Odds Now At 95% (VERY LIKELY) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Remain at 8.50% After The May 1, 2024 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 95% (very likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to keep the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate at  5.25% - 5.50% at the May 1^ST, 2024 monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) holding at 8.50%.

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Latest on Disinflation
 

Year-on-year (Y-O-Y), the Core Consumer Price Index (CPI) slipped from 3.86% during January, to 3.75% during February, 2024. Good disinflation news...but not great.

Y-O-Y, The Core PCE Price Index moved sideways, remaining at 2.8% from January to February of this year. With food + energy added to the mix, the PCE Price Index edged in the wrong direction: up, from 2.4% to 2.5%.

Wages

Y-O-Y, average hourly + average weekly earnings advanced in sync, both by 4.14%, according to last Friday's Employment Situation Report for March, 2024.

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And so, based on these and other economic data, the Fed is likely to do nothing with the benchmark fed funds target rate on May 1^ST, 2024, which would mean Prime staying where it is until the following meeting and decision on short-term rates (June 12, 2024.)

Stay tuned...

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.50% on July 26, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will remain at 8.50% after the May 1^ST, 2024 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 95% (very likely.)
  

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Odds Now At 90% (Very Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Continue At 8.50% After The March 20, 2024 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 90% (very likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to keep the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate at  5.25% - 5.50% at the March 20^TH, 2024 monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) holding at 8.50%.

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The U.S. economy remains strong, despite the relatively high cost of borrowing. Both short- and long-term interest rates are restrictive right now, and have been for some time. This interest-rate environment should have helped to cool the American consumer down, but so far, that hasn't happened.

The economy grew at a healthy 3.3% during Q4, 2023, while the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7% last month, with an estimated 353,000 non-farm jobs added to the American workforce.

So, at this point, it's unlikely the Fed will lower the benchmark fed funds target rate on March 20^TH, as many were hoping might happen.

Stay tuned...

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.50% on July 26, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 8.50% after the March 20^TH, 2024 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 90% (very likely.)
  

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Odds Now At 90% (Very Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Continue At 8.50% After The January 31, 2024 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 90% (very likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to keep the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate at  5.25% - 5.50% at the January 31^ST, 2024 monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) remaining at 8.50%.

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Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y), the Core PCE, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, fell from 3.4% during October 2023, to 3.2% during November, 2023.  It was 4.8% back in November of 2022.

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Right now, we have odds at 65% (on the fence) the Fed will cut short-term rates, including the U.S. Prime Rate, by 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) at the March 20, 2024 FOMC meeting. 

Stay tuned...

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.50% on July 26, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 8.50% after the January 31^ST, 2024 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 90% (very likely.)
  

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Odds Now At 100% (Certain) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Continue At 8.50% After The December 13, 2023 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 100% (certain) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to keep the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate at  5.25% - 5.50% at the December 13^TH, 2023 monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) holding at 8.50%.

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If The Disinflation Continues,
The Fed May Be Done with Rate Hikes:

 

• Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y), The October, 2023 The Core Consumer Prices Index (CPI) came in at +4.031%.  It was 6.28% back in October of 2022.
  
  
• Y-o-Y, The October, 2023 Core Producer Prices Index (PPI) came in at +2.9%.
  
  
• Y-o-Y, the Core PCE fell from 3.7% during September, to 3.5% during October, 2023.  It was 5.33% back in October of 2022.
  
  

Rate hikes have been aggressive since May of 2022, so remaining on hold is the right thing to do. The last thing the Fed wants to do is drag the economy down into a deep recession.  A soft landing remains the target.

 

Stay tuned...

 

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.50% on July 26, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 8.50% after the December 13^TH, 2023 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 100% (certain.)
  

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Odds Now At 90% (Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Hold At 8.50% After The November 1, 2023 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 90% (likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to keep the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate at  5.25% - 5.50% at the November 1^ST, 2023 monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) holding at 8.50%.

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Continued Softening In The Job Market:
The Fed Likes To See This

 

From the August, 2023 Job Openings and Labor Turnover report:

• Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y), job openings are down by 588,000, or -5.77%.
  
  
• Y-o-Y, hires are down by 621,000, or -9.59%.

