Absence Makes the Bonds Grow Stronger

Absence Makes the Bonds Grow Stronger

Bonds improved at a moderate pace for the 2nd day in a row, thus marking the first sustained push back against the recent rate spike.  The gains are notable because they are not being driven by any big, new developments on the trade/tariff front. Instead, it is the absence of any such developments that is allowing the market to get back into a relatively calmer groove.  That said, we wouldn't take the calm for granted.  Bonds have merely moved back to more nimble territory as we wait for more policy clarity.

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Absence Makes Bonds Grow Stronger

MBS & Treasury Markets
UMBS 5.5 99.22 +0.16 10YR 4.278% -0.058% 4/16/2025 5:00PM EST
Retail Sales  1.4 vs 1.3 f'cast, 0.2 prev Retail Sales Control Group 0.4 vs 0.6 f'cast, 1.3 prev Once again, bonds where sideways in the overnight session, despite a bit of choppiness. The most notably bump in yields, stocks, and volume followed 4:30am headlines suggesting China is open to trade talks if Trump names a point person and shows respect. The retail sales data was fairly balanced with the stronger headlines somewhat offset by...   READ MORE
Today's Mortgage Rates
30YR Fixed 6.86% -0.02% 15YR Fixed 6.27% -0.02% 4/16/2025
Financial markets experienced relatively extreme volatility on several occasions following the April 2nd tariff announcements. The bonds that underlie mortgage rates were no exception, thus pushing rates higher at one of the fastest weekly paces in years.  Things have been calmer so far this week, with the first two days looking more like a typical highly active trading day from before the tariff announcement.  Both the mortgage bonds and mortgage lenders apprec...   READ MORE
Economic Calendar
Time Event Period Actual Forecast Prior
Wednesday, Apr 16
7:00AM Apr/11 MBA Purchase Index Apr/11 164.2 172.7
7:00AM Apr/11 MBA Refi Index Apr/11 841.9 961.4
8:30AM Mar Retail Sales (ex-autos) (%) Mar 0.5% 0.3% 0.3%
8:30AM Mar Retail Sales (%) Mar 1.4% 1.3% 0.2%
8:30AM Mar Retail Sales Control Group MoM Mar 0.4% 0.6% 1%
9:15AM Mar Industrial Production (%) Mar -0.3% -0.2% 0.7%
10:00AM Feb Business Inventories (% ) Feb 0.2% 0.2% 0.3%
10:00AM Apr NAHB housing market indx Apr 40 37 39
10:30AM Apr/11 Crude Oil Inventory (ml) Apr/11 0.515M 0.4M 2.553M
11:30AM 17-Week Bill Auction 4.225% 4.250%
12:00PM Fed Hammack Speech
1:00PM 20-Yr Bond Auction (bl) 13
1:30PM Fed Chair Powell Speech
1:38PM Powell Speech at Economic Club of Chicago
7:00PM Fed Schmid Speech
Thursday, Apr 17
12:00AM Roll Date - Ginnie Mae 30YR
8:30AM Mar Housing starts number mm (ml) Mar 1.324M 1.42M 1.501M
8:30AM Apr/05 Continued Claims (ml) Apr/05 1885K 1870K 1850K
8:30AM Mar Building Permits (ml) Mar 1.482M 1.45M 1.459M
8:30AM Apr Philly Fed Prices Paid Apr 51.00 48.30
8:30AM Apr Philly Fed Business Index Apr -26.4 2 12.5
8:30AM Apr/12 Jobless Claims (k) Apr/12 215K 225K 223K
11:30AM 5-Yr Note Auction (bl) 25
11:45AM Fed Barr Speech
2:00PM Good Friday Eve
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Whether we're talking about mortgage rates or a quintessential yard stick of the rate world like the 10yr Treasury yield, it was the roughest week in quite a while.  Nearly every corner of the market continues reacting in volatile fashion to last week's tariff announcement and the subsequent updates. Momentum toward higher rates took on a life of its own this week for laundry list of mostl... READ MORE