Mortgage Rates Are Higher Than My Swamp! What's Going On?!

Ogre Sized Interest Rates!

Well hello there. Shrek here reporting live from my humble swamp. And let me tell ya things are smellier than usual and not just because Donkey hasn't bathed in a week. Mortgage rates those swamp sucking leeches have climbed higher than Dragon's tower! They're at 7.1% now the highest since February. Seems like just yesterday I was comfortably paying my swamp taxes and now this! It's enough to make a grown ogre cry... almost.

Trump's Tariff Tantrum!

Apparently this whole mess started with some fancy pants tariffs. Trump slapped 'em on faster than Donkey can eat a waffle. Then he lowered 'em just as quick except for those pesky Chinese imports which are still standing at a whopping 145%! It's like trying to herd cats only the cats are giant trade deals and the herder is... well you get the picture. Makes me miss the simple days of just chasing away villagers with torches and pitchforks.

Even Cooler Inflation Can't Cool the Market!

And get this: even though the inflation report was supposed to be 'cooler than expected' whatever that means the market's still hotter than Fiona's temper when I track mud through the castle. These 'bonds' started selling off again. Turns out these mortgage rates are loosely following the yield on some 10 year treasure thingy.

Worst Week Since Before I Was Even Born!

Some smarty pants named Matthew Graham says this is the worst week for bonds since before I was even born! He says we are either at the end of the worst week for 10 year yields since 1981 or at the end of a fairly average two weeks that fit right in with the trend of the past 18 months. He says there are two ways to look at where bonds are trading today but that sounds like some serious mumbo jumbo if you ask me. I'd rather be knee deep in mud any day.

Consumer Sentiment Slimier Than My Swamp Water!

To top it all off this consumer sentiment thing is lower than my opinion of Prince Charming. Apparently folks are expecting inflation to jump higher than Donkey on a sugar rush. Highest it's been since 1981! Makes you wonder if we'll all be living in cardboard boxes soon. At least I'm used to roughing it. But Fiona's gonna have a conniption fit if she has to give up her daily mud bath.

Spring Housing Market? More Like Spring Housing Nightmare!

And all this chaos is happening right in the middle of the spring housing market. Good luck finding a decent shack let alone a castle with these rates. One so called expert Nancy Lazar says forget about housing. 'Consumers are concerned about the job market,' she says 'so housing will also be on the weak side.' Sounds like someone needs a good ogre sized reality check. Maybe I'll pay her a visit. After all somebody's gotta keep things interesting around here!