US MBA mortgage applications w.e. 24 March +2.9% vs +3.0% prior

• Prior +3.0%
• Market index 227.3 vs 221.0 prior
• Purchase index 172.7 vs 169.3 prior
• Refinance index 504.4 vs 481.3 prior
• 30-year mortgage rate 6.45% vs 6.48% prior

As rates fall lower, the refinance index hits a 6-month high as overall activity continues to pick up in the mortgage market. A third straight week of a drop in borrowing costs is certainly helping with mortgage applications rising for a fourth consecutive week. That said, overall levels of activity are still rather depressed and that is evident by the chart below (which just shows a slight bounce in refinance activity after having touched the lowest since 2000 in the final week of last year):

/US Dollar US Dollar The US dollar, (symbol $, code USD) is the fiat currency of the United States of America (USD) and the most widely traded currency globally. It was introduced into the US in the late 18th Century, with paper notes not being distributed until the following century. The US dollar, also informally known as the greenback, is the world’s most foremost reserve currency, due in large part to the importance of the US economy on the world stage. Once backed by gold (in the 1900’s), the USD is now a purel The US dollar, (symbol $, code USD) is the fiat currency of the United States of America (USD) and the most widely traded currency globally. It was introduced into the US in the late 18th Century, with paper notes not being distributed until the following century. The US dollar, also informally known as the greenback, is the world’s most foremost reserve currency, due in large part to the importance of the US economy on the world stage. Once backed by gold (in the 1900’s), the USD is now a purel Read this Term