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☆ What the Fed’s interest rate cuts mean for your money
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But that doesn’t mean as a result interest rates are now low — or will soon be low. “‘Falling interest rates’ are not the same as ‘low interest rates.’ Interest rates are high and will only decline to ‘not as high’ as … we move into 2025,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. Credit cards: Just before the Fed cut its key rate in September, the average credit card rate was 20.78%, according to Bankrate. Another option: Try transferring your balance to a credit card from a credit union or local bank. Before the Fed’s September rate cut many of those accounts were offering yields between 4.25% and 5.3%, according to those listed on Bankrate.com.

Persons: ”, Greg McBride, Matt Schulz, Chris Diodato, they’re, Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, ” McBride, Sinead Colton Grant, Colton Grant, “, Don’t, Diodato, you’re, BNY, they’ve Organizations: CNN, Reserve, Bankrate, Fed, LendingTree, Treasury, Savings Locations: Treasuries

☆ Here’s why mortgage rates are rising after the Fed’s rate cut
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-24 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Expectations of a Fed rate cut caused mortgage rates to drop to a two-year low of 6.08% in late September, but it failed to spur homebuying activity. Every percentage point on a mortgage rate makes a big difference for that monthly payment. Here’s what’s driving the recent upswing in mortgage rates. Mortgage rates track the 10-year US Treasury yield, which was expected to fall in anticipation of further rate cuts. “I am clearly not going to own any fixed income.”The government’s fiscal situation might already be having an impact on mortgage rates.

Persons: Freddie Mac, pare, what’s, ” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Robyn Beck, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Harris, “ We’re, Paul Tudor Jones, “, ” Lawrence Yun, Kimberly Bradley, Zach, Kimberly, “ I’ve, ” Kimberly, ” Ken Lowrey, Ken Lowrey, “ homeownership, ”, Lowrey Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Mortgage, Association, Treasury, Getty, Federal Budget, Trump, CNBC, US Postal Service Locations: AFP, Manteo , North Carolina, Charleston , South Carolina

☆ Mortgage rates surged for the second-straight week after hitting two-year lows
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-10 | by ( Samantha Delouya | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Prospective homebuyers waiting on the sidelines for a further drop in mortgage rates received unwelcome news on Thursday. The average rate on a standard, 30-year fixed mortgage was 6.32% in the week ending October 10, mortgage financing provider Freddie Mac said Thursday. It was the largest one-week increase in mortgage rates since April and the second straight week rates jumped higher after falling to a two-year low last month. Soon after, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to its lowest since September 2022 at 6.08%. The recent bounce in mortgage rates underscores the uneven path toward greater home affordability.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Organizations: CNN, Fed

☆ Mortgage rates fall to lowest level since February 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates fell this week to the lowest point since February 2023, in a welcome sign for Americans grappling with a tough housing market. The standard, 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.20% in the week ended September 12, mortgage financing giant Freddie Mac said Thursday. Mortgage rates started to drop early last month on news affirming lower interest rates in the future, specifically after a weaker-than-expected jobs report for July, and have gradually edged lower since. “Mortgage rates have fallen more than half a percent over the last six weeks and are at their lowest level since February 2023,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a release. The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its action do influence them through movements in bond yields.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, that’s, Lawrence Yun Organizations: Washington CNN —, “, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Las, P Global, Apple, Fed, National Association of Realtors Locations: New York City, San Diego, Las Vegas, America, Los Angeles, Miami

The average 30-year mortgage rate fell to 6.46% this week, according to Freddie Mac. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.46% this week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 5.62% this week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is a four-basis-point decrease from the previous week. As inflation comes down and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates should fall further as well.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates dropped 26 basis points to 6.47%, their lowest level since May 2023, according to Freddie Mac. If today's mortgage rates are lower than the rate you're currently paying, refinancing could be worth it. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. Now that inflation has decelerated and a Fed cut is looking more likely, mortgage rates have trended down. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Mortgage rates plunge to lowest level in more than a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-08 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —US mortgage rates plummeted this week after weaker-than-expected employment data raised the odds of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates next month. The standard 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.47% this week, mortgage financing giant Freddie Mac said Thursday. Mortgage rates have steadily fallen over the past several weeks since reaching a 2024 peak of 7.22% in early May. Mortgage rates track the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield, which moves in anticipation of the Fed’s decision on interest rates. Lower mortgage rates and a bigger housing stock will eventually entice more buyers to eventually enter the market.

