Long- and Short-Term Rates Are Lower This Week

Freddie Mac today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) in which the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.67 percent with an average 0.4 point for the week ending February 7, 2008, down slightly from last week when it averaged 5.68 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.28 percent.

The 15-year FRM this week averaged 5.15 percent with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.17 percent. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 6.02 percent.

Five-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 5.21 percent this week, with an average 0.4 point, down from last week when it averaged 5.32 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 5.99 percent.

One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.03 percent this week with an average 0.5 point, down from last week when it was 5.05 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.49 percent

"Long-term mortgage rates were little changed this week, largely in sync with the movements in the Treasury bond yields during the same time," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "Additionally, economic news released in the past week showed that the economy continues to be weak.

"Non-farm payroll employment fell by 17,000 jobs in December, the first month of job loss since August 2003 while the Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing business activity index showed a contraction in this sector last month, the first since March 2003 and the lowest index level since October 2001. The Federal Reserve's Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey for January reported further tightening of lending standards in residential mortgages over the prior three months, with 53 percent of respondents indicating a tightening of credit in the prime mortgage market, up from 41 percent in the October survey. And 70 percent of those surveyed expect deterioration in credit quality for prime residential mortgages in the coming year."

Source: FreddieMac Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), www.freddiemac.com