Morning Report: Strong Builder Earnings

Posted on January 27, 2021 by Brent Nyitray

Vital Statistics:

 

  Last Change
S&P futures 3789 -63.3
Oil (WTI) 52.96 -0.14
10 year government bond yield   1.04%
30 year fixed rate mortgage   2.83%

Stocks are lower this morning on overseas weakness. Bonds and MBS are flat.

 

The FOMC decision will be released at 2:00 pm today. I don’t think there will be anything market-moving in the language, but just be aware.

 

Mortgage applications fell 4.1% last week as purchases fell 5% and refis fell 4%. “In a sign that borrowers are increasingly more sensitive to higher rates, large declines in government purchase applications and refinance applications pulled overall activity lower,” said Joel Kan, MBA Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry Forecasting. “The refinance index has now declined for two straight weeks, but is still 83 percent higher than last year. Purchase applications also decreased last week, but the impressive trend of year-over-year growth since the second half of 2020 has continued in early 2021. Activity was up 16 percent from a year ago, and the average purchase loan amount hit another record high of $395,200.”

The 10 year bond sold off after the results of the Georgia Senate runoff. I suspect it might have been overdone, and given Schumer’s talk of a stimulus not happening until March (Congress has bigger fish to fry, apparently), bond yields will probably work their way lower.

 

Durable Goods orders rose 0.2% in December, well below expectations. However, if you strip out transportation, it rose 0.7%. Core capital goods (a proxy for business capital expenditures) rose 0.6%

 

The FHA extended its foreclosure moratorium until March 31.

 

Homebuilder D.R. Horton reported fourth quarter earnings which rose 84% on a year-over-year basis. Sales were up 56% in units and 62% in dollar value to $6.4 billion. COVID-19 has increased demand for single family residences, and the work-from-home option has increased the viability of distant exurbs. The US economy should be buoyed by housing construction, although the big question is whether it will be enough to offset the devastation of small business from government-imposed COVID lockdowns.

Filed under: Economy, Morning Report |

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14 Responses

  1. jnc4p, on January 27, 2021 at 12:13 pm said:

    As always, everything the Democrats claim to be concerned about is just a cover for income redistribution.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2021/01/26/biden-environmental-justice-climate/

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  2. novahockey, on January 28, 2021 at 8:42 am said:

    so Ally just rejected a transfer from my checking account (also Ally) to an investment account.

    Like

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    • jnc4p, on January 28, 2021 at 9:24 am said:

      Any reason given?

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      • novahockey, on January 28, 2021 at 9:45 am said:

        i was told it woudl take a few hours before it would fund because it was a new account.

        20 minutes after that an email saying it was rejected. no reason given. and it’s not b/c of a lack of funds.

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        • novahockey, on January 28, 2021 at 12:34 pm said:

          “Thanks for your patience! You are number 122 in the queue. To access your Invest accounts, we have a shortcut link available to your Invest dashboard after you log in. Look for the link that says “shortcut” above where your accounts appear. Please note that our clearing firm, Apex Clearing Corp has decided to halt all opening transactions of securities in symbols KOSS, GME and AMC. Closing transactions (sales) are still available.”

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        • Kevin S. Willis, on January 28, 2021 at 9:45 pm said:

          Sounds totally legit. Restores my faith in the kleptocracy.

          Like

    • Kevin S. Willis, on January 28, 2021 at 9:35 am said:

      I’m guessing if you just get yourself a billion dollar hedge fund they’ll happy accept your transfer. Apparently you’re not really a plutocrat!

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      Reply

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