What's Up With The Paradoxical CPI Reaction?

What's Up With The Paradoxical CPI Reaction?

Heading into today's data, we knew there was a possibility of two separate reactions--one for the top line CPI numbers and one for a deeper look at the internal components. Those internals show that tariffs are having an impact even though it was a smaller impact than many forecasters were expecting. Bonds didn't seem to care at first. When a new glut of trades came online at the 9:30am NYSE open, that changed.  Both stocks and bonds sold off sharply starting at 9:30am and this move looks far more convincing that the initial rally.

Market Movement Recap
08:36 AM

after CPI 10yr yields are down 2.9bps at 4.406 and MBS are up an eighth

09:45 AM

10yr unchanged 4.434. MBS also unchanged and down just over an eighth from the highs. 

11:29 AM

weakness continues.  MBS down 6 ticks (.19) and 10yr up 4.7 bps at 4.482

02:32 PM

Steady, slight selling continues.  MBS down 7 ticks (.22) and 10yr up 5.3bps at 4.488

Latest Video Analysis

What's Up With The Paradoxical CPI Reaction?

MBS & Treasury Markets
UMBS 5.5 98.91 -0.25 10YR 4.491% +0.056% 7/15/2025 4:38PM EST
Lenders who priced after the initial selling at 9:30am were dealing with MBS that were roughly unchanged on the day.  Since then, we've fallen another 6 ticks (.19)--more than enough for a jumpier lender to consider a negative reprice. 10yr yields are up 4.9bps at 4.484.   READ MORE
Today's Mortgage Rates
30YR Fixed 6.85% +0.02% 15YR Fixed 6.07% +0.04% 7/15/2025
Mortgage rates are based on bonds and bonds don't like inflation.  When inflation reports are higher than the market expected, rates tend to rise, all other things being equal.   But today's inflation numbers were a bit lower than the median forecast. This scenario is typically more likely to push rates lower.  Indeed, in the first hour following today's Consumer Price Index (CPI) release, bond trading implied lower rates.  Then things changed.&n...   READ MORE
Economic Calendar
Time Event Period Actual Forecast Prior
Tuesday, Jul 15
8:30AM Jul NY Fed Manufacturing Jul 5.50 -9 -16.00
8:30AM Jun y/y Headline CPI (%) Jun 2.7% 2.7% 2.4%
8:30AM Jun m/m Headline CPI (%) Jun 0.3% 0.3% 0.1%
8:30AM Jun y/y CORE CPI (%) Jun 2.9% 3% 2.8%
8:30AM Jun m/m CORE CPI (%) Jun 0.2% 0.3% 0.1%
9:15AM Fed Bowman Speech
12:00PM NOPA Crush Report (%)
12:45PM Fed Barr Speech
2:45PM Fed Collins Speech
7:45PM Fed Logan Speech
Wednesday, Jul 16
12:00AM Roll Date - UMBS 15YR, Ginnie Mae 15YR
7:00AM Jul/11 MBA Refi Index Jul/11 829.3
7:00AM Jul/11 MBA Purchase Index Jul/11 180.9
8:30AM Jun Producer Prices (%) Jun 0.2% 0.1%
8:30AM Jun Core Producer Prices MM (%) Jun 0.2% 0.1%
8:30AM Jun Core Producer Prices YY (%) Jun 2.7% 3%
9:15AM Jun Industrial Production (%) Jun 0.1% -0.2%
9:15AM Fed Hammack Speech
10:00AM Fed Barr Speech
10:30AM Jul/11 Crude Oil Inventory (ml) Jul/11 7.07M
2:00PM Fed Beige Book
6:30PM Fed Williams Speech
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Mortgage rates partied hard for most of June and into the middle of last week--right up until stronger economic data killed the vibe. The resulting bounce in rates carried momentum through to the beginning of this week, but from there on out, things were broadly sideways.  That's not too surprising considering the lack of virtually any major economic data this week. Such data is one of the... READ MORE