Overview
- The Mortgage Bankers Association, which reported Wednesday, said the average U.S. 30‑year fixed rate rose to 6.43% and total applications fell 10.5%, with refinancing down about 15% and purchase requests off 5%.
- Rising oil prices linked to the U.S.–Iran conflict lifted Treasury yields toward recent highs, and mortgage rates climbed because lenders price home loans off those government bond yields.
- Rate trackers showed different snapshots this week, with Mortgage News Daily at 6.49% on Monday, Freddie Mac near 6.22% on its weekly gauge, and HousingWire’s locked-loan data at 6.28% on Tuesday, reflecting timing and methodology gaps.
- In the UK, Moneyfacts reported an unusual inversion where the average two‑year fix rose to 5.56% and now sits above the five‑year at 5.54%, as swap and gilt markets drove rapid repricing and prompted lenders to pull hundreds of deals.
- First‑time UK buyers face short‑term fixes near 6% and about £1,200 more a year on a £250,000 loan, while brokers describe a rush to secure rates as products vanish, raising the risk that the spring selling season cools if volatility persists.