Mortgage Applications Declining, Interest Rates Reach Multiyear Highs

Photo of Paul Ausick
By Paul Ausick Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.
Mortgage Applications Declining, Interest Rates Reach Multiyear Highs

© Thinkstock

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its weekly report on mortgage applications Wednesday morning, noting a drop of 1.7% in the group’s seasonally adjusted composite index for the week ending October 5. Mortgage interest rates rose on all five types of loans the MBA tracks.

Mortgage loan rates for top-tier borrowers remained essentially unchanged last week to an average of 4.78% for a 30-year fixed-rate loan, according to Mortgage News Daily. As of Tuesday night, top-tier borrowers are looking at a rate of 5.00%, a drop of more than seven basis points week over week. The yield on a 10-year U.S. Treasury note edged higher to 3.21% Tuesday, up from 3.18% on Friday. A year ago the 10-year note yielded 2.89%.

On an unadjusted basis, the MBA’s composite index fell by 2% week over week. The seasonally adjusted purchase index increased by 1% compared with the week ended September 28. The unadjusted purchase index dipped by 1% for the week and was 2% higher year over year.

The MBA’s refinance index decreased by 3% week over week and the percentage of all new applications that were seeking refinancing dropped from 39.4% to 39.0%.

[nativounit]

Adjustable rate mortgage loans accounted for 7.3% of all applications, up 0.2 points compared with the prior week.

According to the MBA, last week’s average mortgage loan rate for a conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose from 4.96% to 5.05%, its highest level since February 2011. The rate for a jumbo 30-year fixed-rate mortgage increased from 4.93% to 4.99%, its highest level since July 2011. The average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also rose, from 4.39% to 4.44%, its highest level since April 2010.

The contract interest rate for a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage loan increased from 4.24% to 4.29%, the highest level since the MBA series began in 2011. Rates on a 30-year FHA-backed fixed-rate loan rose from 4.95% to 4.98%, the highest level since April 2011.

[recirclink id=497651]

[wallst_email_signup]

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for 247Wallst.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

AKAM Vol: 21,556,944
MU Vol: 65,135,624
INTC Vol: 227,504,426
MNST Vol: 15,284,847
DELL Vol: 12,167,525

Top Losing Stocks

MSI Vol: 3,101,643
EXPE Vol: 4,189,786
CTRA Vol: 73,319,495