Weekly Mortgage Market Report

The economic environment for mortgage rates was little changed this week. Weaker than expected economic data and continued low inflation supported low rates, and investor demand for bonds remained high. As a result, mortgage rates again ended the week a little lower.

As the economic recovery has lost steam recently, investors are closely watching for signs that growth will slow even more. The economic data released during the week was generally weaker than expected. In a sign that the labor market is not improving, Weekly Jobless Claims rose to 500K, the highest level since November 2009. After a series of positive readings, the Philly Fed manufacturing index surprisingly fell to -7.7. Readings below zero indicate a contraction in the sector. Slower economic growth typically leads to less inflationary pressure, which is positive for mortgage rates.