Tag Archives: Unemployment

Hiring slows and unemployment rises, boosting odds of Fed rate cut

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Employers added 227,000 workers to their payrolls in November, but with 7.1 million Americans out of work the unemployment rate is back up to 4.2 percent. Continue reading →

Weak jobs, manufacturing reports provide no relief for mortgage rates

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Hurricanes and strikes were expected to dent job creation, and bond market investors are looking ahead to next week’s election, Fed meeting and government bond auctions. Continue reading →

Inflation cooled in September, nearing the Fed’s 2% target

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Mortgage rates inch up as an expected decline in key inflation gauge does little to change expectations for rate cuts among investors who fund most home loans. Continue reading →

Latest jobs, GDP reports point to November Federal Reserve rate cut

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Relief would be good news for would-be homebuyers, although purchase loan applications are still up 10 percent from a year ago as mortgage rates hit highest levels since July. Continue reading →

Latest inflation numbers could give mortgage rates additional lift

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Reports send mixed signals on the economy, with CPI showing prices rose more sharply than expected in September and jobless claims surging to highest level in more than a year. Continue reading →

Mortgage rates are soaring on strong September jobs report

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With a soft landing seen as more likely, analysts say Fed policymakers can now afford to be more cautious about the pace of future rate cuts, and mortgage rates aren’t likely to fall below 6 percent anytime soon. Continue reading →

Homebuyer demand hardly budged as mortgage rates hit 2024 lows

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While many homeowners rushed to refinance, affordability is keeping a damper on sales. Now mortgage rates are climbing again, with investors having already priced in last week’s Fed rate cut. Continue reading →

Weak jobs report drags down stock indexes — and mortgage rates

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August payroll report includes “huge downward revisions” to previous estimates of June and July job growth, renewing recession worries and prospects for aggressive Fed rate cuts. Continue reading →

Mortgage rates are tumbling again as job openings hit 18-month low

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Bond market investors who fund most mortgages are already certain the Fed will slash rates this month. The question has become how much will policymakers cut on Sept. 18, Nov. 7 and Dec. 18? Continue reading →

Mortgage rates bounce back before homebuyers can pounce

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The big drop in mortgage rates did more to spur refinancing than homebuying, according to a weekly survey of lenders by the Mortgage Bankers Association, and now rates are rising again. Continue reading →