Mortgage Rates Edge Higher

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The 10-year Treasury yield inched up in response to Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s speech last Friday then settled near last week’s average. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 3 basis points to 3.46 percent. Mortgage rates have hovered between 3.41 and 3.48 percent for the past ten weeks.

Mortgage Rates Little Changed

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A surprisingly strong July jobs report showed 255,000 jobs added and 0.3 percent wage growth from last month, exceeding many experts’ expectations. In response, the 10-Year Treasury yield rose to its highest level since June and the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased 2 basis points to 3.45 percent.

Mortgage Rates Fall Back Near 2016 Low

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Treasury yields fell last week, and mortgage rates, which had moved up 7 basis points over the past three weeks, responded by erasing most of those gains, falling 5 basis points to 3.43 percent this week for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. Mortgage rates have been below 3.5 percent every week since June 30. Borrowers are taking advantage of these low rates by refinancing.

Mortgage Rates Up Slightly

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The 10-year Treasury yield remained flat this week in anticipation of the Fed’s July policy meeting. Mortgage rates, on the other hand, rose another 3 basis points to 3.48 percent. Nonetheless, home sales continue to benefit from the persistently low mortgage rates with June’s new home sales coming in at an annualized rate of 592,000 homes – its fastest pace since 2008.

Mortgage Rates Tick Up

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Post-Brexit volatility tapered off over the last two weeks, allowing interest rates to bounce back a bit from their record (10-year Treasury yield) and near-record (30-year mortgage rate) lows. This week, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased 3 basis points to a still-quite-low 3.45 percent.

Mortgage Rates Little Changed

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Immediately following the Brexit vote, U.S. Treasury yields plummeted to all-time lows. This week, markets stabilized and the 10-year Treasury yield rebounded sharply. In contrast, the 30-year mortgage rate declined after the Brexit vote, but only by half as much as the 10-year Treasury yield. This week, the 30-year fixed rate barely budged, rising just one basis point to 3.42 percent. This pattern suggests that mortgage rates are likely to remain low throughout the summer.

Mortgage Rates Touch New 2016 Lows

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In the wake of the Brexit vote, the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond plummeted 24 basis points. The 30-year mortgage rate declined 8 basis points to 3.48 percent. This week’s survey rate is the lowest since May 2013 and only 17 basis points above the all-time low recorded in November 2012. This extremely low mortgage rate should support solid home sales and refinancing volume this summer.