Market UpDate

There was little news on Friday other than the deteriorating saga of Greek debt, a story that is beginning to feel as old as the Acropolis. Markets were sorting through European solvency concerns causing the Dow to surrender 93.28 points. Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury rose 6/32 (3.152%). Mortgages followed government bonds higher as MBS prices climbed 4/32 in the “origination coupons”. Mortgages benefited from real money demand which improved MBS spreads by 3/32 relative to treasuries on lighter origination volume.

Treasury prices are markedly higher this morning as European debt concern has U.S. bonds looking relatively attractive. The yield on the 10-year has fallen to 3.10, very near its recent resistance point of 3.08. Domestic debt prices appear to have a great deal of momentum to begin the week which bodes well for the Treasury’s scheduled 2-year, 5-year and 7-year T-note auctions totaling $99 bln. Also, this week will bear witness to the latest domestic economic data including April new home sales (Tuesday), April durable goods orders (Wednesday), revised Q1 GDP (Thursday) and the April core PCE deflator (Friday). Last week’s U.S. economic data was disconcerting and further worrisome data could cast doubt on the fitness of the recovery. There are no questions regarding the health of mortgages as prices continue to steam ahead. June settle Fannie 30-year 4.0% are 100-10 while 15-year 3.5% are 101-27.