Oklahoma Mortgage Group - Mike David

On September 16, 2026, the Federal Reserve increased its federal-funds target by 0.25 percentage point to 3.75%–4.00%. Whenever this happens, one question immediately follows: “Did mortgage rates just increase by 0.25% too?” The answer is no—not automatically. The Fed does not directly set mortgage rates The federal-funds rate is a short-term rate affecting how banks lend money to one another. It can influence credit cards, home-equity lines of credit and other variable-rate products relatively quickly. Fixed mortgage rates behave differently. They are influenced more directly by the bond market, including mortgage-backed securities and Treasury yields. Investors consider inflation, employment, economic growth and expectations about future Federal Reserve policy. As a result, mortgage rates can move before the Fed meets because financial markets have already anticipated the decision. They can also move in a different direction after the announcement based on what the Fed says about inf...

  Mortgage rates took a meaningful step higher last week, and this week may be even more consequential. The combination of rising oil prices, persistent inflation and changing expectations for Federal Reserve policy pushed Treasury yields sharply higher. The 10-year Treasury finished last week near 5%, and mortgage pricing deteriorated along with it. For Tulsa-area buyers and Realtors, the important question is not simply, “What are rates today?” It is: Why did rates move, what could happen next, and what can we actually control? Mortgage Rates Moved Higher—Fast Freddie Mac reported that its national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 6.76% on September 10 , up from 6.71% the previous week. GlobeNewswire But Freddie Mac’s weekly survey does not fully capture what happened later in the week. Mortgage News Daily’s more immediate daily index finished Friday around 7.12% , after rates rose almost one-quarter of a percentage point during the week. Monday morning’s bond mar...

Mortgage Monday is arriving on a Tuesday this week—and this time, waiting for the financial markets to reopen gave us a much clearer picture of what is actually happening with mortgage rates. The early read is mixed. Mortgage bonds have recovered from some premarket weakness, and the 10-year Treasury yield was close to 4.78% during Tuesday morning trading. That is better than the early premarket level of approximately 4.80%, but it is not enough to call this a meaningful mortgage-rate rally. The more accurate description is: Mortgage pricing opened roughly unchanged to slightly better, but inflation and oil prices are keeping the market on edge. What Happened When the Market Opened? Before the regular market session, the 10-year Treasury yield was approximately 4.803%, nearly two basis points higher than Friday’s close. Later in the morning, the yield moved back toward 4.78%, while mortgage-backed securities were essentially unchanged to slightly stronger. That recovery is mildly encou...