Forecast for the Week

Key reports will be released every day this week!

• Important housing data is ahead with Existing Home Sales on Monday and New Home Sales on Tuesday.
• Also on Tuesday, we’ll get a read on inflation with the closely-watched Consumer Price Index.
• Durable Goods Orders will be released on Wednesday.
• As usual, look for Weekly Initial Jobless Claims on Thursday.
• Friday brings the final reading on Gross Domestic Product for the fourth quarter of 2014, along with the Consumer Sentiment Index.

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 on which home loan rates are based.

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, Mortgage Bonds rallied after the Fed’s statement, helping home loan rates hover near record lows.

Chart: Fannie Mae 3.0% Mortgage Bond (Friday March 20, 2015)

The Mortgage Market Guide View…

4 Cool Ways to Perk Up Your Travel
Paying to park and napping in a terminal chair are so last year.

Whether for business or adventure, travel can wear you out. Check out these little-known travel amenities that will ease your burden, defray your cost, or add productivity or pleasure to your day.

Ditch your coat. Flying JetBlue out of John F. Kennedy International Airport, in New York City? CoatChex will hold your heavy winter outerwear until you return ($2 per day or $10 for one week).

Get paid to park. With FlightCar, available at 10 major U.S. airports, you can park free and get paid if your car is rented to a preapproved driver. For an average five-day trip, members save $100 in parking fees and earn $30 in rental fees.

Need a nap? Snag a private space with a sofabed and desk at a Minute Suite in Atlanta, Philadelphia or Dallas/Fort Worth. Cost: $38 an hour, one-hour minimum. Wake-up call included.

Snowed in (or out)? Chill. The LoungeBuddy app (free for Apple iOS and Android phones) will show you airport lounges around the world to which you have access (although you’ll often have to pay a one-time fee) and book you in. If you’re stuck in San Francisco or Chicago, meditate in an airport yoga room. The Phoenix airport has an indoor fitness trail with views of the skyline, mountains and buttes. Or rustle up a game of ping-pong in Milwaukee.

By Pat Mertz Esswein, Kiplinger.com

Reprinted with permission. All Contents ©2015 The Kiplinger Washington Editors. Kiplinger.com.

Economic Calendar for the Week of March 23 – March 27

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