Premiere Mortgage Services Inc. - Dana Bain

Market Comment

Mortgage bond prices finished the week slightly lower which put a little upward pressure on rates. Rates were higher Monday as a Fed official primed the markets for future rate hikes. Philadelphia Fed President Harker stated that he is confident inflation will hit 2% by the end of the year. Rates were slightly better Tuesday as stocks struggled and China reported increasing their U.S. debt holdings. This reversed a little mid-week as stocks rebounded and growth estimates from the Eurozone where revised higher. There were few data releases. Factory orders fell 0.2% as expected. Weekly jobless claims were 245K versus the expected 240K. Most of the movement this week took place in the mornings with very quiet afternoon sessions. There were some seesaw discount point changes but we ended the week near neutral to worse by approximately 1/8 of a discount point.


LOOKING AHEAD

Retail sales data is the first indication of weakness or strength in consumer spending released each month. The Bureau of the Census of the US Department of Commerce provides information on how much the consumer spends on the purchase of goods. This data provides the consumption part of the gross domestic product. Retail sales data represents merchandise sold for cash or credit by retailers. Durable goods, such as autos, make up 35% of the figure. The balance consists of non-durables such as gasoline, restaurants, and general merchandise. There are several drawbacks to the report. The data covers purchases of goods only, not services. It is also not adjusted for inflation and is extremely volatile. Economists are concerned that the current economic uncertainty will curtail consumer spending.

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