Persons: Freddie Mac, That’s, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, “ Homebuyers, ” Lawrence Yun, Lisa Sturtevant, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, Federal Reserve, Las, P Global, Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, CNN, Treasury, National Association of Realtors, Fed, NAR, “, Bright MLS Locations: New York, San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, Denver, Minneapolis, United States

As the Fed lowers rates, mortgage rates are expected to go down. "Mortgage rates declined to their lowest level since early February," Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said in a press release. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Barely Tick Down (-0.05%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.55%, five basis points lower than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Jerome Powell, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, It's, refinance, they've Organizations: Reserve, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

It’s been a year since interest rates reached a two-decade high, but they may soon begin to reverse course. The Federal Reserve is expected to hold its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday, while signaling that a cut is possible when policy-setting officials meet again in September. If interest rates are elevated for too long, they risk weakening the employment picture. The central bank uses interest rates to influence the broader economy. Home-equity lines of credit and adjustable-rate mortgages — which each carry variable interest rates — generally rise within two billing cycles after a change in the Fed’s rates.

Persons: It’s, ” Jonathan Smoke, that’s, Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, —, “ Banks, Ken Tumin Organizations: Federal, “ Manufacturers, Cox Automotive, Treasury, Savings Vehicles Locations: Edmunds

The summer is usually a peak time for the housing market, but rising prices and still-high mortgage rates have kept demand relatively low. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week's average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.78%, according to Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Zillow Locations: Chevron

Average 30-year mortgage rates are now down to 6.77%, the lowest they've been in over four months, according to Freddie Mac. "Mortgage rates are headed in the right direction and the economy remains resilient, two positive incremental signs for the housing market." See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.05%, a 12-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

Mortgage rates increased overall this week, with 30-year mortgage rates ticking up closer to 7%, according to Freddie Mac. This means mortgage rates should go down in the coming months and years. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. Sky high mortgage rates have pushed many hopeful buyers out of the market, slowing homebuying demand and putting downward pressure on home prices. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ Nvidia’s shares are on fire. The broader stock market looks less rosy
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-21 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

New York CNN —Nvidia’s eye-popping gains this year have helped propel the stock market to repeated record highs. Can Nvidia’s blockbuster gains continue, and what does its outsized market cap mean for the stock rally? Now everyone says, “the market is dependent on Nvidia’s earnings.” You’re going to see a kind of a shift in market cap over the years. “These lower mortgage rates coupled with the gradually improving housing supply bodes well for the housing market.”Still, mortgage rates remain higher than anything seen in the decade before 2022, the year the Federal Reserve began to raise interest rates to combat inflation. The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates but its actions do influence them through the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield, which moves in anticipation of the Fed’s policy moves.

Persons: OpenAI’s, Bell, Christopher Barto, ” You’re, Bryan Mena, Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, don’t, Read, Ilya Sutskever, Clare Duffy, Sutskever, Geoffrey Hinton Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nvidia, Microsoft, Fort Pitt Capital Group, Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon, “, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Superintelligence Inc, SSI Locations: New York

