Fed pivot hopes fade Read More »
A group of some of the world’s most powerful oil producers on Wednesday agreed to impose deep output cuts, seeking to spur a recovery in crude prices despite calls from the U.S. to pump more to help the global economy.
Saudi Arabia has agreed to cut its production for November by 526,000 bpd, from its current quota of 11.004 million bpd, according to data provided by OPEC following its Wednesday meeting to set new production targets.
Newsfeed: Saudi Arabia, Russia To Cut 1.05 Million Bpd In November Read More »
Mortgage applications on Wednesday became the latest sign showing how hard rates are hitting housing. And it could get worse.
Newsfeed: Housing ‘brought to its knees by the Federal Reserve,’ expert says Read More »
The pace of mortgage applications has fallen to a multi-decade low amid high housing interest rates, according to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).
Newsfeed: Mortgage Application Pace Plunges To 25-Year Low As Housing Recession Deepens Read More »
Ahead of Friday’s big number, and following last month’s dismal print (under its new model regime) which dramatically under-predicted the payrolls print in August, ADP was expected to show a modest uptick in September of 200k jobs. The actual print came in at +208k jobs but most notably, the +132k print from August was revised drastically higher to +185k…
A rising real wage allows workers to improve their standard of living. However, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that “… vast numbers of Americans find their cost of living is rising faster than the income they’re bringing home.”
Newsfeed: More Workers Find Their Wages Falling Even Further Behind Inflation Read More »