Forecast for the Week 
- Housing data this week includes the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index on Tuesday, followed by New Home Sales on Wednesday and Pending Home Sales on Thursday.
- Consumer Confidence will be released on Tuesday, with the Consumer Sentiment Index hitting on Friday.
- The FOMC Monetary Policy Statement release will wrap up this month’s Fed meeting on Wednesday.
- Weekly Initial Jobless Claims and Durable Goods Orders will be delivered on Thursday.
- The closely watched Gross Domestic Product data for 4th quarter of 2015 will be released Friday along with the Employment Cost Index and the Chicago PMI manufacturing index.
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 are 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 have drifted lower after their recent surge.
Chart: Fannie Mae 3.5% Mortgage Bond (Friday January 22, 2016)
The Mortgage Market Guide View…
Scams That Target Small Business
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently updated its list of scams commonly targeting small businesses, places of worship and not-for-profit groups. Be on the lookout for the following scams:
The Directory Listing Scam: Perpetrators call to confirm contact information for a “free” listing. The person who answers the call may be coerced or inadvertently talked into agreeing to advertise in a nonexistent directory for which the company will be invoiced, often for hundreds of dollars. If you realize it’s a scam and refuse to pay, threats ensue. Avoid this scam by training employees to forward sales or confirmation calls to a designated person or ask your own questions to confirm what the directory is, who placed the initial listing and how you can get a hard copy of a contract before confirming anything.
The Supply Swindle: This scam targets small businesses and non-profits that may not have a process for ordering office supplies. When supplies show up out of the blue, they are often paid for without question because it’s assumed someone must have authorized the order. There may even be a call claiming to verify an existing order, which the scammer records and edits to blackmail the business into payment. Avoid this scam by refusing unsolicited orders, having a clear system for procuring supplies and dealing directly with a local office supply store.
The URL Hustle: Scammers claim your Web address is about to expire, emphasizing that time is of the essence. The scammer hopes you’ll be too busy to investigate the invoice, or simply pay now and ask questions later. Avoid this scam by knowing where your URL is located (for example, GoDaddy, HostGator or Google Domains) and manage it yourself, which takes just a few minutes each year.
Learn more about the FTC’s updated scam list, and even more ways to protect your business. If you believe you may be the victim of a similar scam, don’t pay; contact the FTC to file a complaint.
Please feel free to pass these helpful tips along to your team, clients and colleagues.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
Economic Calendar for the Week of January 25 – January 29
|
Date
|
ET
|
Economic Report
|
For
|
Estimate
|
Actual
|
Prior
|
Impact
|
| Tue. January 26 |
09:00
|
S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index |
Nov
|
NA
|
5.5%
|
Moderate
|
|
| Tue. January 26 |
10:00
|
Consumer Confidence |
Jan
|
NA
|
96.5
|
Moderate
|
|
| Wed. January 27 |
10:00
|
New Home Sales |
Dec
|
NA
|
490K
|
Moderate
|
|
| Wed. January 27 |
02:00
|
FOMC Meeting |
Jan
|
NA
|
0.5%
|
HIGH
|
|
| Thu. January 28 |
08:30
|
Jobless Claims (Initial) |
1/23
|
NA
|
NA
|
Moderate
|
|
| Thu. January 28 |
08:30
|
Durable Goods Orders |
Dec
|
NA
|
0.0%
|
Moderate
|
|
| Thu. January 28 |
10:00
|
Pending Home Sales |
Dec
|
NA
|
-0.8%
|
Moderate
|
|
| Fri. January 29 |
08:30
|
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) |
Q4
|
NA
|
2.0%
|
Moderate
|
|
| Fri. January 29 |
08:30
|
GDP Chain Deflator |
Q4
|
NA
|
1.3%
|
Moderate
|
|
| Fri. January 29 |
08:30
|
Employment Cost Index (ECI) |
Q4
|
NA
|
0.6%
|
HIGH
|
|
| Fri. January 29 |
09:45
|
Chicago PMI |
Jan
|
NA
|
42.9
|
HIGH
|
|
| Fri. January 29 |
10:00
|
Consumer Sentiment Index (UoM) |
Jan
|
NA
|
92.6
|
Moderate
|
The material contained in this newsletter is provided by a third party to real estate, financial services and other professionals only for their use and the use of their clients. The material provided is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment and/or mortgage advice. Although the material is deemed to be accurate and reliable, we do not make any representations as to its accuracy or completeness and as a result, there is no guarantee it is without errors.
Mortgage Market Guide, LLC is the copyright owner or licensee of the content and/or information in this email, unless otherwise indicated. Mortgage Market Guide, LLC does not grant to you a license to any content, features or materials in this email. You may not distribute, download, or save a copy of any of the content or screens except as otherwise provided in our Terms and Conditions of Membership, for any purpose. The material contained in this newsletter is provided by a third party to real estate, financial services and other professionals only for their use and the use of their clients. The material provided is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment and/or mortgage advice. Although the material is deemed to be accurate and reliable, we do not make any representations as to its accuracy or completeness and as a result, there is no guarantee it is without errors.
Mortgage Info By Michelle Wickett 