Is The Stock Correction The Fed's Fault?

Stocks have had a rough start to the year and many analysts are blaming it on a slowing economy, especially in other parts of the world. We think that the Federal Reserve Board deserves some of the credit for the weakness in stocks. We are not saying the Fed was not justified in raising rates. However, it is likely that some investors involved in the equities market must have come to the realization that the party might be over when it comes to borrowing at such low short-term rates.

Did the Fed react too quickly with regard to moving rates up? It is hard to fathom this since they left rates so low for so long. And they warned us for a year that the rate increase was coming. Still, we do get the impression that the bad news around the world could have swayed the Fed to wait another few months. It was almost as if they had said that rates were going up "this year" so many times, they only had one more chance and that was the December meeting.

On the other hand, the last jobs report moved our unemployment rate to 4.9%, which is the lowest in eight years. The economy produced 150,000 jobs in January and still the markets were disappointed in the number. The news on job creation is evidence which supports the action by the Fed to move rates upward, even if ever so slightly. Though the stock market may be reacting to the world-wide economic slowdown, there is also more than just a small possibility that the specter of higher short-term rates also is factoring into the equation. 

Mike Ervin
NMLS # 282715
W.J. Bradley Mortgage mike@mikeervin.com
www.mikeervin.com
(650) 451-7797
(650) 766-8500

The Bright Side of Weak Stocks

We are not saying that the stock market is not going to recover quickly from the correction it has undergone during the past several weeks. Nor are we rooting for stocks to languish this year. However, we always find that when there is bad news, there is most likely counter-balancing news somewhere else. In the case of a weak stock market, we have seen some of these effects.

For one, interest rates are lower than anyone expected at the start of this year. As we pointed out previously, the weak stock market has made many observers predict that the Federal Reserve Board will be more reticent to raise rates again any time soon. And this is not just because of the stock market, but the factors which are causing stocks to be weak, such as oil prices and weakness overseas.

Another sector which could benefit from under-performing stocks would be the real estate sector. If investors can't get returns in equities, they are going to look for returns in other sectors. Institutional investors helped prop-up real estate by purchasing massive amounts of foreclosures during the aftermath of the recession. Individual investors have returned to real estate slowly but surely, by purchasing homes and investment properties. Continued malaise in the stock market could hasten this process. 


Mike Ervin
NMLS # 282715
W.J. Bradley Mortgage
mike@mikeervin.com
www.mikeervin.com
(650) 451-7797
(650) 766-8500

What a Difference One Month Makes

Let's go back four weeks. We are fresh off an increase in rates by the Federal Reserve Board and a Holiday Season. We are bracing ourselves for several rate increases in the coming year and a rise in rates on home loans. It took only one trading day for stocks to get our attention. Oil prices continued to move to levels we have not seen for close to a decade during our recession. World economic news made headlines as the stock market in China took a beating.

All of a sudden, rates are coming down as stocks suffer a correction, despite the Fed's activity. To explain all of this, we go back to two points we have made time and time again in our economic analysis. Number one, the Fed directly affects short-term rates, but does not control long-term rates directly. Certainly, there is an indirect effect on long-term rates resulting from the Fed's actions. Secondly, you can't predict the future, period. Even the Fed does not know what is going to happen.

We do know that if this news continues, the Fed's plan to continue to raise rates may be put on hold. There have been some bright spots. One bright spot has been job creation, though wage growth has been moderate. The other bright spot has been real estate. Soon we will see some news on both. The jobs report is released Friday, and shortly thereafter we will see if consumers are still purchasing homes while some of this turmoil is hitting the markets. It was a real interesting first month of the year, and we are just getting started.

Mike Ervin
NMLS # 282715
W.J. Bradley Mortgage
mike@mikeervin.com
www.mikeervin.com
(650) 451-7797
(650) 766-8500

The Oil Factor

We have addressed the price of oil several times in the past year or so. Thus, we should have had most of the issues on the table. However, each time we speak about the price, a few months later, the price of oil goes down again. First, we must say, that we don't feel that the price of oil will go down forever. While we are not trying to predict the bottom, it is likely to come sometime this year, if we have not seen it already.

In the short run, the low price of oil helps many consumers and therefore helps the economy through increased spending in other areas. At the same time, companies in the energy sector will suffer layoffs. Also, some regions of our country will suffer, as well as many countries that depend upon oil revenue for their economies. If oil prices rebound, the effects will be short-lived. But if oil stays low, the effects will become long lasting, including the affects upon consumer behavior.

For example, the type of cars people purchase. Especially now that cars have become more fuel efficient, expect to see more SUVs and larger cars on the road in times that gas prices are low. In the long run, if the price of gas stays low, it may also affect home buying habits. With prices rising to unaffordable levels in many central cities, it is predicted that many will again look to the suburbs for lower cost housing. And lower gas prices may very well facilitate this trend in the long run. It is expected that if millennials move to the suburbs, they will be looking for developments that resemble conveniences of cites, such as town centers. Thus, the price of oil bears watching for many reasons.

