Home loan applications fall to over 3-1/2-yr low
U.S. mortgage applications fell to a more than 3-1/2-year low last week amid a sharp drop in demand for loan refinancing even as interest rates held steady, an industry trade group said on Wednesday.
The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage applications for the week ended December 23 decreased 6.8 percent to 554.1 from the previous week’s 594.6. Volume was at its lowest level since the week ended May 24, 2002, when the index hit 516.9.
The group’s seasonally adjusted index of refinancing applications dropped 11.2 percent to 1,259.1, compared with 1,418.1 the previous week. Volume was at its lowest level since the week ended April 12, 2002, when the index reached 1,246.1.
An adjustment was included in the data to help account for reduced application activity prior to the holiday weekend, the MBA said.
…
The MBA’s seasonally adjusted purchase mortgage index fell 4.5 percent to 432.9 from the previous week’s 453.1, its lowest level since February. The index is considered a timely gauge on U.S. home sales.
—–
I would love to know what the numbers were prior to the special adjustment. That just reaks of manipulation.
Caveat Emptor,
Grim
Wait until next months #’s when they can’t cook the books!
“Ben Bernanke’s Heavy Burden
TheStreet.com
http://tinyurl.com/ccbs4
Check out the chart at the end of this article. The chart shows how tightening cycles often end disastrously and raises the prospect of a housing price collapse.
There were less home price applications because everyone was too busy waiting in line to get their XBox 360!!