Benzinga - by Piero Cingari, Benzinga Staff Writer.
The U.S. housing market faces increased pressure as the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose by seven basis points to 6.87%, a peak not seen in the past two months.
This rise in mortgage rates, as reported by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) on Wednesday, is a direct consequence of a slew of robust economic data and stickier-than-expected inflation, which have pushed long-term benchmark Treasury yields higher.
Amid these rising rates, the mortgage sector has experienced a downturn in activity, indicating the rising cost of borrowing for prospective homeowners. This was evidenced by a 2.3% decrease in mortgage applications, a notable pullback from the 3.7% gain observed in the preceding week.
Chart: Mortgage Rates Saw A New Uptick Last Week
January’s Inflation Surprised To The Upside, Yields Rise
Particularly alarming was the core inflation rate, excluding volatile energy and food prices, which held firm at 3.9% year-on-year in January, surpassing the anticipated 3.7%.
Read also: Magnificent 7 Lose More Than $250 Billion As Blazing Inflation Data Triggers Market Sell-Off
The bond market, which plays a critical role in setting mortgage rates, reacted sharply to the inflation data. The yields on 10-year and 30-year Treasuries climbed to 4.30% and 4.47%, respectively, on Tuesday, echoing levels last seen in early December 2023, reflecting growing investor apprehension towards a resumption of inflationary pressures.
Chart: 30-Year Treasury Yields Nears 4.5%, The Highest Since Late November
Traders Trim Rate Cut Bets, Mortgage-Related Stocks Sink
Following the inflation report and the bond market’s response, the real estate sector emerged as one of the most adversely affected, with the Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLRE) experiencing a 1.8% decline on Tuesday, reaching monthly lows.
Similarly, the mortgage industry, as tracked by the iShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (NYSE:REM), plummeted by 3.9%, marking its lowest point since mid-November 2023.
Among the most impacted stocks were Claros Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYSE:CMTG), which saw an over 8% drop, Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (NYSE:ACRE), down by 7.8%, and New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYSE:NYMT), which fell by 6.3%.
Chart: Mortgage Real Estate Stocks Have Retraced More Than Half Of The Oct-Dec Rally
Read now: Economists Sound Alarm On Inflation’s Stubborn Grip: ‘No Chance Inflation Will Return To 2%’ Without New Rate Hikes
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