Today's Mortgage Interest Rate News

Bond markets, which play a key role in determining mortgage rates, improved yesterday afternoon after news of a potential framework agreement involving Greenland. Investors were less focused on long-term access issues and more relieved by signs that immediate risks like new tariffs or reduced foreign demand for US Treasuries might be delayed.

That reaction carried into today. Additional comments about expanded US access to Greenland did not move markets, suggesting investors feel the situation is already priced in.

This morning’s economic data also had little impact. The GDP report is based on older information, and weekly jobless claims rarely cause major market moves unless they are far from expectations. As a result, neither report changed the outlook for interest rates.

The next item on the calendar is the PCE inflation report later this morning. While inflation data can influence mortgage rates, this release covers October and November, and more recent inflation reports for December are already available. That limits its potential to move markets.

Outside of US data, bond yields have been slowly moving higher in response to developments in European markets. Even so, US Treasuries have held onto most of yesterday’s gains, helping prevent a sharper rise in mortgage rates for now.

For homebuyers, the takeaway is that rates are edging higher but remain relatively stable as markets wait for more meaningful news.

Mortgage rates are roughly where they were two weeks ago, which means conditions have not worsened further today. However, rates are still higher than they were just a week ago after a sharp increase from recent lows.

Most of that volatility happened at the start of the shortened holiday week. Bond yields moved decisively higher, breaking out of the narrow range they had been stuck in. That move was driven less by US economic data and more by global political developments. Concerns overseas, including issues tied to government debt in Japan, added to the pressure on bonds.

Today’s tone is calmer. Japanese bond markets have stabilized somewhat, and there have been no new geopolitical surprises from major international meetings. As a result, bond prices have stopped falling and are moving sideways for now.

For homebuyers, this is an important shift to watch. Economic data still matters for mortgage rates, but global political events and government spending concerns are playing a bigger role than they have in the past. When these factors push bond prices lower, yields rise and mortgage rates move higher. If conditions stabilize, rates often do the same.

The takeaway is that today’s calm does not undo last week’s increase in rates, but it does suggest the market is pausing after a rapid move.

Bond markets are under pressure this morning due to a mix of global political and financial developments. Ongoing tensions related to US trade policy are beginning to show measurable effects. Part of the current strategy involves new tariffs, and European officials have discussed possible retaliatory actions, including pausing talks on a broader US and EU trade agreement.

One tangible result surfaced today when a Danish pension fund announced it is selling its US Treasury holdings. While the dollar amount involved is not large on its own, it raises concerns that other European investors could consider similar moves. When large investors sell US bonds, bond prices fall and yields rise, which can push mortgage rates higher.

At the same time, developments in Japan are adding to the pressure. Japanese government bond yields jumped sharply overnight due to concerns about debt levels. When yields rise in major global markets, US bonds often feel the effects as well. Investors may sell US Treasuries in response, leading to additional downward pressure on bond prices.

For homebuyers, the key takeaway is that mortgage rates are not influenced only by US economic data. Global political tensions and overseas bond market moves can also affect bond prices. When these factors cause bonds to sell off, yields rise, and mortgage rates can move higher even without new domestic economic reports.

This morning’s weekly jobless claims report showed fewer people filing for unemployment benefits than expected. While this weekly report does not usually carry the same weight as the monthly jobs report, it can move markets when the numbers stand out.

Today’s reading came in below the 200,000 level, which investors often view as a sign of a very strong labor market. Strong labor data tends to support the stock market. When investors shift money toward stocks, bond prices often fall. Falling bond prices push yields higher, which can place upward pressure on mortgage rates.

As a result, bond prices slipped shortly after the report was released, moving from stable overnight levels to slightly weaker territory. Another regional manufacturing report released at the same time also showed strength, adding to the pressure on bonds.

For homebuyers, the takeaway is that signs of a strong job market can make it harder for mortgage rates to move lower in the short term. While today’s move is modest, it reflects how even weekly economic data can influence rates when it points to continued economic strength.

This morning’s economic data had a much smaller impact on the bond market compared to yesterday’s inflation report. Trading activity after today’s reports was far lighter, showing that investors did not see anything that demanded a strong reaction.

One of the reports released today tracks price changes for producers, which is another way to look at inflation pressures earlier in the supply chain. While the annual inflation number moved higher, the most recent monthly data came in lower than expected. The rise in the annual figure was mainly due to revisions to older data, not new inflation pressure.

Retail sales were also released and showed consumers spending slightly more overall. However, the underlying numbers that strip out volatile categories came in as expected, and last month’s data was revised lower. This suggests consumer spending is steady but not accelerating sharply.

For homebuyers, the key takeaway is that today’s reports did not deliver bad news for bonds. Bond prices are holding steady to slightly higher, which means yields are unchanged to a bit lower. When yields are stable or drifting lower, mortgage rates typically remain steady or improve slightly.

In short, today’s data is not driving big changes, but it is also not adding pressure for mortgage rates to move higher.

This morning’s inflation report came in just a bit softer than expected. Monthly core inflation was slightly lower than forecasts, and annual core inflation edged down as well. At the same time, overall inflation was unchanged from the prior month. When all the details are considered, the report did not clearly point in one direction or another for bond markets.

Instead, today’s data mainly confirms that inflation is roughly where it was before recent disruptions affected data collection. There was no strong signal that inflation is rapidly heating up or cooling down.

Bond prices did improve after the report, which is a positive sign for mortgage rates. When bond prices rise, yields fall, and that helps support lower mortgage rates. However, the improvement has been uneven and relatively small, showing that investors are cautious.

For homebuyers, the takeaway is that today’s inflation report helped reinforce stability rather than drive a big change. Mortgage rates may see modest improvement, but larger moves are more likely to come from future economic reports that provide a clearer picture of where inflation and economic growth are headed.