Last week ended with mortgage rates dropping to their best levels since September 17th. Over the weekend, the underlying bond market maintained the gains seen on Friday afternoon, thus allowing most lenders to set rates at least as low as they were at that time. The average lender is actually just slightly lower today, thus making this another new multi-week low. The counterpoint is that the range is still relatively narrow, which each day during this stretch (roughly 4 weeks) falling inside a range of 6.31 to 6.39.  As always, keep in mind that the MND index is an average top tier rate (i.e. high credit score, high downpayment, owner occupied, etc.). There were no major sources of volatility on the calendar today although a speech from Fed Chair Powell had the potential to cause some.  The event calendar will remain more silent during the government shutdown. Once it’s over, volatility potential will increase.

Lebda led the company through its initial public offering in 2000, and its sale about three years later to IAC Inc. In 2008, Lebda joined the newly rebranded LendingTree as it spun out as a separate company.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has announced job openings for attorney-advisors to represent the agency in defensive and appellate litigation.

The Office of Management and Budget issued reduction in force notices to Treasury staff working in the Community Development Financial Institution office Friday, saying that the layoffs are necessary to “implement the abolishment” of the fund.

Onity adds former Meta exec as director, Click n’ Close taps industry veteran as president while banks and credit unions boost their mortgage teams.

James was charged with one count of alleged bank fraud and one count of making false statements to a financial institution. The indictment made public on Thursday follows allegations from Trump administration officials that James engaged in mortgage fraud.

While technology has become an important channel for information among homebuyers, many still see real estate agents as smarter than any other resource.

Markets Rocked by New Tariff Drama

Bonds were already having a decent day this morning with overnight market movers bringing yields in line with the lower end of the recent range. Mid-day drama caused massive selling in stocks which spilled over and made for an extension of the already-decent bond rally. The culprit? An unexpected tariff threat from Trump in response to… well… something (seriously, we’re not sure). Then, just minutes before the end of trading for the 3 day weekend, an official announcement (again, with cryptic references to untoward actions by China). Bonds managed to rally a bit more as stocks sank more, but there’s no telling how this will carry over on Tuesday. Tariffs haven’t been reliably beneficial for bonds, but they were beneficial today. 

Market Movement Recap

09:45 AM Overnight gains mostly holding.  MBS up 7 ticks (.22) and 10yr down 4bps at 4.10

11:26 AM Another wave of buying after tariff headlines.  10yr down 8bps at 4.06 and MBS up 10 ticks (.31).

02:17 PM best levels of the day. MBS up just over 3/8ths and 10yr down 9.2bps at 4.048

05:13 PM Even stronger at the close with 10yr down 11bps at 4.033 after new tariffs officially announced.  

The regulator recently nixed Obama and Biden-era guidance for the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity and apparently reduced staff.

Growth in multifamily and investment property mortgage originations, the highest risk segments, drove the 6% rise in the National Fraud Index, Cotality said.