Ishakis Finance Report Mortgage Broker Brooklyn
Loan Officer Yael Ishakis’s take on mortgage and finance news.
The Consumer Price Index for June rose 0.20 percent in June as compared to May’s reading of 0.10 percent growth and expectations of 0.30 percent month-to-month growth. The core CPI reading, which excludes volatile food and fuel sectors, fell to 0.20 percent growth in June as compared to May’s month-to-month reading of 0.40 percent growth.
Last week’s scheduled economic reporting included readings on construction spending, June’s FOMC meeting minutes, and reports on jobs and the national unemployment rate. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released.
The top three cities with the highest home price growth rates as reported in April’s S&P Case-Shiller’s 20-City Home Price Index were Chicago, Illinois with a year-over-year home price gain of 4.10 percent; Atlanta, Georgia posted a year-over-year home price growth of 3.50 percent.
Last week’s scheduled economic reports included readings on housing starts, existing home sales, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s congressional testimony. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released.
Federal Reserve policymakers left the Fed’s current interest rate range unchanged at 5.00 to 5.25 percent; the Fed decision was announced after a scheduled meeting of the Fed’s Open Market Committee ended on Wednesday.
Last week’s scheduled economic news included results from Fannie Mae’s National Housing Survey and weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims.
Limited supplies of homes for sale drove home prices up in March. Home prices rose by 0.40 percent month-to-month as compared to 0.70 percent year-over-year. Cities with the highest rates of home price growth were Miami, Florida, where home prices rose 7.70 percent year-over-year, Tampa, Florida with a year-over-year pace of 4.80 percent home price growth, and Charlotte, North Carolina, where home prices rose by 4.70 percent year-over-year.
Homeowners weren’t in a hurry to sell their homes due to the low mortgage rates they obtained during the pandemic. Current mortgage rates are higher than pandemic-era rates, which influenced homeowners to stay in their homes and keep their lower existing mortgage rates.
Last week’s economic reporting included readings on U.S. housing markets, sales of previously-owned homes, housing starts, and building permits issued. Weekly readings on mortgage rates and jobless claims were also released.
The U.S. Labor Department reported the month-to-month pace of inflation rose by 0.40 percent in April and matched analysts’ expectations. April’s reading surpassed the March reading of 0.10 percent month-to-month inflationary growth. Inflation rose by 4.90 percent year-over-year in April. Analysts expect inflationary growth to continue, but at a slower pace through 2023.