☆ Mortgage rates fall to their lowest level in almost three months
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates fell this week to their lowest level since early April, taking some pressure off America’s unaffordable housing market. “These lower mortgage rates coupled with the gradually improving housing supply bodes well for the housing market.”Still, mortgage rates remain higher than anything seen in the decade before 2022, the year the Federal Reserve began to raise interest rates to combat inflation. Economists don’t expect the average mortgage rate to fall below 6% this year. Homebuilding constrained by high interest ratesWhile mortgage rates have eased recently, the US housing market overall remains hamstrung by elevated interest rates, which seem to be taking a toll on homebuilding. “Persistently high mortgage rates are keeping many prospective buyers on the sidelines,” NAHB Chairman Carl Harris said in a release.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, don’t, America’s homebuilders, “, Carl Harris, ” Skylar Olsen Organizations: Washington CNN —, “, Federal Reserve, Treasury, National Association of Home Builders Locations: ., Wells Fargo, America, San Diego , Los Angeles and New York, California, Honolulu

Mortgage rates are up slightly after initially trending a bit lower over the past few weeks. "Following several weeks of decline, mortgage rates changed course this week," Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said in a press release. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.36%, a 12-basis-point increase from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, Zillow Locations: Chevron

☆ Mortgage rates fall for the third straight week, dipping below 7%
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates declined for the third consecutive week in a shred of good news for Americans dealing with a still-tough housing market. Mortgage rates track the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield, which moves in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s decisions on interest rates. Stubbornly high inflation this year has dashed hopes that the Fed could cut interest rates in the spring or in the summer. Some Fed officials said earlier this week that they likely won’t raise interest rates again and a few have said they expect to cut rates this year. With mortgage rates still elevated, some homeowners are deciding to stay put.

Persons: Freddie Mac, inflation’s cooldown, there’s, homebuyers, ” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, That’s, ” Lawrence Yun, ”, Yun, Joe Biden Organizations: Washington CNN —, Treasury, National Association of Realtors, Fed, Housing Locations: San Diego, Chicago, Detroit

☆ The spring homebuying season isn’t what it used to be, thanks to the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

All that has caused the spring homebuying season to take a timeout — and could spell trouble for the remainder of the year. Since 1999, more than a third of home sales for the entire year occur between March and June on average, according to Freddie Mac data. Given the Fed is in no rush to cut interest rates, Khater expects mortgage rates to remain elevated for longer. Taken together, all these factors will likely put upward pressure on home prices, Khater and his team said in the report. “Our outlook does depend on mortgage rates, which are creating their own seasonality,” she added.

Persons: That’s, ” Zillow, Nicole Bachaud, “ Buyers, Bachaud, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac, Khater, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, CNN, “, Fed Locations: New York, Texas, Florida

We could see mortgage rates start to trend down later this year if incoming data shows that inflation is coming down sustainably. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. As inflation comes down and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates should fall further as well. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which is likely to happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: Freddie Mac, they'll, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: February's, Chevron

☆ What stalled this year’s seemingly infallible stock market rally
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Investors had hoped that corporate earnings would help revive the stalled rally, but a strong start to the season hasn’t been enough to excite investors. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.10% in the week ending April 18, up from 6.88% the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data released Thursday. Mortgage rates are climbing based on expectations that the Federal Reserve won’t cut interest rates anytime soon. The Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its actions do influence them, and persistently hot inflation readings are keeping the Fed on hold. If inflation stalls any further, or even worsens, mortgage rates could climb higher this year.

Persons: —, hasn’t, Jerome Powell, “, ”, Michael Landsberg, Pierre, Olivier Gourinchas, Israel, Brent, Bryan Mena, Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, Read, Anna Cooban, Tim Cook, Pham Minh Chinh, Cook, Apple “ Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Data, Employers, Fed, Landsberg Bennett, Wealth Management, Monetary Fund, Treasury, Investors, CNN, Federal, China Apple, Vietnamese, Apple Locations: New York, East, Iran, Israel, Syria, Vietnam, China, Hanoi, Beijing

