Moore Mortgage Solutions

    Overall, this week has been a quiet one though the bond market did do

some ups and downs.

    Chairman Bernanke, “Loose Lips” Fischer, and Secretary Paulson all spoke

this week but their speeches didn’t move the markets widely as they have

done before especially “Loose Lips”.

    Economic reports that came out overall didn’t move the markets in big swings either. And after the last couple of weeks, it was nice to not constantly have those wide swings.

    Also this week, the Federal Reserve Board released the minutes from their last meeting. The Board feels that the economy is slowing and inflation has been evaluated. And at the same time, “the financial markets remain under considerable stress.” This, along with housing contracting and credit tightening, will contribute to the slowing of the economy over the next few quarters.

    Today, April’s University of Michigan Consumer Index reported far below expectations. This index addresses how consumers look at our economy and whether they are likely to spend money for large purchases. This low reading may suggest that consumers may not be making those large purchases and, in turn, can hurt the economy in the future.

    Next week, the markets may be bumpier as there will be several handfuls of economic reports released with several having the potential to move the markets.

    In the meantime, I am available to help you decipher the market conditions and to assist you making informed decisions.

    Until next time, make every day an inspired one!

Betsy Moore

betsy@mooremortgagesolutions.com

206-331-2749

    A dismal March Jobs Report and Initial Unemployment Claims Report are indicating that we are in a recession now.

    How bad will it be? Only time will tell. Today’s Jobs Report is an average which will get revised later on. But if there are any indications, January and February’s Jobs Reports were revised for the worse. So we can assume that most likely March’s report will also be revised for the worse.

    This news affects the bond mortgage—for the better and interest rates are improving slightly. Though because of the volatility of the overall market, this situation can change and rapidly. But with interest rates being overall low and more houses on the market, this is a good time to buy!

    This past week has also been interesting in that Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke reported to the Congressional Joint Economic Committee this past Wednesday. He felt that our economy would turn for the better by the end of the second quarter.

    Also Bernanke returned to Congress on Thursday with JPMorgan and Bear Stearns’ CEOs. I found parts of this interesting as one of the statements Bernanke made was that by helping to broker this deal, he wanted to save Main Street instead of Wall Street. In other words, Bernanke felt that without this deal in place, our economy would have a bigger crisis on its hands. Though this is something new for the Federal Reserve to do, help broker a deal between investment bank and a bank, the Fed has done this in the past between two banks.

    In the meantime, I am available to help you decipher the market conditions and help you make informed decisions.

    Until next time, make every day an inspired one!

Betsy Moore

betsy@mooremortgagesolutions.com

206-331-2749