Interest rates on 30-year mortgages in the US fell for the first time since the end of March

Interest rates on US mortgages fell for the first time since late March, giving buyers a sigh of relief and boosting mortgage applications for home purchases and refinancing. Contract interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell 11 basis points to 7.18% in the week ending May 3, according to data released by the Mortgage Bankers Association on Wednesday. Prior to that, the interest rate had been rising for four consecutive weeks and had risen to well above 7%. The real estate market is one of the most interest-sensitive sectors of the economy. While mortgage interest rates fell last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said rate hikes were unlikely, and

環球市場播報May 8 07:37 ET

US Dollar Extends Widespread Recovery as Rates Pricing Adjusts Higher

The US dollar extended a widespread recovery against major currencies in early European trade on Wednesday, aided by weakness in some other currencies as well as an upward adjustment in expected levels of the Fed Funds rate.

MT NewswiresMay 8 06:08 ET

Dollar Firms as Post-Fed Meeting Weakness Fades -- Market Talk

The dollar firms as FX traders shrug off the impact of last week's Federal Reserve meeting where policymakers raised the bar for a rate hike and left prospects of a rate cut more likely, says Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank, says in a note.

WSJMay 8 02:46 ET

Forex Today: US Dollar Clings to Recovery Gains as Markets Assess Fedspeak

The US Dollar (USD) stays resilient against its rivals early Wednesday after posting marginal gains on Tuesday.

FXStreetMay 8 01:51 ET

Rental costs are soaring! Major central banks face stubborn obstacles to curbing inflation

In the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia, rapidly rising housing costs — which weigh heavily in the consumer price index basket — are preventing inflation from falling back to the central bank's target level.

Zhitong FinanceMay 7 23:22 ET

Bank Negara Malaysia Likely to Stand Pat at May Meeting -- Market Talk

Malaysia's central bank will likely keep it benchmark interest rate at 3.0% on Thursday, CIMB economists Michelle Chia and Lim Yee Ping say in a note.

WSJMay 7 22:20 ET