Tepid Inflation and Retail Sales Keep Rates Flat Core CPI inflation, which excludes the volatile food and energy components, was 2.2% higher than a year ago, down from a 2.3% annual rate in February, and below the consensus forecast.
[Mortgage Minute] Week of Apr. 11, 2016
Central Bank Statements Help Rates Statements by the heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the European Central Bank (ECB), and the U.S. Fed shared the same sentiment, the global economy needs support.
[Mortgage Minute] Week of Mar. 7, 2016
Strong Job Gains, Wages Stagnant Friday’s Employment report showed that job gains remained strong, with the economy adding 242K jobs in February.
[Mortgage Minute] Week of Feb. 8, 2016
Wage Growth is Lone Bright Spot Against a consensus forecast of 190K, the economy added 151K jobs in January. This was down from average gains of about 280K over the prior three months. The unemployment rate declined from 5.0% to 4.9%, the lowest level since February 2008.
[Mortgage Minute] Week of Jan. 18, 2016
Rates Dip As China Slips Investors have grown more concerned that economic growth, particularly in China, will slow more rapidly than expected.
[Mortgage Minute] Week of Jan. 11, 2016
Overseas Issues Push Rates Lower Several events caused investors around the world to shift their holdings to safer assets. On Monday, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran, raising tensions between these two major powers in the Middle East.