Meanwhile, Y-o-Y, the closely watched Core PCE fell from 4.3% in July, to 3.9% during August, 2023.  It was 4.9% back in August of 2022.

 

The taming of inflation continues, as does the culling jobs. Stay tuned...

 

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.50% on July 26, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 8.50% after the November 1^ST, 2023 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 90% (likely.)
  

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Odds Now At 80% (Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Hold At 8.50% After The September 20, 2023 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 80% (likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to keep the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate at  5.25% - 5.50% at the September 20^TH, 2023 monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) holding at 8.50%.

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The Disinflation Continues

 

Year-on-year, the closely watched Core PCE fell from 4.6% in May, to 4.1% during June, 2023.  It was 4.8% back in June of 2022.

Clear progress has been made on the quest for that 2% Fed comfort zone, but since the current cycle of rate hikes, which began back in March of last year, has been aggressive, a pause is likely, as the Fed doesn't want to risk causing a deep and painful recession.

Stay tuned...

 

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.50% on July 26, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 8.50% after the September 20^TH, 2023 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 80% (likely.)
  

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Odds Now At 100% (Certain) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Rise to 8.50% After This Afternoon's FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 100% (certain) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to raise the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate to  5.25% - 5.50% at today's monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) rising to 8.50%.

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Many economists keep warning that a recession may be in the offing, but working  America and consumer America are in defiance.

Employment remains very strong, while the latest Consumer Confidence reading (for this month) proves that Americans are still spending like...Americans.

Interesting note: Since the beginning of this year, government has been hiring more than any other sector. :o(

Stay tuned...

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CHART: Job Growth In America
by Sector, So Far In 2023

Chart courtesy: The New York Post

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.25% on May 3, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will rise to 8.50% after today's FOMC monetary policy meeting: 100% (certain.)
  

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Odds Now At 80% (Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Rise to 8.50% After The July 26, 2023 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Prediction

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, our odds are at 80% (likely) the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to raise the benchmark target range for the fed funds rate to  5.25% - 5.50% at the July 26^TH, 2023 monetary policy meeting, with the United States Prime Rate (a.k.a Fed Prime Rate) rising to 8.50%.

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Very Welcome Disinflation!

 

Last week, America got much needed good news on prices, in the form of the May 2023 Import / Export Price Indexes. Year-on-year, import prices declined by 5.9%, while export prices eased by 10.1%.

 

But at 4.7%, the latest reading on the Fed's preferred inflation gauge -- the Core PCE -- was still uncomfortably above the central bank's 2% target.  So the Fed is probably going to nudge short-term rates up by 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) next month.

Stay tuned...

 

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The United States Prime Rate was raised to the current 8.25% on May 3, 2023.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will rise to 8.50% after the July 26^TH, 2023 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 80% (likely.)
  

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Odds At 98.5% (Very Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Continue At 4.25% After The November 1, 2017 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Forecast

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, odds are at 98.5%  that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to leave the target range for the benchmark fed funds rate at 1.00% - 1.25% at the November 1^ST, 2017 monetary policy meeting (very likely.)

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The current Prime Rate, which went into effect on June 15, 2017, is 4.25%.

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NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the November 1^ST, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 98.5%  (very likely), with  1.5% odds on a rate increase (extremely unlikely.)
  
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• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the December 13^TH, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 17.1%  (not likely), with 82.9% odds (likely) that the U.S. Prime Rate will be at least 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) higher.
  
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• NB: United States Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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Odds At 98.6% (Very Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Continue At 4.25% After Tomorrow's FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Forecast

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, odds are at 98.6%  that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to leave the target range for the benchmark fed funds rate at 1.00% - 1.25% at tomorrow's monetary policy meeting (very likely.)

The current Prime Rate, which went into effect on June 15, 2017, is 4.25%.

NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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At 3.0%, the Commerce Department's second estimate of second quarter GDP was a very welcome figure which bested predictions.  And the icing on the cake: Corporate profits rose by $26.8 billion, after decreasing by $46.2 billion during the first quarter, according to the government's preliminary estimate.

