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Mortgage rates continue to fall in the US: what is happening?

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Mortgage rates continue to fall in the US: what is happening?


Despite the positive economic data on jobs and inflation, mortgage rates in the United States have continued to decline for a second consecutive week, dropping nearly 0.25% over the past few weeks. This is welcome news for potential homebuyers as borrowing costs are decreasing.

There are various economic factors that typically influence mortgage rates. For example, the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates in response to a weak economy or concerns about a recession, which can then impact mortgage rates. The state of the bond market is also important, as mortgage rates are closely linked to bond market performance. Additionally, housing market conditions play a crucial role, as lenders may offer more attractive borrowing rates if there is an oversupply of available properties.

Mortgage rates in the US

According to Freddie Mac data issued on Thursday, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.74% in the week ending March 14, down from 6.88% the week before. The average 30-year fixed rate was 6.60% one year ago. While there may be fluctuations in rates in the coming months, significant declines should not be anticipated.

Despite the recent decline, mortgage rates are still relatively high due to inflation putting pressure on the market, as noted by Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. It is likely that rates will remain elevated for an extended period in this scenario.

Homebuyers who have been facing challenges in a costly market can now purchase homes at more affordable prices, thanks to the decrease in mortgage rates over the past four months. However, the economy appears to be operating hotter than expected, as shown by strong inflation readings and unexpectedly high job numbers in February.

How does inflation impact mortgage rates in the United States?

The Federal Reserve controls inflation by raising the federal funds rate, which in turn makes borrowing more expensive for banks and results in higher interest rates on loans, including mortgages. High inflation affects the purchasing power of fixed-income investments like bonds, causing investors to seek higher returns on bonds.

This increased demand for higher returns on bonds leads to higher interest rates on mortgage-backed securities and subsequently, increased mortgage rates. However, if mortgage rates are falling despite rising inflation, there may be other factors at play such as bond market dynamics or housing market conditions.

The Federal Reserve rate-raising campaign

The Federal Reserve’s historic rate raise campaign has significantly reduced inflation over the past two years. Chair Jerome Powell believes the central bank should wait for further signs of inflation improvement before considering cutting interest rates.

As Fed rate decreases are not expected until the summer or even fall, this could keep mortgage rates elevated. While the Fed’s actions do not directly determine mortgage rates, they do have an impact since mortgage rates reflect the yield on 10-year US Treasury notes. Therefore, a decrease in inflation should eventually lead to lower mortgage rates.

More inventory is available but affordability issues remain

Homebuyers are pleased with the lower mortgage rates compared to last fall, when rates were around 8%. A continued downward trend in interest rates is expected to attract more buyers and sellers this spring. However, rising property prices may eat into savings, causing some buyers to hold off on purchasing in hopes of lower mortgage rates. Both choices have their drawbacks, as dropping rates are not guaranteed and prices are projected to rise.

FAQ

  • What is Freddie Mac? Freddie Mac, or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, is a government-sponsored enterprise that plays a key role in the US secondary mortgage market by purchasing and guaranteeing mortgages.
  • How does the Federal Reserve impact mortgage rates? The Federal Reserve’s decisions on interest rates can influence mortgage rates indirectly by affecting the overall economic outlook and bond market performance.
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Flags of Valor employs military veterans to create patriotic products

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Flags of Valor employs military veterans to create patriotic products


For Flags of Valor – a veteran-owned and operated business that has shipped more than 96,000 flags to doorsteps nationwide – the phrase “made in America” lies at the foundation of everything it stands for.

“For over 10 years, we’ve been saying the same thing – we build American products, on American wood, with American tools, made by American hands,” Flags of Valor founder and military veteran Brian Steorts told FOX Business. “And we do it while giving back to the causes that matter – supporting veterans, educating youth, and honoring service and sacrifice at every step.”

VETERANS SHARE PATRIOTISM, PRIDE AND PRODUCTIVITY WHILE ALSO PROMOTING ‘MILITARY WORK ETHIC’

Founded in Virginia in 2015, Flags of Valor is known for its handcrafted, wooden U.S. flags, as well as military and first responder flags. The business currently has 10 employees, the majority of whom are veterans and military spouses.

Flags of Valor currently has 10 employees, the majority of whom are veterans and military spouses.

Flags of Valor currently has 10 employees, the majority of whom are veterans and military spouses. (Flags of Valor)

Each material used by the Flags of Valor team – from the woodworking tools to the tape for the shipping boxes – is sourced from American companies, according to Steorts.

FROM BOMB SQUAD TO BAKER AND COFFEE MAKER: FORMER DEPUTY CRUSHES A NEW BUSINESS

“We believe that’s the only way it should be done,” Steorts said.

Steorts, a combat veteran who was deployed nine times, served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and later as an Air Force special operations pilot. 

In 2013, he got into woodworking after returning from one of his deployments injured and “mentally and physically” broken, he said. During that same time period, Steorts also lost four friends in combat and his sister to mental health struggles.

