Tag Archives: Interest rates

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently released their Monthly Interest Rate Survey (MIRS) finding that on a national level, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages decreased from April to May, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts.

In a combined session of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the manager of the System Open Market Account (SOMA), a meeting was held today to discuss domestic and foreign financial market developments and the Federal Reserve’s Balance Sheet.

Freddie Mac released its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for May today, revealing that low mortgage rates kept affordability high in the first quarter of this year for buyers, but housing markets probably will see interest rates increase for the rest of the year.

According to the FOMC’s statement, this decision was made to “support continued progress toward maximum employment and price stability” and largely factored in energy prices, household spending and incomes, unemployment rates, inflation and other economic influencers. Despite opting to continue with its current interest rates, the FOMC’s statement did recognize that increases in the future are possible.

The most recent FHFA index, released Tuesday, revealed that interest rates have increased slightly from February to March on several levels. The average interest rates on all mortgage loans for March jumped 3 basis points from February, from 3.77 percent to 3.8 percent.

When the Federal Reserve concludes its monetary policy meeting on Wednesday, the nation could see increased interest rates for the first time in nine years. . . . Experts say there are dozens of factors that must be considered before the Fed can make a decision, and a questionable economy makes it even more difficult.

Lockhart said before a monetary policy liftoff decision is made, he would like to see data that the desired outcomes are being achieved – but he said support for a monetary policy liftoff decision will be a judgment call. But in the big overall economic picture, he said, strength in one aspect of the economy may offset ambiguity in another area.

The Fed wants to permit interest payments on certain balances to be based on a daily rate, rather than on a maintenance period average rate, as it has existed for years. It is proposing to rewrite rules defining interest on reserve-balance (IORR) and interest on excessive-balance (IOER) rates.

Officials at the Federal Reserve could not agree whether to raise interest rates this year, according to the minutes of the Fed’s March meeting, released Wednesday.

Despite removing the “patient” policy, the Federal Open Market Committee remained steady on the belief that interest rates will not increase by their April meeting. Fed Chair Janet Yellen emphasized in a press conference following the meeting, the removal of the pledge doesn’t mean Fed rates will increase by June.