by Calculated Risk on 6/03/2015 07:00:00 AM

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey

Mortgage applications decreased 7.6 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 29, 2015. This week’s results include an adjustment to account for the Memorial Day holiday. ...

The Refinance Index decreased 12 percent from the previous week. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index decreased 3 percent from one week earlier. The unadjusted Purchase Index decreased 14 percent compared with the previous week and was 14 percent higher than the same week one year ago.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) decreased to 4.02 percent from 4.07 percent, with points decreasing to 0.33 from 0.35 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.


The first graph shows the refinance index.

2014 was the lowest year for refinance activity since year 2000.

It would take much lower rates - below 3.5% - to see a significant refinance boom this year.

The second graph shows the MBA mortgage purchase index.  

According to the MBA, the unadjusted purchase index is 14% higher than a year ago.

by Calculated Risk on 6/02/2015 08:43:00 PM

This made me chuckle today ... "If the last seven years have taught investors anything, it’s to focus on the negatives and never change your mind." Josh Brown

Wednesday:
• At 7:00 AM ET, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) will release the results for the mortgage purchase applications index.

• At 8:15 AM, ADP Employment Report for May. This report is for private payrolls only (no government). The consensus is for 200,000 payroll jobs added in May, up from 169,000 in April.

• At 8:30 AM, Trade Balance report for April from the Census Bureau. The consensus is for the U.S. trade deficit to be at $43.9 billion in April from $51.4 billion in March. Note: The trade deficit increased sharply in March after the West Coast port slowdown was resolved in February. The deficit should decline significantly in April.

• At 10:00 AM, the ISM non-Manufacturing Index for April. The consensus is for index to decrease to 57.2 from 57.8 in April.

• At 2:00 PM, the Federal Reserve Beige Book, an informal review by the Federal Reserve Banks of current economic conditions in their Districts.

by Calculated Risk on 6/02/2015 05:32:00 PM

A few excerpts from a research piece by Goldman Sachs chief economist Jan Hatzius: A September Hike: Sensible in the Base Case, Premature on Risk Management Grounds

The monetary policy path in the March "dot plot", which implies rate hikes starting at the September FOMC meeting, is consistent with the implications of a Taylor 1999 rule with a focus on broad labor market slack. To us, this looks like sensible policy in the FOMC's base case for the economy (which is broadly similar to our own at this point).

Nevertheless, we think the risk management case for delaying the first hike until 2016 remains persuasive. There is substantial uncertainty around the economic outlook, the equilibrium funds rate, and the true amount of labor market slack. This uncertainty has asymmetric effects on optimal monetary policy, and generally favors waiting.

Meanwhile, we are unconvinced by the main risk management arguments that are typically deployed in favor of an earlier liftoff than implied by the baseline economic scenario, which include financial stability concerns, worries about "falling behind the curve", and a desire to test the machinery of exit.

For now, our forecast remains that the FOMC will hike rates at the September FOMC meeting. But our discussion today reinforces our existing view that this remains a close call.

by Calculated Risk on 6/02/2015 03:00:00 PM

Based on an AutoData estimate, light vehicle sales were at a 17.9 million SAAR in May. That is up 6.2% from May 2014, and up 7.3% from the 16.5 million annual sales rate last month.


Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows the historical light vehicle sales from the BEA (blue) and an estimate for May (red, light vehicle sales of 17.79 million SAAR from AutoData).

This was above the consensus forecast of 17.0 million SAAR (seasonally adjusted annual rate).

The second graph shows light vehicle sales since the BEA started keeping data in 1967.

Note: dashed line is current estimated sales rate.

This was above the consensus forecast, and the strongest sales pace since July 2005. It appears 2015 will be the best year for light vehicle sales since 2001.

by Calculated Risk on 6/02/2015 12:14:00 PM

From WardsAuto: May 2015 U.S. LV Sales Thread: May SAAR Should Top 17 Million

May WardsAuto report forecasted LV sales for May at 1.6 million units, equating to a SAAR of nearly 17.5 million units. Wtih 6 of the Top 7 automakers reporting sales are trending at 1.63 million units, equating to a SAAR slightly above 17.7 million units.
emphasis added

From the WSJ: Auto Makers Posted Stronger-Than-Expected U.S. Sales in May

Several top auto makers logged stronger-than-expected U.S. vehicle sales in May, adding to the industry’s momentum this year.
...
The results came despite one less selling day compared with last May, which was expected to result in slight year-over-year declines for most major manufacturers.

Still, the U.S. auto industry is on its way to delivering 17 million new vehicles this year—a level unseen since 2001.

I'll post a graph in a few hours (after all of the results have been reported), but sales were well above the consensus forecast of 17.0 million for May.