U S Mortgage Rates Move Higher Due To World Trend

[Realistbear]

http://www.builderonline.com/industry-news...rticleID=268822

Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Hit 2 1/2 Year High

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

Publication date: 2006-03-08

The average 15-year fixed mortgage rate climbed by a similar amount, from 5.93 percent to 6.09 percent, and the average jumbo 30-year fixed rate bounded from 6.48 percent to 6.63 percent. Adjustable rate mortgages increased as well, with the average 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage rising from 6.02 percent to 6.13 percent, and the average one-year ARM hitting 5.76 percent, the highest since Dec. 2001.

While the Federal Reserve's 14 interest rate hikes since June 2004 have had little effect on long-term bond yields and fixed mortgage rates, the outlook for higher interest rates in key overseas markets was enough to send mortgage rates higher

. As a result, 30-year fixed mortgage rates are now flirting with the 6.5 percent mark, a threshold last breached in July 2002.

A key factor in keeping fixed mortgage rates low in the years since has been the steady inflow of capital from places like Japan and Germany

, where the amount of savings is much higher but interest rates are even lower.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/09/real_estat...rates/index.htm

Mortgage rates at 3-1/2 year high

Average 30-year fixed-rate rises to 6.37% for the week ending March 9, up from 6.24% in the prior week, a Freddie Mac survey says.

March 9, 2006: 11:20 AM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose this week to the highest level in more than three and a-half years, with the one- and five-year rates also posting slight gains, Freddie Mac said Thursday.

The economic cycle points to higher rates worldwide. Gordon "Mracle Economy" Brown's HPI and MEW culture is running the final lap.

Edited March 9, 2006 by Realistbear