Jackson Hole Speech Delivers

Jackson Hole Speech Delivers

Powell's Jackson Hole speech was this week's only big ticket in terms of market movement potential and it definitely delivered. We haven't heard from Powell since 2 days before infamous August 1st jobs report. His tone logically pivoted to place incrementally more focus on the Fed's full employment mandate while repeating that the base case is for tariff-driven inflation to be--well--transitory. Combine that with his reminder that policy rates are still in restrictive territory and the takeaway was a subtle but obvious openness to consider a September cut. Traders were surprisingly surprised by this, thus making for a decent little rally in bonds. Gains arrived swiftly and hung out uneventfully through the close.

Market Movement Recap
09:56 AM

Flat overnight and slightly stronger in early trading.  MBS up 1 tick (.03) and 10yr down 1.8bps at 4.309

10:16 AM

Sharp rally after Powell speech.  MBS up 10 ticks (.31) and 10yr down 7.2bps at 4.254

01:25 PM

Holding fairly close to strongest levels. MBS up nearly 3/8ths and 10yr down 7bps at 4.258

03:42 PM

little-changed at strongest levels.  MBS still up 3/8ths and 10yr down 6.7bps at 4.260

Latest Video Analysis

We're All on Team Transitory Again

MBS & Treasury Markets
UMBS 5.5 100.36 +0.38 10YR 4.253% -0.073% 8/22/2025 5:00PM EST
Today's Jackson Hole speech gave Fed Chair Powell an opportunity to adjust his stance in light of much weaker jobs report that came out 2 days after the last Fed meeting. Powell had quite a bit to say, but the only thing the market really needed hear in order to facilitate a reaction was that the balance of risks may warrant adjusting policy. A close second was that tariff-driven inflation was unlikely to be a lasting dynamic given the downside risks to the labor market. Bond...   READ MORE
Today's Mortgage Rates
30YR Fixed 6.52% -0.10% 15YR Fixed 5.90% -0.07% 8/22/2025
Heading into the week, Fed Chair Powell's speech at the Fed's annual Jackson Hole Symposium was only event on the calendar that held much promise for motivating any major movement in mortgage rates . Not only did it deliver on that promise, but it did so in everyone's favorite direction. Powell didn't pivot too much from his last major speech on July 30th. But in light of the weak jobs numbers that came out 2 days later, he understandably called out a shift in the balance ...   READ MORE
Economic Calendar
Time Event Period Actual Forecast Prior
Friday, Aug 22
10:00AM Fed Chair Powell Speech
10:07AM Powell at Jackson Hole
8:00PM Jackson Hole Symposium
Monday, Aug 25
8:00AM Jul Building Permits (ml) Jul 1.354M 1.393M
10:00AM Jul New Home Sales (%) (%) Jul 0.6%
10:00AM Jul New Home Sales (ml) Jul 0.63M 0.627M
Read My Latest Newsletter
If you read nothing else below, read this: people are talking about stronger odds of a Fed rate cut in September. Some people assume this means mortgage rates would move lower after that potential rate cut.  Those people are wrong, and there is  memorable evidence  from late 2024 when mortgage rates moved quickly higher from long term lows mere days after the Fed's September rate cu... READ MORE