☆ Mortgage rates surge past 7%, reaching highest level since November
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates soared this week, breaching the key 7% threshold and extending America’s home affordability crisis. Mortgage rates are climbing based on expectations that the Federal Reserve won’t cut interest rates anytime soon. Mortgage rates track the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield, which has risen to its highest level since November at 4.637%. If inflation stalls any further, or even worsens, mortgage rates could climb higher this year. Housing affordability is being stymied not just by high mortgage rates, but also by elevated home prices nationwide.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, “, Lawrence Yun Organizations: Washington CNN —, Federal, National Association of Realtors, Treasury, Index, NAR

☆ U.S. Mortgage Rates Jump Above 7% for the First Time This Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( J. Edward Moreno | More About J. Edward Moreno | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mortgage rates rose above 7 percent for the first time this year, crossing a symbolically concerning threshold that threatens to keep millions of potential home buyers and sellers on the sidelines of a U.S. housing market that is increasingly showing signs of slowing. Mortgage rates reached a recent high of nearly 8 percent late last year — a level not seen since 2000. As mortgage rates have risen in recent months, making homeownership costlier for buyers, potential sellers who may feel locked into lower rates on their existing loans have been keeping their houses off the market, in effect pushing prices higher, too. “Potential home buyers are deciding whether to buy before rates rise even more, or hold off in hopes of decreases later in the year,” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said in a statement. “It remains unclear how many home buyers can withstand increasing rates in the future.”

Persons: Freddie Mac, ” Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, ” Locations: U.S, United States

☆ Mortgage rates rise after disappointing March inflation report
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Mortgage rates drifted higher this week, and could increase further, in a sign that America’s affordability crisis isn’t letting up. The Federal Reserve doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its actions do influence them, and hotter-than-expected inflation readings could keep the central bank from reducing interest rates. That doesn’t bode well for lower mortgage rates, and economists don’t expect rates to fall below 6% this year, especially if the Fed does not end up cutting interest rates. Inventory gains could improve affordabilityMortgage rates are not expected to drop meaningfully this year, but further improvement in housing inventory could improve affordability. A lack of homes has been a longstanding issue keeping America’s housing market unaffordable and is especially frustrating for first-time buyers.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, doesn’t bode, Joe Biden Organizations: Washington CNN —, Federal Reserve, “, Federal, Treasury, National Association of Realtors, Homeowners, Fed

This week, 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.82%, according to Freddie Mac. Though mortgage rates are expected to go down in 2024, when they'll start dropping depends on how inflation trends in the coming months. This has kept mortgage rates elevated. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, they've, Fannie Mae, you'll Organizations: Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, Zillow, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ The Federal Reserve may not cut interest rates just yet, here's what that means for your money
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Interest rates took the elevator going up; they are going to take the stairs coming down," he said. Annual percentage rates will start to come down when the Fed cuts rates but even then, they will only ease off extremely high levels. "The reality of it is, a lot of borrowers are paying double-digit interest rates on those right now," McBride said. Federal student loansFederal student loan rates are also fixed, so most borrowers aren't immediately affected by the Fed's moves. But undergraduate students who take out new direct federal student loans are now paying 5.50% — up from 4.99% in the 2022-23 academic year and 3.73% in 2021-22.

Persons: Chris Wattie, Greg McBride, McBride, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, that's, Ivan Drury, Edmunds, Drury Organizations: Reuters, Treasury, Fed Locations: Edmunds

☆ Mortgage rates tumble for the second week in a row
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Washington, DC CNN —Mortgage rates dropped for the second week in a row, falling nearly a quarter of a percentage point over the past two weeks in the face of stronger-than-expected employment and inflation data. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.74% in the week ending March 14, down from 6.88% the previous week, according to data from Freddie Mac released Thursday. But while rates are expected to move around in the next few months, homebuyers shouldn’t expect a major drop. “In this environment, there is a good possibility that rates will stay higher for a longer period of time.”Over the past four months, mortgage rates have come down from their highest levels of last year: 7.79%. Applications for mortgages were up 7% in the week ending March 8 from the week before, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Persons: Freddie Mac, homebuyers, ”, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s, who’ve Organizations: DC CNN —, Mortgage, Association Locations: Washington

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