But the U.S. economy continues to send mixed signals, which is why traders are virtually certain the Fed will do nothing with the benchmark fed funds target rate tomorrow.  Here's some more recent hard and soft economic data:

• An estimated 156,000 nonfarm jobs were created during August 2017; economists were expecting around 180,000.  Contributing to the weakness: month-on-month average hourly earnings rose by a very tepid 0.1138%, while the year-on-year advance remained stuck at 2.5%, matching April, May, June and July.
• Inflation continues below the Federal Reserve's 2% target.  During July, and year-on-year, both the PCE Price Index and the Core PCE Price Index were 1.4%.
• Retail sales declined by 0.2% during August.
• Second quarter nonfarm productivity was revised higher, from +0.9% to +1.5%.
• Soft data: The NFIB®'s Small Business Optimism Index edged higher, from 105.2 in July to 105.3 during August.
  
  
  • University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment rose from 93.4 during July, to 96.8 for August.
  • The Conference Board®'s Consumer Confidence Index® rose from 120.0 during July, to 122.9 for August.
• We can thank Hurricane Harvey for the -0.9% reading associated with August industrial production, with the capacity utilization rate dropping to 76.1%.
• Equities continue to surge to new records.  Here's a bull-market update, as of the September 18, 2017 close:
  
  
  • The S + P 500 Index closed at 2,503.87, a new all-time record high.  This is a 270.105% increase since the March 9, 2009 bear-market low (676.53.)
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) closed at 22,331.35, a brand new all-time record high.  This is a 243.188% increase since the March 9, 2009 bear-market low (6,507.04.)
  •  The NASDAQ Composite closed at 6,454.64. This is a 408.784% increase since the March 9, 2009 bear-market low (1,268.64.)

Stay tuned for tomorrow's decision on short-term rates...

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the September 20^TH, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 98.6%  (very likely), with remaining odds --  1.4% (very unlikely) -- that the U.S. Prime Rate will be 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) lower.
  
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• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the November 1^ST, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 96.7%  (very likely), with  2.0% odds on a rate increase (very unlikely) and 1.3% odds on a rate cut (very unlikely.)
  
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• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the December 13^TH, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 42.5%  (somewhat unlikely), with  0.6% odds on a rate cut (extremely unlikely) and 56.9% odds (on the fence) that the U.S. Prime Rate will be at least 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) higher.
  
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• NB: United States Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

The odds associated with fed fund futures contracts -- widely accepted as the best predictor of what the FOMC will do with the benchmark Fed Funds Target Rate -- are constantly changing, so stay tuned for the latest odds.

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Odds At 95.9% (Very Likely) The U.S. Prime Rate Will Continue At 4.25% After The September 20, 2017 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

Prime Rate Forecast

Prime Rate Forecast

As of right now, odds are at 95.9%  that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will vote to leave the target range for the benchmark fed funds rate at 1.00% - 1.25% at the September 20^TH, 2017 monetary policy meeting (very likely.)

The current Prime Rate, which went into effect on June 15, 2017, is 4.25%.

NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

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• At 53.9%, the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM®) July reading on the services sector indicated continued expansion, but this was a strong deceleration from June (57.4%).
   
• At 6,163,000, job openings hit an all-time record high in June, according to the Labor Department.
  
  But the more significant number from the same report: New hires declined from 5,459,000 in May, to 5,356,000 in June, evidence that many employers are OK with waiting for the right candidate.
  
  And here's a quote from the National Federation of Independent Business® (NFIB®) Small Business Optimism Index for July:
  
  

  "...Sixty percent reported hiring or trying to hire (up 6 points), but 52 percent (87 percent of those hiring or trying to hire) reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill. Nineteen percent of owners cited the difficulty of finding qualified workers as their Single Most Important Business Problem (up 4 points), second only to taxes. This is a particularly severe problem in construction (28 percent) and manufacturing (21 percent) where labor shortages are the top problem, trumping taxes and regulatory costs. Thirty-five percent of all owners reported job openings they could not fill in the current period, up 5 points, the highest reading since November 2001..."

   
• Disinflation: Between June and July, and year-on-year, the Producer Price Index slipped from 2.0% to 1.9%, while core wholesale prices slid from 1.9% to 1.8%.
  
  
• Today's disappointing July Consumer Price Index reading prompted futures odds to shift from a very small chance of a rate hike on September 20^TH, to a very small chance of a rate cut; no change is virtually certain.  Stay tuned...

