August 7, 2024
United States:
US Mortgage Rates Tumble to 6.55% in Biggest Drop in Two Years
US 30-year mortgage rates plunged last week by the most in two years, reaching their lowest level since May 2023 and sparking a surge in refinancing applications.
The contract rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage declined 27 basis points to 6.55% in the week ended Aug. 2, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. The rate on a five-year adjustable mortgage plummeted 31 basis points to 5.91%, the lowest this year.
Europe:
ECB’s Rehn Sees Recent Market Swings as an Overreaction
Recent turbulence in global stock markets was an “overreaction,” according to European Central Bank Governing Council member Olli Rehn.
“My own understanding is that it was an overreaction of market forces in the conditions of uncertainty and thin market liquidity during the holiday season, not so much due to issues arising from the fundamentals of the economy,” Rehn said.
Asia:
BOJ Sends Dovish Signal After Rate Hike Spurred Market Meltdown
Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida sent a strong dovish signal in the wake of historic financial market volatility in Japan by pledging to refrain from hiking interest rates when the markets are unstable.
The yen weakened by more than 2% against the dollar, bond futures spiked higher and stocks rebounded immediately after his comments, which were the first public remarks by a BOJ board member since the bank raised rates on July 31.
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