Economy

Market watchers expect the Federal Open Market Committee to announce a 25 basis point rate cut today, but are also watching for signals of more cuts to come and how many members push for a larger 50 basis point cut.

Opendoor Technologies Inc. shares surged by as much as 69% Thursday after announcing the return of its co-founders to the board and a new chief executive officer. 

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage had its largest decline in a year as it is universally anticipated the Federal Open Market Committee will cut short-term rates.

Consumer prices rose 0.4% in August, up from 0.2% in July, as weak job growth and lingering tariff uncertainty reinforce expectations for a September Fed rate cut.

Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, may have violated federal privacy laws by releasing personal information on mortgages taken out by Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook — actions that served as a basis for President Trump's efforts to remove her from office late last month.

Mortgage delinquency rates increased versus the second quarter of 2024, with certain markets, especially in the South, reporting higher levels of difficulty.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy added 22,000 jobs in August, raising the unemployment rate to 4.3% and providing additional cover for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates in September.

If they exit conservatorship, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might increase fees or retain servicing rights, shrinking their market share, according to the Chairman of Whalen Global Advisors.

The 30-year conforming fixed rate mortgage ended this week at its lowest since last Oct. 17, helped by bond traders pricing in a reduction in short-term rates.

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President Alberto G. Musalem said central bank autonomy leads to lower inflation and stable employment numbers. His comments come amid the Trump administration's attempt to remove a Fed board member for cause.

Orlando-based Cogent Bank has hired a team to finance single-tenant net lease properties, an asset class characterized by exceptional credit quality.

In a letter Friday, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., called on Pulte to address housing unaffordability instead of concentrating on efforts to destabilize the Federal Reserve.

The 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell 2 basis points this week, Freddie Mac said, but other sources like Zillow and Lender Price reported larger drops.

A directive from the Federal Housing Finance Agency would cut the number of board seats for Federal Home Loan Banks, especially in dark blue areas of the electoral map.

The increase in purchase volume was not enough to offset the drop in refinance application submissions as conventional rates increased week-over-week.

Data suggests that the beleaguered commercial real estate market isn't going to get worse. And now that banks have had time to build reserves, any losses they do take shouldn't be disastrous, analysts say.

A proposed rule published Tuesday in the Federal Register would limit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's ability to designate nonbank entities for supervision.

While still higher than the norm, the reduction in this spread is good news when it comes to mortgage rates for potential homebuyers as well as current owners.

The President said in response to a press question about Federal Reserve Gov. Lisa Cook that he would fire her "if she doesn't resign" over allegations of claiming primary residence at two properties she owns, though the legality of such a move is unclear.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday that while the central bank must "proceed carefully" in considering interest rate adjustments in the coming months, recent softness in employment "may warrant adjusting our policy stance."