Mike ErvinNMLS # 282715W.J. Bradley Mortgage
mike@mikeervin.com
www.mikeervin.com
(650) 451-7797
(650) 766-8500

The Stock Market Factor

It has been more than two weeks since the first trading days of the year, but the world is still reverberating from those first few days. What apparently started in China spread around the world as stocks, which have enjoyed a great run since the recession, finally ran out of steam. It took only a few days for U.S. markets to move into correction territory as the losses felt the first trading week were the worst ever for the first week of the year. Putting this in perspective, stocks moved down over 10% below their peak, but are up over 100% since the trough of the recession some years ago.

Even though last year was a wash, stocks have not really had a sustained correction for almost five years, the last being in the summer of 2011. All other dips have been accompanied by almost immediate recoveries. Thus, these numbers should not be scaring anyone, at least for now. While we can't predict the future, it is right to ask what this correction means, especially if it is sustained for any length of time. For one thing, with our economy producing jobs at a healthy rate, if the markets are predicting an economic slowdown, that slowdown is not evident right now.

The question is, is the slide because stocks need a breather, or are slower times coming? And if slower times are coming, what does that mean for the Fed's plan to raise rates again this year? When stocks took a hit, long-term rates moved down and so did oil prices. Both of these factors help the economy, but low oil prices are hurting some sectors and some other countries. Finally, we are seeing what a wild card the world economy and world conflicts can be. No one can predict the next international incident and the consequences of such an incident. The conclusion? It looks like 2016 is going to be a wild ride, so hang onto your hats! 

Mike ErvinNMLS # 282715W.J. Bradley Mortgage
mike@mikeervin.com
www.mikeervin.com
(650) 451-7797
(650) 766-8500

So The Fed Increased Rates

Many analysts weighed in regarding the "after-effects" of the first rate increase by the Federal Reserve in almost a decade. At least initially, these predictions seem to be bearing out. For example, according to Freddie Mac’s chief economist, Sean Becketti, interest rates should remain at “historically low levels” throughout 2016, in spite of whatever moves the Federal Reserve is expected to make. “We take the Fed at its word that monetary tightening in 2016 will be gradual, and we expect only a modest increase in longer-term rates,” Becketti said. “Mortgage rates will tick higher but remain at historically low levels in 2016.”

Yes, we experienced the first increase in the prime rate of banks in almost a decade. But with regard to long-term rates, these rates have barely moved in the weeks after the Fed's action. The rate on the 10-year Treasury note averaged 2.26 in November. On January 5, the rate was 2.25. Of course, world events have intervened to help lower rates as well. Keep in mind that if the Fed continues to raise short-term rates in 2016, it is expected that long-term rates will eventually drift upwards. This would include an increase in rates on home loans.

However, though many are expecting more increases, intervening events around the world may very well tie the hands of the Fed with regard to their ability to move as quickly as some are predicting. Domestically, the most recent employment report released Friday is a good indicator of future activity absent of such world influences. The increase in jobs of almost 300,000 was another sign of strength, and it will help bolster the Fed's plans. The message? Though rates are low right now, those who wait too long to purchase a home may be paying a higher price for that home and higher financing rates as well.

Mike Ervin
NMLS # 282715
W.J. Bradley Mortgage
mike@mikeervin.com
www.mikeervin.com
(650) 451-7797
(650) 766-8500

Happy New Year

Seinfeld spent just about a whole episode discussing how late in the year it is appropriate to wish someone "Happy New Year." I promise this will be my only Happy New Year message. But I do have a similar economic question to ponder as we enter the year. How long until we know what type of affect the Federal Reserve Board raising rates will have on interest rates and the economy?

Some of the effects are immediate. The prime rate was just increased by banks for the first time in almost ten years. For those who have home equity lines of credit on their homes or credit cards based upon their bank's prime rate, rates will go up immediately. A small increase of .25% on a $10,000 balance amounts to only a few dollars per month. If the Fed continues to raise rates this year, these effects will be multiplied, obviously.

The affect upon real estate is quite different. Most home loans are fixed rates and thus based upon long-term interest rates which don't necessarily increase at the same pace as the short-term rates the Fed are raising. According to Freddie Mac’s chief economist, Sean Becketti, interest rates should remain at “historically low levels” throughout 2016, in spite of whatever moves the Federal Reserve is expected to make. While any increase in rates on home loans is certainly not good news, we have to remember that rates are still at "historically low levels" as Becketti says, and the fact that the Fed is taking action means they have confidence in the economy. If the economy continues to expand, real estate will continue to thrive as will the economy, despite the Fed's moves.

Mike Ervin
Branch Manager/Mortgage Banker
NMLS: 282715
O: 650.451-7797
C: 650.766.8500 
mike@mikeervin.com