The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Non-Farm Payrolls report for December exceeded Wall Street's expectations by 5,000 net new jobs, showing 155,000 positions created in December. The December tally raised the economy's 12-month total to 1.84 million net new jobs created nationwide. Jobs added in December mark the 27th consecutive month of job growth. Job sectors showing the strongest growth to close out 2012 included: Health Care Drinking and Eating Establishments Construction Manufacturing Private-sector hiring is driving the jobs market, too. 168,000 new private sector jobs were added … [Read more...]
Post-Fiscal Cliff, Mortgage Markets Turn Attention To Jobs Data
Mortgage rates moved higher Wednesday up congressional leaders voted to avoid the "Fiscal Cliff". Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) fell as investors bid up stock prices. Confidence among investors and consumers typically causes mortgage rates to rise. That's what happened Wednesday. For Thursday and Friday, expect jobs data to dictate where Phoenix mortgage rates are headed. The Federal Reserve has said that the national Unemployment Rate will dictate future monetary policy, with the central banker planning to raise the Fed Funds Rate from its target range near zero percent once joblessness … [Read more...]
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : December 31, 2012
Mortgage bonds improved last week, pushing mortgage rates lower in Arizona and nationwide. Positive economic news and strong housing data was trumped by ongoing Fiscal Cliff discussions on Capitol Hill. The "Fiscal Cliff" is meant to represent January 1, 2013 -- the date on which mandatory spending cuts are enacted by Congress and on which tax rates increases for many U.S. taxpayers. Some analysts believe that if these two events are to occur simultaneously, it would derail the current U.S. economic expansion and revert the economy back into recession. That concern has spurred a … [Read more...]
Mortgage Rates Rising On 26 Straight Months Of Jobs Growth
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and its November 2012 Non-Farm Payrolls report, the U.S. economy added 146,000 net new jobs last month. November's job growth exceeded Wall Street expectations of 90,000 jobs added for the month, and was a small increase from October's 138,000 jobs added. Three job sectors in which employment rose in November include : Retail : 58,000 jobs added Business and Professional Services : 43,000 jobs added Healthcare : 20,000 jobs added It appears that the effects of Hurricane Sandy were muted, although they may be temporarily overshadowed by … [Read more...]
Find A Mortgage Rate Strategy Ahead Of Friday’s Job Report
Friday morning, the government's Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its Non-Farm Payrolls report, more commonly called the "jobs report". Depending on how the jobs data reads, FHA and conforming mortgage rates may rise, or fall. This is because today’s mortgage market is closely tied to the U.S. economy, and the U.S. economy is closely tied to job growth. Economists expect that employers have added 125,000 net new jobs to their payrolls in October 2012, up from September's tally of 114,000 net new jobs. Jobs have been added to the economy over 24 consecutive months leading … [Read more...]