Stephen Cunningham

🏡 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗽: 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 👎
Rates moved slightly higher last week when strong economic and labor data made it less likely the Fed will need to cut rates until later in the year, and will likely cut rates less than the three times that was recently projected at the last Fed meeting.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲👎
Rates are more likely to creep higher this week, especially if the inflation data is disappointing, as markets adjust to the idea that the Fed may hold off on any rate cuts until much later in the year.

🗓️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸:
- Economic data: This week brings important inflation data, which is not likely to be too helpful to mortgage rates. Although economists are projecting a small improvement in inflation, it would take a surprisingly low reading to help rates to rally, and that is unlikely to happen.
- The Fed: Markets are starting to bet on only two Fed rate cuts this year as Fed officials continue to say that the strong economy and labor market along with stubborn inflation make it too early to even consider cutting rates. The Fed will only need to consider cutting rates if we see signs of a weakening economy and a softening labor market that needs stimulus.

🏡 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟭𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗽: 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 👎
Mortgage rates moved quite a bit higher last week, giving up all of the gains seen earlier in March. Rates moved higher due to hotter inflation and strong economic data that make it much less likely the Fed will need to cut rates anytime soon.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 ⚠️
This week has the potential to open the door for rates to move even higher, or to settle back down a bit, depending on how Wednesday's Fed meeting and press conference play out.

🗓️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸:
- Fed meeting: Wednesday at 2pm ET, the Fed is expected to leave policy rates unchanged, but will signal what may come at future meetings in its policy statement.
- Fed rate forecasts: At this meeting, Fed members will make their anonymous forecasts for where policy rates will end this year and the next few years. The last projection was for three Fed rate cuts in 2024, and if that falls to two cuts it could pressure mortgage rates higher.
- Powell press conference: Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference at 2:30pm ET Wednesday is likely to cause volatility in mortgage rates, causing lender repricing and setting the direction for rates over the next few weeks.

🏡 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟭𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗽: 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 👍
Mortgage rates remained unchanged for much of last week, moving lower Thursday and Friday on economic and labor market data. Although more jobs were created last month than expected, prior months were revised to have less jobs created than originally reported, with higher unemployment and lower wages in February.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁: 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 ⚠️
This week has a few rate moving reports, with Tuesday's inflation data being the biggest. If you are in process with a mortgage application, you may want to talk with your mortgage pro about locking Monday ahead of this data. There is less risk for loans closing April or later.

🗓️ 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸:
- Inflation data: Tuesday AM brings the CPI inflation data, and traders anticipating it could come in showing inflation continued to heat up in February. Last month's report showed hotter inflation, and mortgage rates moved higher and didn't fall again for three weeks. Thursday brings wholesale inflation, which has much less effect on rates.
- Other economic data: Thursday and Friday bring other economic reports like consumer sentiment and retail sales that could influence mortgage rates to end the week.