US Mortgage Applications Retreat

2026-05-20 11:14 By Andre Joaquim 1 min. read

Mortgage applications in the US fell by 2.3% in the second week of May, erasing the 1.7% increase in the previous period to mark the third week of decline in the last four, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The drop was aligned with the surge in long-term Treasury yields due to increasing inflation expectations, lifting the benchmark 30-year mortgage rate by 10bps during the period.

Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home fell by 4%.

In turn, applications for a contract to refinance a mortgage were broadly unchanged.

Concerns of higher interest rates in the future lifted the share of adjustable-mortgage-rate contracts to nearly 10% of total applications, the highest since October of 2025.



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US Mortgage Applications Retreat
Mortgage applications in the US fell by 2.3% in the second week of May, erasing the 1.7% increase in the previous period to mark the third week of decline in the last four, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The drop was aligned with the surge in long-term Treasury yields due to increasing inflation expectations, lifting the benchmark 30-year mortgage rate by 10bps during the period. Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home fell by 4%. In turn, applications for a contract to refinance a mortgage were broadly unchanged. Concerns of higher interest rates in the future lifted the share of adjustable-mortgage-rate contracts to nearly 10% of total applications, the highest since October of 2025.
2026-05-20
US Mortgage Applications Rebound
Mortgage applications in the US rose by 1.7% from the previous week in the first week of May, trimming two straight periods of drops, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The slight rebound took place despite continuously high borrowing costs, with benchmark mortgage rates rising to their highest in five weeks. Applications for a mortgage to buy a new home rose by 4% in the period, reflecting some traction for new residences after the stall since the start of the war in the Middle East in March. Meanwhile, applications for a contract to refinance a mortgage, which is more sensitive to short-term changes in interest rates, eased by 1%.
2026-05-13
US Mortgage Applications Fall for 2nd Week
Mortgage applications in the US dropped by 4.4% from the previous week in the last week of April, extending the 2.6% drop in the previous week, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The drop was aligned with the 8bps increase in benchmark mortgage rates, prompted by an increase in Treasury yields of longer maturities in the period as soaring energy prices, evidence of higher underlying inflation and a robust labor market promoted bets of a Fed hike this year. Applications for a contract to refinance a mortgage, which are sensitive to short-term changes in interest rates, fell by 5%. In turn, applications for a mortgage to purchase a new home fell by 3.7%.
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