US Mortgage Applications Ease

Mortgage applications in the US fell by 3.8% in the second week of June, trimming the 10.8% jump in the earlier period, to mark the fourth week of contraction from the last five, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The drop took place despite the steadiness in benchmark mortgage rates, which remained unchanged despite the pullback in long-term Treasury yields in the period. Applications to refinance an existing mortgage, which are more sensitive to short-term changes in interest rates, fell by 4.5%. Meanwhile, applications for a mortgage to purchase a home dropped by 3.4%.

US mortgage applications increased by 10.8% in the first week of June, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. This rebound follows a 2.5% decline in the previous period and ends a three-week streak of decreases, marking the highest rise since late February, even as benchmark mortgage rates climbed. Refinance applications, which are particularly sensitive to short-term interest rate changes, jumped by 15.3%, while applications for mortgages to purchase a home rose by 7.3%.

Mortgage applications in the US fell by 2.5% in the last week of May, extending the 8.5% drop in the previous period for to mark a third straight drop in applications, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The decrease took place despite the slight pullback in benchmark mortgage rates, tracking yields on longer maturities as energy costs eased from their peaks in the period. Applications for a loan to refinance an existing mortgage, which are sensitive to short-term changes in interest rates, fell by 2.3% to extend the over 18% plunge in the earlier period. Meanwhile, applications for a mortgage to purchase eased by 2.9%.