Refinancing Share Hits Low Not Seen Since Late 2008

The market share of refinancings has dropped to its lowest point since November 2008, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The group's Weekly Applications Survey Market Composite Index, an overall measure of mortgage applications, fell over 7% on a seasonally adjusted basis. Refis only made up 59.4% of total applications, down from 62.4% the previous week, as mortgage rates continued their sharp rise. As a result of the drop in refis, for the week ended June 5, the MCI was 611.0, compared with 658.7 one week earlier. However, rising rates have not had a negative impact on purchase activity, according to the survey. While the refinance index decreased 11.8% to 2605.7 from 2953.6 the previous week, the seasonally adjusted purchase index increased 1.1% to 270.7 from 267.7 one week earlier. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 15.7% compared with the previous week and increased 7.6% compared with the same week one year earlier. Adjustable-rate mortgages accounted for 3.4% of applications, up from 3% for the previous week, the MBA said. There was an increase in the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages to 5.57% from 5.25%, with points (including the origination fee) increasing to 1.09 from 1.02 for loans with 80% loan-to-value ratios, according to the association. The MBA can be found online at http://www.mortgagebankers.org.