{"id":27255,"date":"2026-04-03T19:24:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T19:24:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=27255"},"modified":"2026-04-03T19:24:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T19:24:07","slug":"weekly-mortgage-rates-flat-jobs-report-is-surprisingly-strong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=27255","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Mortgage Rates Flat; Jobs Report Is Surprisingly Strong"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Weekly mortgage rates stayed largely flat, breaking a six-week streak of increases. Rates remain stubbornly elevated compared to where they were at the beginning of 2026. On a day-to-day basis, the average 30-year rate has been flirting with 6.5% APR. If it does reach that threshold, it will be for the first time since September 2025. <\/span><\/p>\n

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dropped one basis point to 6.37% APR in the week ending April 3, according to rates provided to SS by Zillow. A basis point is one one-hundredth of a percentage point. <\/span><\/div>\n
Don\u2019t count on the Federal Reserve to lower borrowing rates any time soon. Analysts are nearly unanimous in their prediction that central bankers will vote to keep the federal funds rate steady at their April 28-29 meeting, as economists are only just beginning to get their hands on data that clarifies the impact of the Iran war on the economy. <\/span><\/div>\n
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Fed is unlikely to worry about employment<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the March jobs report this morning, showing employment gains of 178,000 \u2014 far stronger than both February (-92,000) and January (+126,000). Despite ups and downs with hiring, the unemployment rate has remained fairly stable in 2026 so far. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s increase is significant, but it doesn\u2019t mean the labor market is back on track or growing robustly,\u201d says Elizabeth Renter, SS senior economist. \u201cThe gains are highly concentrated in a few industries, not broad-based across the economy.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

These growing industries were healthcare, construction, transportation and warehousing.<\/span><\/p>\n

If the war drags on, future jobs reports could be a lot more grim, Renter says. For right now, however, all we have is the data in front of us. As it stands, central bankers are unlikely to see the current job market as a major threat to the economy. Inflation may be the Fed\u2019s chief concern at the moment.<\/span><\/div>\n

Two key inflation reports \u2014 the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE) and Consumer Price Index (CPI) \u2014 are scheduled for release next week. The war in Iran has put upward pressure on oil prices, which could cause inflation to rise. <\/span><\/p>\n

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