Forecast for the Week 
The calendar will be busy all week with several key reports.
- The week kicks off on Monday with Retail Sales.
- Look for two important manufacturing reports: the Empire State Index on Monday, followed by the Philadelphia Fed Index on Thursday.
- Tuesday we’ll get a read on inflation at the consumer level with the Consumer Price Index.
- Gauges on housing will be reported on Wednesday with Building Permits and Housing Starts.
- Also releasing on Wednesday, the Fed’s Beige Book, which gives information on current economic conditions in the Fed’s twelve districts.
- Weekly Initial Jobless Claims will be reported as usual on Thursday.
Remember: Weak economic news normally causes money to flow out of Stocks and into Bonds, helping Bonds and home loan rates improve, while strong economic news normally has the opposite result. The chart below shows Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS), which are the type of Bond that home loan rates are based on.
When you see these Bond prices moving higher, it means home loan rates are improving — and when they are moving lower, home loan rates are getting worse.
To go one step further — a red “candle” means that MBS worsened during the day, while a green “candle” means MBS improved during the day. Depending on how dramatic the changes were on any given day, this can cause rate changes throughout the day, as well as on the rate sheets we start with each morning.
As you can see in the chart below, Bond and home loan rates rallied last week. I’ll continue to monitor their movement closely.
Chart: Fannie Mae 3.5% Mortgage Bond (Friday July 12, 2013)
The Mortgage Market Guide View…
Social Media Sizzle, Part 3 Getting More Leads with Podcasting
A recent study discovered podcast awareness has increased 105 percent since 2006. Also, the number of consumers listening to these online audio and video broadcasts has increased by 163 percent.
Websites, blogs and social media accounts require up-to-date content, but not everyone is comfortable writing or has the necessary budget to employ a skilled writer. Podcasting can help business owners bridge the gap, without requiring too much technical wizardry.
Here are the four steps to producing a basic podcast:
Rehearse: Podcasts are recorded digitally, so the audio is easy to edit. Even so, your podcast will be noticeably smoother, your delivery more interesting, and your thoughts will be easier to follow if you work from an outline and practice first.
Record: Cheap or free audio software will record, edit, and output the finalized audio file. Audacity is the most popular, but there are others as well. Note that if you want to add bumper music or other audio elements, make sure to get multi-track software. Most user manuals do a good job explaining how the software works, but if you still have trouble, users often post helpful walk-through tutorials on YouTube.
Consider using an external microphone instead of the built-in mic on your computer. Most mics these days are plug-and-play and your listeners will appreciate the higher audio quality. Here are a few mics to choose from.
Publish: Once your audio has been finalized, you need to upload it to a podcast host such as Libsyn or Podbean. Also, make sure to apply to have your feed posted on iTunes, which will expand your reach.
Promote: Now it’s time to link your podcast feed across your website, blog, and social media accounts. Also notify your clients and contacts by email. Ask strategic partners to post your podcast on their website, and look for other ways to promote it locally. Don’t forget to list it on your business card!
Economic Calendar for the Week of July 15 – July 19
|
Date
|
ET
|
Economic Report
|
For
|
Estimate
|
Actual
|
Prior
|
Impact
|
| Mon. July 15 |
08:30
|
Retail Sales |
Jun
|
NA
|
0.6%
|
HIGH
|
|
| Mon. July 15 |
08:30
|
Retail Sales ex-auto |
Jun
|
NA
|
0.3%
|
HIGH
|
|
| Mon. July 15 |
08:30
|
Empire State Index |
Jul
|
NA
|
7.8
|
Moderate
|
|
| Tue. July 16 |
08:30
|
Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
Jun
|
NA
|
0.1%
|
HIGH
|
|
| Tue. July 16 |
08:30
|
Core Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
Jun
|
NA
|
0.2%
|
HIGH
|
|
| Tue. July 16 |
10:00
|
Housing Market Index |
Jul
|
NA
|
52
|
Moderate
|
|
| Wed. July 17 |
08:30
|
Housing Starts |
Jun
|
NA
|
914K
|
Moderate
|
|
| Wed. July 17 |
08:30
|
Building Permits |
Jun
|
1M
|
974K
|
Moderate
|
|
| Wed. July 17 |
02:00
|
Beige Book |
Jul
|
NA
|
NA
|
HIGH
|
|
| Thu. July 18 |
08:30
|
Jobless Claims (Initial) |
7/13
|
348K
|
360K
|
Moderate
|
|
| Thu. July 18 |
10:00
|
Philadelphia Fed Index |
Jul
|
5.3
|
12.5
|
Moderate
|
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