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Current Odds

• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the September 20^TH, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 95.9%  (very likely), with remaining odds --  4.1% (very unlikely) -- that the U.S. Prime Rate will be 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) lower.
  
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• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the November 1^ST, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 94.1%  (very likely), with  1.9% odds on a rate increase (extremely unlikely) and 4.0% odds on a rate cut (very unlikely.)
  
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• Current odds the U.S. Prime Rate will continue at 4.25% after the December 13^TH, 2017 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 61.5%  (somewhat likely), with  2.6% odds on a rate cut (extremely unlikely) and 35.9% odds (somewhat unlikely) that the U.S. Prime Rate will be at least 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) higher.
  
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• NB: United States Prime Rate = (The Fed Funds Target Rate + 3)

The odds associated with fed fund futures contracts -- widely accepted as the best predictor of what the FOMC will do with the benchmark Fed Funds Target Rate -- are constantly changing, so stay tuned for the latest odds.

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2015 Prime Rate Forecast: Current Odds On Rate Increase for October At 64%

Prime Rate Forecast - Predictions

Yep, borrowers, and those with debt, have been enjoying the lowest possible US Prime Rate (3.25%) since December 2008, the peak of the global financial crisis.

A rather secular stretch for sure.

But it looks like the Fed is going to end the super-low-interest-rate party in the fall of this year.

Current odds that the Fed will raise the Prime Rate to at least 3.5% at the October 28 FOMC monetary policy meeting are at 64%, with odds of it happening at the December 16 meeting at 75%.

Hard to Stoke Inflation with Low Oil Prices

Right now, WTI light sweet crude oil, for future delivery, is trading at $45.15 per barrel in New York.  It was $97.49 on January 31, 2014.

Great news for most of us, but there are many on Wall Street who are not happy with this.

Wall Street wants short-term interest rates, and inflation, to rise, and reasonable energy prices throws a heavy spanner into the Fed's reflation works.

The Fed wants inflation at 2%, but with current energy prices, the FOMC may have to wait longer than anticipated to attain that inflation goal.

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Venezuela is hating current crude prices.  Their crude-oil-entitlement economy is extremely entrenched, and the government would have institute major reforms to fix that culture (not likely!)


The Saudis, on the other hand,  are happy that oil is cheap.  Saudi King Abdullah died recently, but his successor will continue with his policy of keeping production high, despite a global glut.

Smart.  Why?  When crude was $100+ per barrel, America responded with fracking, buying efficient cars like turbo-diesels, hybrids and full electrics, and a general desire to reduce drastically dependence on foreign oil.  Not good for the Saudi oil economy, in the long term.  The Saudi want us to return to driving Hummers and Ford Expeditions.

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Is Janet Yellen Strong Enough to Resist Wall Street?

Back in mid-2011, when the European Central Bank (ECB), under the leadership of Jean-Claude Trichet, made the huge mistake of raising short-term rates in the eurozone before an economic recovery was solid -- BANG!  The unemployment rate in the euro area shot up like a rocket.  Believe it!


If Fed boss Dr. Janet Yellen makes the same mistake and starts raising rates here while many middle-class, American households are still dealing with the affects of the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent Great Recession, watch how quickly our fragile economic recovery goes BOOM here too.

Current ECB boss Dr. Mario Draghi just sent a clear message to the world by instituting a massive quantitative easing program (printing money out of thin air and using it to buy debt): The euro area is in really bad economic shape, and needs very serious help to stave off deflation.

This, of course, caused the euro to fall against the dollar, making goods produced in the eurozone more competitive here in the USA.  This translates to downward pressure on American Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and jobs.

Hope you have the right priorities Dr. Yellen...Really hope.

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Summary of the Latest Prime Rate Forecast:

As of right now, the investors who trade in fed funds futures at the CME Group have odds at 64% (as implied by current pricing on contracts) that the FOMC will vote to raise the benchmark Federal Funds Target Rate by at least 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point) at the October 28^TH, 2015 monetary policy meeting.

