Kevin Burrus
Senior Home Loan Officer / Certified Financial Coach
Barrett Financial Group, L.L.C. NMLS#181106
License:
NMLS#745375

Unemployment Not High Enough For a Full-Fledged Rally

Unemployment Not High Enough For a Full-Fledged Rally

If the only metric from this morning's jobs report was the uptick in unemployment from 4.4 to 4.6%, and if that was the last of this week's big ticket econ data, it wouldn't be a surprise to see a more aggressive rate rally. As it stands, unemployment was tempered by a higher participation rate and less dire unrounded numbers (taken together, these actually made unemployment closer to unchanged).  Add in stronger payroll growth, a surge in core retail sales, and the need to wait and see how Thursday's CPI comes out, and the choppy, lackluster rally is easier to reconcile.

Market Movement Recap
08:36 AM

Modestly stronger after jobs report. MBS up almost an eighth and 10yr down 1.1bps at 4.165

09:27 AM

Paradoxically modestly weaker now with MBS unchanged and 10yr up 1.3bps at 4.191

12:56 PM

Back near best levels of the day. MBS up 5 ticks (.16) and 10yr down 2.1bps at 4.156

02:28 PM

Leveling off at only modestly stronger levels. MBS up an eighth and 10yr still down 2.1 ticks at 4.156

Latest Video Analysis

Unemployment Not High Enough For a Full-Fledged Rally

MBS & Treasury Markets
UMBS 5.0 99.44 -0.09 10YR 4.161% +0.020% 12/16/2025 10:52PM EST
If there was one metric in this morning's data that should be helping the bond market, it's the uptick in the unemployment rate from 4.4% in September to 4.6% in November (a new cycle high). This is mitigated somewhat by the uptick in participation rate (0.1%) and the slightly higher payroll count (64k vs 50k f'cast). In addition, BLS noted lower response rates for the household survey (unemployment rate) and a generally unknown impact from the government shutdown. Perhaps im...   READ MORE
Today's Mortgage Rates
30YR Fixed 6.27% -0.02% 15YR Fixed 5.75% -0.01% 12/16/2025
There was a decent chance that rates would have made a fairly big move today in response to the release of November's jobs report. This is the most important economic data as far as rates are concerned and today's was the first full release since before the government shutdown. In general, weaker employment data promotes lower rates and vice versa. While today's jobs report was weaker on balance, it wasn't weak enough to unequivocally shift the narrative of a labor market t...   READ MORE
Economic Calendar
Time Event Period Actual Forecast Prior
Tuesday, Dec 16
8:15AM ADP Employment Change Weekly 16.25K 4.75K
8:30AM Nov Participation Rate Nov 62.5% 62.4%
8:30AM Oct Average earnings mm (%) Oct 0.4% 0.3% 0.2%
8:30AM Nov Average earnings mm (%) Nov 0.1% 0.3% 0.4%
8:30AM Oct Retail Sales (%) Oct 0% 0.1% 0.2%
8:30AM Oct Retail Sales Control Group MoM Oct 0.8% 0.4% -0.1%
8:30AM Oct Non Farm Payrolls (k) Oct -105K 51K 119K
8:30AM Nov Non Farm Payrolls (k) Nov 64K 50K -105K
8:30AM Nov Unemployment rate mm (%) Nov 4.6% 4.4% 4.4%
9:45AM Dec S&P Global Composite PMI Dec 53.0 54.2
9:45AM Dec S&P Global Manuf. PMI Dec 51.8 52 52.2
9:45AM Dec S&P Global Services PMI Dec 52.9 54 54.1
10:00AM Sep Business Inventories (% ) Sep 0.2% 0.2% 0%
7:00PM International Monetary Market (IMM) Date (%)
Wednesday, Dec 17
12:00AM Roll Date - Ginnie Mae 30YR
7:00AM Dec/12 MBA Purchase Index Dec/12 181.6
7:00AM Dec/12 MBA Refi Index Dec/12 1190.6
7:00AM Dec/12 Mortgage Market Index Dec/12 327.9
8:15AM Fed Waller Speech
9:05AM Fed Williams Speech
10:30AM Dec/12 Crude Oil Inventory (ml) Dec/12 -2.4M -1.812M
12:30PM Fed Bostic Speech
1:00PM 20-Yr Bond Auction (bl) 13
Read My Latest Newsletter
Friends don't let friends believe the myth that Fed rate cuts result in lower mortgage rates. If you'd rather not immerse yourself in the "why," here is a solid "what:" This isn't an anomaly. The Fed Funds Rate governs loans that last less than 24 hours whereas a mortgage can last 30 years.  Loans of different durations frequently see their interest rates walk vastly different path... READ MORE
Kevin Burrus
Senior Home Loan Officer / Certified Financial Coach
Barrett Financial Group, L.L.C. NMLS#181106
License:
NMLS#745375