Economic & Housing Research
Weekly Commentary
May 17, 2012
The European debt crisis overshadowed improving economic indicators for the U.S. and allowed Treasury bond yields and fixed mortgage rates to ease for another week. For instance, industrial production rose 1.1 percent in April – the largest gain since December 2010 – and consumer sentiment in May rose to its highest reading since January 2008, according to the University of Michigan.
There was also good news in the home construction industry. Housing starts rose to an annualized rate of 717,000 homes in April, well above the market consensus forecast, and construction on one-family homes increased to its strongest pace in three months. Moreover, homebuilder confidence in May reached its highest reading since January 2008, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. >> Next Commentary: May 24
- Weekly Commentary – May 10, 2012
- Weekly Commentary – May 3, 2012
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Freddie Mac compiles data on major economic and housing and mortgage market indicators and offers forecasts based on those indicators.
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Refinancing Activity Reports
Freddie Mac compiles statistics on loans it purchases that refinance loans in its portfolio.
- Q1 2012 "Cash-Out" Release – May
8, 2012
(Release of Q2 2012 Data: TBD) - Q1 2012 Product Transition Release -
May 14, 2012
(Release of Q2 2012 Data: TBD) - Refinance Data Reports
Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Annual Survey
Freddie Mac conducts an annual survey of primary market interest rates on several ARM products.
Freddie Mac House Price Index (FMHPISM)
The FMHPI provides a measure of typical price inflation for houses within the United States.
- FMHPI Data
(Release of Q2 2012 FMHPI Data: TBD)
Monthly Refinance & ARM Shares
Freddie Mac collects the Refinance and ARM share of applications, as reported by lenders who participate in the Weekly Mortgage Market Survey.
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Opinions, estimates, forecasts and other views contained in this page are those of Freddie Mac's Office of the Chief Economist, do not necessarily represent the views of Freddie Mac or its management, should not be construed as indicating Freddie Mac's business prospects or expected results, and are subject to change without notice. Although the Office of the Chief Economist attempts to provide reliable, useful information, it does not guarantee that the information is accurate, current or suitable for any particular purpose. © 2012 by Freddie Mac. Information from this page may be used with proper attribution.
Primary Mortgage Market Survey ®
| 30-yr | 15-yr | |
|---|---|---|
| Avg. Rate | 3.79 % | 3.04 % |
| Fees/Pts | 0.7 | 0.7 |
Next rate update: May 24, 2012
Other Resources
Monthly Refi & ARM Shares
| Refi | ARM | |
|---|---|---|
| Apr '12 | 76% | 6% |
| Mar '12 | 76% | 6% |
| Apr '11 | 65% | 6% |
Next Share Update: June 20, 2012
Federal COF Index
| COFI | |
|---|---|
| April '12 | 1.105 |
| March '12 | 1.122 |
| April '11 | 1.301 |
Next COFI Update: June 20, 2012
