Last week’s economic news included readings on builder confidence in housing market conditions, housing starts, building permits issued and existing home sales. Weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims were also released. The National Association of Home Builders reported that home builder confidence fell one point in July to 59 as compared to an expected reading and June reading of 60. Builders again cited shortages of buildable lots and labor.
Last week’s economic news included reports on inflation, retail sales and weekly readings on mortgage rates and weekly jobless claims.
New jobless claims were decreased to a three-month low of 254,000 as compared to expectations of 265,000 new claims and the prior week’s reading of 270,000 new claims. New jobless claims were higher after the end of the school year, when some school workers became eligible for benefits when schools closed for summer break.
Last week’s economic events included S&P Case-Shiller’s Housing Market Indices for April along with reports on Construction Spending and Pending Home Sales. Consumer Confidence was higher in June in spite of low wage growth and inflation well below the Fed’s goal of 2.00 percent annually.
Last week’s economic news was dominated by Great Britain’s vote to withdraw from the European Union. New and Existing Home Sales were released along with weekly reports on mortgage rates and new jobless claims.
Mortgage rates fell after Federal Reserve policymakers decided not to raise the Fed’s target federal funds rate. The Federal Open Market Committee cited ongoing concerns over global financial and economic developments and slow jobs growth as factors in its decision not to raise rates. Fed Chair Janet Yellen emphasized the committee’s decision-making process is not predetermined and said that ongoing review of current and developing news is significant to monetary policy decisions.
Last week’s economic news was highlighted by Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s speech in Philadelphia. Although Chair Yellen alluded to future Fed rate hikes, she did not specify when Fed policymakers would next raise the target federal funds rate.
Last week’s economic reports included new home sales, pending home sales along with weekly mortgage rates and new jobless claims.
Last week’s economic news included the NAHB Housing Market Index, reports on housing starts, building reports and existing home sales. Minutes of the Federal Reserve’s last FOMC meeting were also released.
If you’ve been paying attention to the mortgage rate news, you may be wondering exactly how it is banks decide what mortgage rates to offer. Do they just pick a number at random? Mortgage rates may seem somewhat arbitrary, but there’s actually something of a science to them.
So how does your bank or lender determine what your interest rate will be? Here are just some of the factors that go into the equation.
Give us a call or drop by anytime, we endeavour to answer all enquiries within 24 hours on business days.