• November 7, 2024

US 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rise to four-month high of 6.79%

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. mortgage rates increased to a four-month high this week and could rise further amid fears that President-elect Donald Trump's proposed economic policies could stoke inflation. The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to 6.79%, the highest level since July, from 6.72% last week, mortgage finance agency Freddie Mac said on Thursday. As supply remains below pre-pandemic levels, rising mortgage rates and elevated house prices have combined to stifle sales of previously owned homes, which hit a 14-year low in September.

  • November 7, 2024

Why Trump's Boost To Treasury Yields, Inflation Expectations May Weaken Fed's Efforts To Cut Interest Rates

Rising U.S. Treasury yields and a strengthening in the value of the dollar in the wake of Donald Trump's return to the White House are threatening to counteract the Federal Reserve's efforts to lower interest rates. The Federal Reserve is expected to cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points on Thursday, marking a back-to-back reduction and bringing the policy rate to a range of 4.5%-4.75%, the lowest since February 2023. The bond market appears less influenced by the Fed's dovish stanc