Bonds Hold Steady After Modest Data-Driven Rally

Bonds Hold Steady After Modest Data-Driven Rally

Today's (and to be fair, this week's) only major econ data--ISM Services--was a mixed blessing for bonds this morning.  The only headwind was the uptick in the inflation component to another post-pandemic high. The tailwinds involved all other components suggesting a mild economic deceleration.  Traders ultimately gave more weight to the latter. Bonds were slightly weaker before the data, but ended the day closer to unchanged levels.  MBS outperformed, presumably due to Treasuries facing down another week of heavy auction supply.

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Bonds Hold Steady After Modest Data-Driven Rally

MBS & Treasury Markets
UMBS 5.5 100.28 +0.06 10YR 4.228% +0.014% 8/6/2025 5:00PM EST
The ISM Services Index is/was easily this week's biggest ticket in terms of scheduled economic data. It was mostly OK for bonds with the growth-related components coming in slightly weaker. But the "prices paid" component remains problematic. At 69.9 vs 67.5 previously, the price component is at another new post-pandemic high for the 4th time this year. And of course, inflation is the biggest impediment to lower rates at the moment.  Nonetheless, the remainder of the rep...   READ MORE
Today's Mortgage Rates
30YR Fixed 6.57% -0.01% 15YR Fixed 5.93% +0.00% 8/6/2025
Yesterday saw the average 30yr fixed rate fall back in line with levels from early October, 2024. This happened for two reasons. The broader, underlying reason is that rates have been in a fairly narrow, stable range and that range was already relatively closer to 10 month lows than 10 month highs. The more specific reason is quite clearly the market's reaction to last week's jobs report.  In other words, the prevailing range was the fuel and the jobs report was the ma...   READ MORE
Economic Calendar
Time Event Period Actual Forecast Prior
Wednesday, Aug 06
7:00AM Aug/01 MBA Purchase Index Aug/01 158.0 155.6
7:00AM Aug/01 MBA Refi Index Aug/01 777.4 739.3
10:30AM Aug/01 Crude Oil Inventory (ml) Aug/01 -3.029M -1.1M 7.698M
1:00PM 10-yr Note Auction (bl) 42
2:00PM Fed Cook Speech
Thursday, Aug 07
8:30AM Jul/26 Continued Claims (ml) Jul/26 1950K 1946K
8:30AM Aug/02 Jobless Claims (k) Aug/02 221K 218K
10:00AM Jun Wholesale inventories mm (%) Jun 0.1% -0.3%
10:00AM Fed Bostic Speech
10:20AM Fed Musalem Speech
11:00AM Jul Consumer Inflation Expectations Jul 3%
1:00PM 30-Year Bond Auction 4.889%
1:00PM 30-Yr Bond Auction (bl) 25
3:00PM Jun Consumer credit (bl) Jun $7B $5.1B
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Last week, we said all bets were off until we saw Friday’s jobs report—and that no other piece of economic data moves mortgage rates more reliably. This week proved why that warning is always worth repeating. It’s not that the rest of the week was boring. In fact, the calendar from Monday through Thursday was packed with potentially interesting updates. Highlights included the... READ MORE