New York, February 20, 2026, 13:28 EST — Regular session
U.S. mortgage rates dipped once more, with the 30-year fixed now at 6.01%, marking the lowest point since September 2022, according to Freddie Mac’s latest weekly data. Mortgage-related stocks split direction on Friday: Rocket Companies slipped 2.4% to $17.91, while UWM Holdings dropped 3.1% to $4.65 by early afternoon. (GlobeNewswire)
This is especially important as the spring selling season approaches—a period when U.S. homebuying usually ramps up. For most Americans, the 30-year fixed mortgage is the standard. Even minor rate moves here can change monthly costs.
The numbers haven’t gotten any softer for a lot of families. Rates are coming down, but with supply scarce and prices refusing to budge, demand isn’t bouncing back in any clear way. Investors? Still not ready to call it a real housing recovery.
The daily rate trackers aren’t signaling much calm. Bankrate reported the average 30-year fixed mortgage reached 6.24% on Friday, climbing from 6.15% the week before. “Mortgage applications were essentially flat last week,” Mortgage Bankers Association President Bob Broeksmit said, according to Bankrate. (Bankrate)
Mortgage rates tend to shadow shifts in Treasury yields, the baseline for plenty of long-term loans. On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve’s H.15 release pegged the 10-year Treasury yield at 4.09%—a mark traders haven’t been eager to let slip lately. (Federal Reserve)
Housing demand isn’t tracking rate moves one-for-one. In January, contracts to purchase existing homes slipped 0.8%. “With mortgage rates nearing 6%, an additional 5.5 million households would qualify,” said NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun. (Reuters)
December’s new home sales dropped by 1.7%, landing at a 745,000 annual pace. Inventories tightened. Meanwhile, the median price for a new house climbed 4.2% year-over-year to $414,400, according to government figures released Friday. The data, delayed by last year’s U.S. government shutdown, was published by Reuters.
Homebuilder stocks held their ground, shrugging off weaker sales numbers. D.R. Horton dipped 0.5%, with Lennar also down 0.6%. PulteGroup and Toll Brothers managed to tick up. The iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF barely budged, while the SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF posted a modest 0.3% gain.
Mortgage lenders slipped. Shares of Rocket and UWM fell, despite rates holding near multi-year lows. Lower benchmarks, it turns out, aren’t enough—loan volume stays muted when buyers face a tight and pricey housing market.
The “rates down, housing up” narrative isn’t a sure thing. Inflation could pick up, or Treasury yields might climb. Either scenario would drag mortgage rates back up, tightening the vise on both purchase demand and refinancing—the main engines for loan originators.
All eyes swing to the Federal Reserve’s March 17-18 policy meeting, the next major macro event on the calendar. Investors are combing for signs on how long officials intend to keep rates steady—and hunting for any hint about triggers for resuming cuts. (Federal Reserve)
