Mortgage Rates Near 6%, Demand Increases For Refinancing, Purchases

BY Benzinga | AGENCY | 09/19/24 06:30 PM EDT

Mortgage rates continue to fall toward 6% as the housing market absorbs the Federal Reserve’s 0.5% rate cut on Wednesday, raising demand for refinancing and buying, stated Freddie Mac.

The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 6.09% on Thursday, down from 6.2% a week ago and 7.19% a year earlier, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Market Mortgage Survey.

The rate for a 15-year fixed mortgage declined to 5.15%, down from 5.27% a week ago and 6.54% a year earlier.

"Mortgage rates continued declining towards the six percent mark, reviving purchase and refinance demand for many consumers," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist.

Read Also: Single-Family Housing Starts Are Up As Mortgage Rates Decline, Fed Eyes Lower Rates

"While mortgage rates do not directly follow moves by the Federal Reserve, this first cut in over four years will have an impact on the housing market. Declining mortgage rates over the last several weeks indicate this cut was mostly baked in, but we expect rates to fall further, sparking more housing activity."

Exchange-traded funds that hold mortgage stocks are sensitive to mortgage rates because they primarily invest in mortgage-backed securities (MBS) or mortgage-related assets, which are directly impacted by changes in interest rates.

  • IShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (REM) rose 0.82%
  • VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF (MORT) went up 0.74%
  • IShares MBS ETF (MBB) ticked up 0.06%

IShares Mortgage Real Estate ETF (REM) holds 15.2% of the REIT, Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) , while VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF (MORT) holds 11.1%.

Read Now:

  • Mortgage Rates Fall To Lowest Level Since February 2023

Photo: Shutterstock

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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