All Things in Moderation

Stocks are getting roughed up a little as overseas markets and oil continue to fall. Bonds and MBS are up sharply, with the 10 year trading just below 1.9%.

The ISM New York Index fell from 62 to 54.6 while the IBD / TIPP Economic Optimism Index ticked up slightly to 47.8.

The winners in Iowa last night were Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton. Unofficially, the winners were Rubio and Bernie. The losers? Donald Trump and the pollsters who had him in the high 40s. He came nowhere near that. Note that there are allegations of tomfoolery on the Democratic side with vote counting..

The correlation between global stock markets and the price of oil is somewhat strange – historically, high oil prices were considered bad for stocks, not good. While the drop in oil prices is certainly not good news for the big integrated energy companies, it is great news for consumers. Overall, the US benefits from low oil prices. The action in the stock market may be viewing the oil price as the canary in the coal mine for the global economy.

For the time being, the drop in commodities and stocks is keeping a lid on interest rates, which is a good thing for originators. The 10 year is heading back to late winter / early spring of 2015 lows. Fun fact, since the Fed raised the Fed Funds rate on December 16th, the 10 year bond yield has dropped 42 basis points. The trader in me says bond yields have fallen too far too fast.  Loan officers, if you have someone floating, try and lock ’em.  And wake up any potential borrowers who missed out on refinancing the last time around.

Delinquency rates continue to fall, according to Fannie Mae. In December, the seriously delinquent rate fell to 1.55% from 1.58% in November and 1.89% a year ago. Home price appreciation and an improving job market are doing their jobs.

With house price appreciation increasing well in excess of wage inflation, how affordable is housing these days? It depends on the statistic you use. If you look at the median house price versus the median income, you would conclude that housing affordability is approaching the lows of the bubble. However, if you look at the mortgage payment on the median house divided by median income, housing is at pre-bubble levels affordability-wise. Another argument to find people with ARMs and refi them in to 30 year fixed rate mortgages.

Stocks are being weighed down by commodity weakness. Bonds and MBS are down small.

We have a big week of economic data, with the ISM numbers, construction spending, and the jobs report on Friday. Friday’s jobs report will be the highlight of the week.

Personal Income rose 0.3% in December, which was a little better than expected, although that money wasn’t spent. Personal Spending was flat in December, which means the Great American Deleveraging continues to take place.

Inflation remains nowhere to be found, with the PCE Deflator negative in December on a month-over-month basis and up 0.6% YOY. The core PCE was flat in December and up 1.4% YOY.

The ISM Manufacturing Index fell to 52.4 from 52.7 last month, while the ISM Manufacturing Index rose slightly to 48.2 from 48.

Construction Spending rose 0.1% in December after falling 0.6% in November.

Here are Realtor.com’s list of the 20 hottest real estate markets right now. Very California-centric, however some surprises in Stockton, Detroit MI, and Fort Wayne, IN.

Stocks and bonds are higher this morning after the Bank of Japan instituted negative interest rates in an attempt to improve their struggling economy and weaken the yen.

The Bank of Japan’s move caused a worldwide bond rally, which has brought the US 10 year bond solidly below 2%. Mortgage bankers could catch a break here as refi activity will pick up.

We have a lot of economic data this morning

Fourth quarter GDP came in at an anemic 0.7%, missing the Street estimate of 0.8%. The only bright spot of the report was consumption, which increased 2.2%

Inflation remains well-contained with the PCE (the preferred inflation measure of the Fed) increasing at 0.8%, and the core index increasing at 1.2%

The Employment Cost Index rose at 0.6% as wage inflation remains nowhere to be found.

Consumer sentiment slipped in January, while the ISM Milwaukee and Chicago Purchasing Manager Indices increased.

The homeownership rate increased by a tenth of a percent in the fourth quarter to 63.8%. It bottomed in the second quarter at 63.4%. Median asking rent increased 6% from the third quarter to $850. On an annualized basis, it increased 11%.

Household formation dropped to 460,000 in the fourth quarter from 1,447,300 in the third quarter. This almost looks like a data error. If household formation was slowing that much, you wouldn’t see the tight inventory of housing that we have.

Markets are flattish after the Fed maintained interest rate levels. Bonds and MBS are flat.

The statement out of the FOMC was relatively dovish, and the key sentence was: “The Committee is closely monitoring global economic and financial developments and is assessing their implications for the labor market and inflation, and for the balance of risks to the outlook.” Stocks initially rallied on the statement and then sold off into the close. Bonds rallied.

