Realty Times May 9, 2000

Rates Ramp Up
by Scott Davis

Statistics confirming a tightening labor market and higher inflation convinced analysts that the Fed will raise interest rates by half a point next week. Mortgage lenders are not waiting for the announcement. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has shot up a quarter point (0.25%) in just the last week.

According to Bank Rate Monitor, the 30-year fixed rate stands at 8.19% as of Monday evening. The 15-year fixed and one-year adjustable rates jumped to 7.86% and 6.83% respectively, while the 30-year jumbo climbed to 8.50%.

Negative sentiment pushed Treasury bond yields to near 3-month highs on Monday. The yield on the benchmark 10-year note rose to 6.57% while the 30-year bond yield increased to 6.25%.

Stocks were mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average managing a gain of 25.77 points while the Nasdaq dropped 147.44 points.

Selected Stocks - Closing Prices Monday, May 8

Company Ticker Price Change
HomeStore.com
HOMS
26 3/8
+ 5/8
HomeSeekers.com
HMSK
6 1/4 - 1/4
Cendant
CD
14 5/8
unch.
Homeservices.com
HMSV
9 3/8
- 3/8
Realco, Inc.
RLCO
2 3/8
unch.
Kennedy-Wilson
KWIC
4 15/16
+ 1/16
E-Loan
EELN
5 31/32
+ 9/16
LendingTree
TREE
6 7/8
unch.
Countrywide
CCR
25 13/16
+ 1/4
Vista Info
VINF
3 1/8
- 1/4
Internet Pictures Corp.
IPIX
14 7/16
- 1/4
Champion Enterprises
CHB
6 3/16
- 1/4
Centex Corp.
CTX
23 1/4
- 11/16
Pulte Corp.
PHM
21 3/8
- 5/8

For more interest rate news, check out the Realty Times Interest Rate Watch



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