Owner/Broker
Great American Lending LLC
License:
MLO-4493
Company-201546

Volatile Day Thanks to Central Banks And, Eventually Oil

Volatile Day Thanks to Central Banks And, Eventually Oil

Bonds took a break from their lock-step tango with oil prices for most of today's session instead focusing on European Central Bank (ECB) policy news. Key considerations included a sharply higher inflation forecast, warnings of additional upside risks, and a repricing of rate hike (not cut) expectations for 2026. Combined with yesterday's bad reaction to the Fed, the front end of the yield curve got hit hard--especially in the morning--and the pain radiated outward from there. During the selling spree, oil prices were staying well behaved. It wasn't until the end of the day that geopolitical headlines helped oil prices drop sharply, bringing bond yields along for the ride.

Market Movement Recap
08:20 AM

moderately weaker overnight. with most of the losses seen in the last 2 hours. MBS down a quarter point and 10yr up 4.7bps at 4.308. 2yr yield is up twice as much as market reacts to Fed day

10:17 AM

Back to unchanged in MBS and up half a bp in 10yr at 4.267

02:41 PM

Off best levels. MBS down 6 ticks (.09) and 10yr up 2.3bps at 4.284

03:08 PM

MBS back to unchanged and 10yr now down 1.8bps at 4.245 on headlines suggesting Strait of Hormuz could reopen. 

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Volatile Day Thanks to Central Banks And, Eventually, Oil

MBS & Treasury Markets
UMBS 5.0 98.99 +0.06 10YR 4.249% -0.012% 3/19/2026 5:59PM EST
MBS are down 6 ticks on the day (.19) and roughly 6 ticks from the AM highs. Lenders who priced or repriced around the time of those highs could be considering negative reprices.    READ MORE
Today's Mortgage Rates
30YR Fixed 6.43% +0.07% 15YR Fixed 6.02% +0.05% 3/19/2026
Mortgage rates got hit 3 times on Wednesday, with the net effect being a move back up to the highest levels in several months. The average lender isn't quite as high as they were last Friday, but after late-day "reprices" many are fairly close.  The least of the bond market's concerns (bonds dictate rates) was this morning's inflation data. The Producer Price Index (PPI) was higher than expected on multiple fronts, including those that translate directly to higher con...   READ MORE
Economic Calendar
Time Event Period Actual Forecast Prior
Friday, Mar 20
Monday, Mar 23
10:00AM Jan Construction spending (%) Jan 0.3%
Read My Latest Newsletter
February ended with 30yr fixed rates at the lowest level in more than 3 years. There's been a grueling march higher since then with average rates ending the week at 7-month highs. While the first few days of March were open to some debate about the reasons for the rate spike, there's now only one elephant in the room, and it's a war elephant.  Wars have various effects on financial... READ MORE
Owner/Broker
Great American Lending LLC
License:
MLO-4493
Company-201546