Rate update: Markets shrug off war drums

 Interest Rates, Residential Mortgage  Comments Off on Rate update: Markets shrug off war drums
Jan 082020
 

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By G. Steven Bray

When I predict whether rates will rise or fall, I always issue the caveat “absent unexpected headlines.” Well, the past few days have provided a case in point. Rates dropped quickly following the US drone strike last week on the Iranian general and rose just as quickly today following the President’s address that suggested the crisis has passed.

Where does that leave us? Rates are stuck in the range again and waiting for inspiration. Potential sources for that inspiration are many, but let’s focus on a few of them.

First and foremost, if the Iranians don’t “stand down” as the President suggests, rates are certain to fall again. Renewed hostilities will make investors more cautious, and that caution will lead to lower interest rates.

Assuming that doesn’t happen, and markets currently seem confident it won’t, the next big event is this week’s jobs report. Recession whisperers were headliners on cable news last fall when it appeared the jobs market was softening. That changed with Dec’s blowout jobs report. Markets expect another strong report this Fri. Because of this expectation, its verification is unlikely to change rates much. Should the report disappoint, rates should improve a little.

Trade is the other major source of inspiration. The Senate is expected to pass the new trade deal with Mexico and Canada soon, and the President said he expects to sign a Phase 1 deal with China mid-month. Markets widely expect this to happen, so when it does, it’s unlikely to change market sentiment. Rates seem to be experiencing some slight upward pressure, and that probably would continue. However, should we experience a hiccup in either deal, we’d likely see at least a short-term drop in rates.

Rate update: Will the Fed surprise us?

 Interest Rates, Residential Mortgage  Comments Off on Rate update: Will the Fed surprise us?
Jul 232019
 

For more information, please contact me at (512) 261-1542 or steve@LoneStarLending.com.

By G. Steven Bray

Interest rates have settled back into a narrow range while markets await the Federal Reserve meeting next week. The Fed has strongly telegraphed its intention to cut short term rates, and recent positive economic data has convinced markets it will only be a quarter point cut. So, with that decided, what possible motivation could rates have to move?

Well, I’ll give you a couple, but I think they’re outliers. The first is headlines from the Middle East. So far, the US and its allies seem content mostly to ignore Iran’s provocations, allowing the punishing economic sanctions to continue to work. Should Iran get more desperate and start a shooting war, interest rates will tumble quickly.

The second is the Chinese trade tiff. I’m calling it a tiff because despite the doomsday prognostications from the experts, the damage to the US economy seems to have been quite limited. The Chinese economy, on the other hand, seems to be suffering. Should the Chinese finally decide the pain is too great and strike a deal, it will relieve some of the uncertainty that’s been keeping rates low.

Absent those events, I think it’s a balancing act between weakening foreign economies and the still-strong US economy. And as long as we remain in balance, rates really don’t have any motivation to move.