• Current odds that the Prime Rate will rise by at least 25 basis points at the July 29^TH, 2015 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 31%
• Current odds that the Prime Rate will rise by at least 25 basis points at the September 17^TH, 2015 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 44%
• Current odds that the Prime Rate will rise by at least 25 basis points at the December 16^TH, 2015 FOMC monetary policy meeting: 75%
• NB: US Prime Rate = (The Federal Funds Target Rate + 3)

The odds related to federal-funds futures contracts -- widely accepted as the best predictor of where the FOMC will take the benchmark Fed Funds Target Rate -- are constantly changing, so stay tuned for the latest odds.

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Futures Market 100% Certain U.S. Prime Rate Will Hold At 3.25% After The December 15 FOMC Monetary Policy Meeting

If you've been wondering when the Fed is going to start a cycle of raising short-term interest rates, the one macroeconomic figure you need to pay attention to is the unemployment rate. That's because the Bernanke Fed is confident that the nation's jobless rate is going to remain stubbornly high well into 2010 and likely beyond, which in turn will serve as a check on inflation. The Fed is still focused on pumping as much stimulus into the economy as it possibly can, to get the economy back to durable growth as soon as possible. It doesn't want to choke off an economic recover by raising short-term rates too soon, but it also doesn't want to keep rates too low for too long, and spark and raging inflation problem down the road. But here's the bottom line: the Fed believes that high unemployment together with continued housing market woes will act as a powerful economic sedative, keeping both consumer and wholesale prices under control.

Many investors are worried that the Fed is going to have an economic growth bias for too long, and that it will tolerate some inflation in exchange for growth. Just look at the price of gold as one piece of evidence: New York Spot was at $816.30 on November 28, 2008, and closed at $1,176.70 a few days ago (on November 27, 2009.)

Many are also worried about the current state of the dollar, but I'm not. The dollar is cyclical. It's been very low before, and has bounced back every time. When the economy returns to sustainable growth and the Fed back off from being the dominant force in the economy, the dollar will strengthen again, as simple as that.

So, does the Fed have it right about weak employment keeping inflation in check? I think so. With so many Americans out of work, or struggling with reduced hours, or forced to work part-time, consumer spending will be weak for some time. Exacerbating the jobs problem: too many homeowners are upside down with their mortgage; if they sell they lose big, and there's no home equity to tap into, the same home equity which supported strong consumer spending before the housing bust.

The above economic woes are acting as a strong disinflationary force in the economy, and will continue doing so for years -- yes, years.

So don't be surprised if the Fed keeps short-term rates -- including the U.S. Prime Rate -- at superlow levels throughout 2010.

Of course, for the latest and most accurate rate forecast, stay tuned to this blog.

Housing Market News: Some Good, Some Bad

OK, first the bad. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) recently reported that mortgage delinquencies have set a new record high. Here's a clip from the MBA press release:

"...The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties rose to a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.64 percent of all loans outstanding as of the end of the third quarter of 2009, up 40 basis points from the second quarter of 2009, and up 265 basis points from one year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey. The non-seasonally adjusted delinquency rate increased 108 basis points from 8.86 percent in the second quarter of 2009 to 9.94 percent this quarter...The delinquency rate breaks the record set last quarter. The records are based on MBA data dating back to 1972..."

And now the good: sales of both existing (preowned) and newly built homes improved during October 2009, thanks in no small part to Uncle Sammy's $8,000, first-time homebuyer tax credit (there's also a tax credit of up to $6,500 available for longtime homeowners who purchase a replacement home.) That's good news for the housing market in general, but there's more: the credit has been extended. For more, check out this IRS page.

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As of right now, the investors who trade in fed funds futures at the Chicago Board of Trade have odds at 100% (as implied by current pricing on contracts) that the FOMC will vote to leave the benchmark target range for the Federal Funds Rate at its current level at the December 15^TH, 2009 monetary policy meeting.


Summary of the Latest Prime Rate Forecast:

• Current odds that the Prime Rate will remain at the current 3.25% after the December 15^TH, 2009 FOMC monetary policy meeting is adjourned: 100% (certain)
• NB: U.S. Prime Rate = (The Federal Funds Target Rate + 3)

The odds related to federal-funds futures contracts -- widely accepted as the best predictor of where the FOMC will take the benchmark Fed Funds Target Rate -- are constantly changing, so stay tuned for the latest odds.

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