Initial Jobless Claims fell from 294k to 278k last week.

Durable Goods orders fell by 5.1%, much more than the Street expectation of -0.7%. Capital Goods orders ex defense / air, a proxy for business capital expenditures, fell 4.3%.

Pending Home Sales rose 0.1% in December and are up 3.1% YOY.

The Kansas City Fed index was unchanged at -9.

Homebuilder PulteGroup reported better than expected earnings this morning. Orders were up 13%, and backlog increased 26%. ASPs increased 6% to $353k. CEO Richard Dugas had this to say about the state of the housing market: “While heightened global economic concerns have created greater market volatility, the positive trends in jobs, demographics and household formations, along with low interest rates and limited housing inventory, support expectations that housing demand continues to move higher at a measured pace for a number of years.” They are seeing weakness in Texas, although Dallas seems to be immune to the drop in energy prices, at least for now.

The CBO estimates that wage growth will outstrip home price appreciation in 2016. They are predicting 3.3% wage inflation and 2.4% home price appreciation. Given the tight inventory levels, I think that home price appreciation estimate is low. Wage inflation has recently crept up from 2% to 2.5%, but I don’t see the catalyst for further wage inflation given the huge reservoir of people who left the labor force for statistical purposes but would gladly take a job if they found one.

Stocks are higher this morning in spite of another down 7% day in China overnight. Bonds and MBS are flat

House prices continue to rise, according to the FHFA House Price Index and Case-Shiller. The FHFA House Price index rose 0.5% MOM, while Case-Shiller rose .94%. The Case-Shiller index is up 5.83% YOY. The FHFA House Price Index has recouped all its post-bubble losses.

In other economic data, the Richmond Fed Index slipped while consumer confidence increased.

The Fed starts their 2 day FOMC meeting today. The decision is expected tomorrow at 2:00 PM EST.

Homebuilder D.R. Horton reported earnings yesterday and met Street expectations. Orders increased 9% in units and 12% in value. Backlog is up 15% at 10,665 homes. The company is “Well-positioned” for spring selling season, FY 2016, given backlog, “positive sales trends” in Jan., “robust” lot supply, inventory of homes available for sale according to Donald R. Horton, chairman of DHI. Their new brand for first time homebuyers – Horton Express – accounted for 22% of sales last quarter.

D.R Horton said that the Houston market was softening as oil continues to fall. State-by-state employment figures show that the collapse in oil prices is now being felt in the fracking states.

Foreign money helped prop up the ultra-luxury sector of the real estate market and now they pulling back. Prices are stagnating and homes are not moving. Blame the stock sell-off in China, and the oil price collapse which is hurting Middle Eastern and Russian investors.

Not much data this morning, although we do get some important real estate data this week with the FHFA House Price Index and Case-Shiller on Tuesday, new home sales on Wednesday, and pending home sales on Thursday. We will also get the first estimate of fourth quarter GDP on Friday, with the consensus estimate at 0.8%. While this is a dramatic slowdown from the third quarter, a recession in the US is probably not in the cards (Bank of America is handicapping a 20% chance of a recession next year). Remember the old market saw: stocks have predicted 12 of the last 5 recessions..

Stocks are higher this morning as global markets rallied overnight. Bonds and MBS are lower.

Generally a risk-on feel to the market, as stocks and commodities are rallying. Oil is back above $31 a barrel.

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index improved to -.22 from -.36 last month, while the Index of Leading Economic Indicators fell 0.2%.

Existing Home Sales rose 14.7% in December to 5.46 million. November’s numbers were depressed by TRID, and it looks like much of those sales got bumped to December. This makes 2015 the best year for existing home sales since 2006. The median home price increased 7.6% to $224,100. Housing inventory continues to fall, and the 1.79 million homes for sale represents only a 3.8 month supply (6 – 6.5 months’ worth constitutes a balanced market). First time homebuyers accounted for 32% of all sales, while all-cash transactions fell to 24%.

The first time homebuyer is returning to the market, as FHA origination increases. After the FHFA cut FHA insurance premiums, we saw an increase in FHA origination.

Things might run a little slow today as the Federal Government workers will leave at noon to get home before Snowmageddon II hits DC. Fannie Mae pricing will be the most affected.

As Ted Cruz and Donald Trump dominate the headlines and the polls, the big Wall Street donors are relatively sanguine.