Overview
- Freddie Mac reports the average 30-year fixed rate rose to 6.09% from 6.06% week over week, while the 15-year average increased to 5.44% from 5.38%.
- The 10-year Treasury yield moved to about 4.27% from 4.17% last week, a shift associated with renewed uncertainty around trade policy and other market factors.
- President Trump announced a $200 billion plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy mortgage-backed securities to support liquidity, though timing and mechanics remain unclear.
- A separate executive order outlines a framework to curb institutional investor purchases of homes, but enforcement details are undefined and any near-term impact is expected to be limited to select metros.
- Housing demand remains strained as pending home sales fell 9.3% in December and affordability pressures persist, with inventory recovery strongest in the South and West.