FRM Update | ![]() |
September 27, 2021
Current Yield Spreads
Fed Chair Powell said if the economic recovery continues as expected the central bank could begin scaling back its asset purchases as soon as November and complete the process by mid-2022. The number of FOMC officials projecting liftoff to occur in 2022 grew from 7 to 9 (of 18 participants), implying a 50/50 chance for the first interest rate hike. The Treasury market sold off in response to the decision with the 10-year closing at 1.45%, the highest weekly close since June.
Yield spreads were under pressure all week until Friday when buyers came into the market to take advantage of the higher projected yields and spreads recovered most of the widening that had occurred earlier in the week. Nominal yield spreads on 15-year MBS (1.5s) to Treasurys with similar duration widened by 1 bp to 38 bps, while yield spreads on 30-year MBS (2.0s) widened 3 bps to 74 bps.
Trading Activity
The summary below reflects customer purchase activity from the previous week. Activity was strong and led UMBS 20-year 2.0s followed by UMBS 15-year 1.5s. There was also strong demand for pools collateralized by jumbo loans.
TBA-Eligible Securities:
- UMBS 10-year 1.5s
- UMBS 15-year 1.5s to 2.5s (1.5s the most traded)
- UMBS 20-year 1.5s to 2.5s (2.0s the most traded)
- UMBS 30-year 1.5s & 2.0s (2.0s the most traded)
Non-Deliverable Securities:
- FNMA 30-year Jumbo 2.0s & 2.5s (2.0s the most traded)
- GNMA 15-year Jumbo 2.5s
- GNMA 30-year Jumbo 2.0s & 2.5s
Specified Pools:
- Low loan balance pools with a maximum loan amount ranging from $85k to $225k, and pools with NY collateral
- Custom CRA Pools
Mortgage Rates and Applications
Mortgage rates rose slightly last week according to Bankrate’s most recent survey. The 15-year rate increased 2 bps to 2.30% while the 30-year rate was higher by 4 bps to 3.04%. The 30-year rate is 28 bps below the 52-week high of 3.32%, and 19 bps higher than the 52-week low of 2.85%.
Mortgage applications for the week ending September 17 rose 4.9% on a 2.2% increase in purchase applications and a 6.5% gain in refi applications. While both categories of applications remain depressed versus their January-2021 levels, purchase applications have now risen 15% over the past seven weeks.
Michael S. Erhardt, CPA
Senior Vice President, Investment Strategies
Vining Sparks IBG, LP