Investors With an Eye on Geopolitics Send Mortgage Rates Lower Despite Fed Hike
Rates fell despite Fed rate hike, largely due to comments from European Central Bank officials and escalating trade tensions between the United States and China.
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The year-over-year change in existing home sales could be down for a third consecutive month, the first time we have seen that long a string of year-over-year declines since September 2014.
Rising Trend of Stay-at-Home Dads Hits All-Time High
The overall share of U.S. children living with a full-time, stay-at-home parent was unchanged in 2017 compared to 2016, and has remained largely flat since the mid-1990s. But even as full-time, stay-at-home parenting overall has stabilized, the share of stay-at-home dads has reached an all-time high.
Geopolitical Uncertainty Wanes, Pushing Mortgage Rates Back Up
As it became clear in the second half of last week that there would be no need for early elections in Italy and Spain, global political risk waned and mortgage rates rose steadily in response.
From the share of homes in Ocean City, N.J., that are vacation homes (50.9 percent) to what year experts largely expect the next recession will begin (2020), these are the notable numbers from May 2018.
Global Politics Send Investors to Safety, Pushing Down Mortgage Rates
Mortgage rates were flat for most of the past week – holding steady at their highest levels since September 2013, according to Zillow Mortgages data. They edged lower late Wednesday after meeting minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) were released.
April Existing Home Sales: Struggling to Launch
Existing home sales have been essentially flat since fall 2016, seemingly struggling to lift off the plateau where they have held for the past year and a half. Existing home sales are now down 1.4 percent year-over-year.
Rapid Reaction: April Existing Home Sales
April existing home sales fell 2.5 percent from March and 1.4 percent from a year ago, to 5.46 million units (SAAR), according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales fell compared to March in all four major regions.
After Calm Week, Rates Drop on Fed Meeting Minutes
Mortgage rates were flat for most of the past week – holding steady at their highest levels since September 2013, according to Zillow data. They edged lower late Wednesday after meeting minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) were released.