Founded in Winchester, Virginia in 2015, Flags of Valor is known for its handcrafted, wooden U.S. flags, as well as military and first responder flags.

Founded in Winchester, Virginia, in 2015, Flags of Valor is known for its handcrafted, wooden U.S. flags, as well as military and first responder flags. (Flags of Valor)

“I wanted something patriotic on the wall of my house – something that meant something,” Steorts said. “I found therapy in [woodworking], and I found philanthropy in it by donating my first couple of flags to the widows of my buddies that passed, and I just knew I wanted to do more.”

While Flags of Valor’s best-selling products today are its wooden U.S. flags, the business also sells patriotic home and office decor, awards, memorial displays, corporate gifts, employee recognition pieces, Christmas ornaments, clothing and accessories, and more, Steorts said. 

VETERAN-OWNED BREWING COMPANY PAYS TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HEROES: ‘GREAT AMERICAN BEER’ TO HONOR SACRIFICE

“One of the most important things we’re doing right now is building memorial flag cases – because our heroes deserve a final resting place for their flag that’s made by a veteran-owned American company, not mass-produced overseas,” he said.

Flags of Valor Founder Brian Steorts is pictured with Donald Trump

Flags of Valor Founder Brian Steorts is pictured with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in 2017. (Flags of Valor)

In addition to employing veterans, Flags of Valor has also given back by donating $1.7 million to veteran-operated nonprofits. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company also launched a Kids Flag Building Kit, a hands-on activity to help educate children about the history and values the American flag represents. Each year, during the weeks of Veterans Day and Memorial Day, thousands of students across the nation use the kits to create their own American flags.  

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“We believe in educating our youth and passing freedom on to the next generation,” Steorts said. “It’s more than a project – it’s about patriotism, education and preserving what matters most.”



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Consumers may face higher beef prices from businesses

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Consumers may face higher beef prices from businesses


High beef prices have been weighing on U.S. businesses and consumers.

They have forced some businesses to make tough decisions about how to handle the increased costs, and some are passing the costs on to customers. 

Rob Passio, the owner of Lombardi’s Prime Meats in Philadelphia, told FOX Business correspondent Jeff Flock on “Varney & Co” that “there’s only so much you can absorb as far as the hit to your bottom line before you say to yourself you have to raise these prices.” 

The butcher shop, Passio said, hasn’t seen its customers balk at higher prices “because they see it.” 

EGGS ARE NOT THE ONLY EXPENSIVE FOOD: BEEF PRICES ARE ALSO ON THE RISE

ground beef

Organic ground beef Oct. 30, 2020, in Bavaria, Nuremberg (Daniel Karmann/picture alliance via Getty Images / Getty Images)

“They see the inflation. They see the pricing. You know, everything is up,” he told Flock.

Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation data measured by the consumer price index (CPI) showed prices for beef and veal were up 2.4% month-over-month and 7.6% year-over-year in February. 

The overall CPI posted a 0.2% increase month-over-month and a 2.8% jump year-over-year.

Courtney Schmidt, sector manager at Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, told FOX Business last month that high beef prices were driven by tighter U.S. beef production with consistent consumer demand.

The U.S. cattle herd is experiencing a down cycle, with cattle inventories at historically low levels in 2025, according to Schmidt.

Beef is more expensive

Demand for beef has remained strong since the pandemic, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. (Kennedy Hayes/Fox News  / Fox News)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported in late January that U.S. farms had 86.7 million head of cattle and calves. The count for beef cows specifically was 27.9 million, a decline of 1% compared to the same time last year, according to the USDA.

“I know they’re killing smaller cattle, so they’re trying, I guess, to kill them faster to create the supply that demand is needing,” Passio said. 

Some big companies source beef from Canada and Mexico, Flock reported on “Varney & Co.”

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President Donald Trump imposed 25% import tariffs on goods entering the U.S. from those two countries March 4 and, more recently, introduced exemptions for Mexico and Canada on goods under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement until early April.

Such a levy on imported beef would “increase the price,” according to Passio, adding that consumers “are going to pay for it.”

“My philosophy is to sell it as low as you can to show a savings, a value to the customer. And hopefully you have more customers to generate your revenue,” the Lombardi Prime Meats owner told Flock.  

beef in supermarket

Packages of beef are displayed for sale at a supermarket Jan. 12, 2023, in Foster City, Calif. (Liu Guanguan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images)

In the U.S., ground beef averaged $5.63 per pound in February, while the per-pound price of boneless sirloin steak came in at $11.90, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Those average prices were 9.6% and 1.6% higher, respectively, than the same month in 2024.

EGG PRICE SPIKE: WE ARE ‘PAST THE TOUGH PART,’ AGRICULTURE SECRETARY ROLLINS SAYS

The USDA projected in a report released this month that U.S. beef production is poised to amount to 26.685 billion pounds this year. 

Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.



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