With things still up in the air in terms of geopolitical risk, markets are seeking safer havens in general so far today. Most recently, this is affecting stocks a bit more than bonds.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Mortgage Rates Having Tough Time, But Housing Metrics Are Still Strong

There were 3 distinct parts to this week. One was boring. One was very bad for rates, and one undid almost all the damage.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Highest Inflation Since The 80s; Highest Rates Since 2019; Huge Volatility on Friday

Friday’s jobs report wasn’t supposed to matter much for rates, but it did… massively.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Mortgage Rates Leap Toward 4.0% After Jobs Report Shocker

After nearly a month of anticipation, the market finally had its showdown with the Fed. It turns out rates and stocks were already in a good position.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Is The Fed Going to Kill The Economy?

It’s a tumultuous time on several levels. Rates have risen abruptly. Why? And what’s next?
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Making Sense of Rising Rates And The Risks Ahead

In the past 2 weeks, press coverage of the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook has ramped up significantly. The Fed is now expected to start hiking rates in March and to hike more than previously expected in 2022. If you think that gives you time to get a mortgage before rates go up, think again.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Fed May Be Hiking in March, But Higher Rates Are Here Today

Seemingly overnight, the mortgage rate narrative has changed rather drastically, at least in relative terms. While rates had risen gradually from near-all-time lows in August, they were still in a historically low range by the end of December. 1 week later and we’re at the highest levels in 2 years.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Highest Mortgage Rates in Nearly 2 Years

Sure, we could write a headline that attempts to distill the concept of a big picture struggle between the forces exerting upward pressure on rates and those stepping in to push back in the other direction. Or we could just introduce the “not so fast” line, and let a chart do the talking.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Introducing The "Not So Fast" Line

Financial market volatility increased noticeably after the emergence of the omicron variant. Last week, that proved to be good for rates and bad for stocks. This week was a different story.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Volatility Has Been High, But Next Week Could Be Worse

Several developments are converging on the global economy and financial markets at the moment. Each brings its own causes for concern. Together, they bring a significant increase in volatility.
Source: Kevin Litwicki MBSLIVE
Should We Be Worried?