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unemployment rate

Employment report over 250K should give stocks a lift and punish our pricing for about .25 to .50. Anything less than 50K would hold Austin mortgage rates steady and probably put another whippin’ on stocks

Over 250K should give stocks a lift and punish our pricing for about .25 to .50. Anything less than 50K would hold Austin mortgage rates steady and probably put another whippin’ on stocks. With all that is moving markets these days, only the almighty know where we’ll be this time tomorrow. Best bet for borrowers is to lock your interest rate NOW and buckle up! Should be a wild ride.

Austin mortgage pricing should remain relatively stable for most of the week and then worsen post Unemployment Report data on Friday

Looking at last week’s rally, most of the trade was on short covering which means that traders were not initiating new long positions (expecting the market to continue to rally). We buy that argument and if correct, we would suggest that you “buy the rumor, sell the news”. In English, this means that mortgage pricing should remain relatively stable for most of the week and then worsen post Unemployment Report data on Friday

The week ahead will be loaded with first tier data including everything from Construction Spending, Housing numbers, and the Employment Report for January

The lack of month end buying and rebounding stocks has pinched treasury and mortgage pricing this morning. 10 year notes are off 12/32’s (yield 3.65%), mortgage backs off 6/32’s, and stocks are up 85 on the big board. The week ahead will be loaded with first tier data including everything from Construction Spending, Housing numbers, and the Employment Report for January.

The U.S. economy lost 85K jobs in December, bringing the total to 7.6 million since the recession started in December 2007

The U.S. economy lost 85K jobs in December, bringing the total to 7.6 million since the recession started in December 2007. Back month revisions also come into play as October job losses increased 16K while November’s posting improved by 15k. The November number now stands at plus 4K, the first positive employment growth two years.

If the Fed steps in too quickly to raise rates, we could see a repeat of what happened in 1937 when the Roosevelt administration prematurely bumps rates

What needs to happen to solidify a recovery is an expansion or long term investment, consumer spending, and lowering the unemployment rate. If not, we could see another economic dip. If the Fed steps in too quickly to raise rates, given my last statement, we could see a repeat of what happened in 1937 when the Roosevelt administration prematurely bumps rates.

Employment Data Surprises

After several weeks of strong performance, it was a tough week for mortgage markets. Stronger than expected economic data and an improved economic outlook from the Fed increased concerns about future inflationary pressures. Rising inflation expectations result in higher yields, and mortgage rates increased during the week.

Mortgage pricing is trying to work its way back from the lows of the early morning trade

Mortgage pricing is trying to work its way back from the lows of the early morning trade. We are not out of the woods yet, although I wouldn’t expect this trade session today to be very volatile facing tomorrow morning’s Employment report. From what we are seeing, the estimates are anywhere’s from 100k to 130k job losses vs the 190k number from the previous report. I am leaning more towards the -110k mark at this point. Expectations are for the unemployment rate to stay at the 10.2% previous month number, as well as avg hourly earnings and avg work week numbers to stay the same as well.

“Interest rates will be rising…the federal funds rate should be permitted to rise with them”

On a side note, Philadelphia Fed President Plosser (who will not be a voting FOMC member until 2011) said: "Looking ahead, I see an economy that will be growing over the next two years, which means real interest rates will be rising… the federal funds rate should be permitted to rise with them." He said that higher rates may be needed before the unemployment rate and resource utilization return to desirable levels.