NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 01:40 ET — Market closed
- Fannie Mae’s FNMA shares closed down 4.1% on Monday, underperforming peer Freddie Mac.
- U.S. pending home sales jumped to the highest level in nearly three years, helped by improved affordability, NAR said.
- Traders are watching Tuesday home-price readings and Wednesday’s Fed minutes for fresh rate signals.
Fannie Mae shares sank on Monday, closing down 4.1% at $10.33 in over-the-counter trading, after touching $10.55 at the high and $10.08 at the low. Volume was about 3.0 million shares.
The stock’s swings matter because Fannie Mae sits at the center of the U.S. mortgage machine. It buys home loans from lenders and guarantees mortgage-backed securities, so investor focus tends to snap to mortgage rates and the health of housing demand.
With the year ending, that focus is sharpening. Fresh housing-price data and the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes are due in the next two sessions, giving markets new inputs on affordability and the outlook for rates.
Freddie Mac’s common stock (FMCC) also fell on Monday, down 2.8% to $9.83, pointing to a broader move across the two U.S. housing-finance peers.
The slide came as U.S. equities finished lower on Monday in thin holiday trading, leaving investors sensitive to macro headlines rather than company-specific developments.
On the housing front, contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes rose 3.3% in November to the highest level since February 2023, the National Association of Realtors said. “Homebuyer momentum is building,” said Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist. Reuters
Pending home sales track signed contracts and typically lead closed sales by a month or two. Stronger contract activity can signal firmer mortgage demand, but investors still watch whether the pickup sticks as financing costs fluctuate.
Rates remain the hinge. Lower mortgage rates tend to lift affordability and turnover, which can increase the flow of loans through the housing-finance system — but abrupt shifts in rate expectations can move mortgage-linked assets quickly.
Before the next session, attention turns to Tuesday’s U.S. data calendar, including the S&P Case-Shiller 20-city home price index for October and Chicago PMI for December.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency is also scheduled to publish its next monthly House Price Index report on Tuesday, another read on home-price momentum as 2025 closes out.
On Wednesday, the Fed is slated to release minutes from its most recent policy meeting — the detailed record of the discussion — a potential catalyst for Treasury yields and, by extension, mortgage-rate expectations.
Technically, traders will eye whether FNMA can hold above the $10 area after Monday’s $10.08 intraday low, with resistance near the prior close around $10.77. For a market where liquidity is thinner than on major exchanges, breaks of round levels can amplify short-term moves.
Fannie Mae last reported quarterly results in late October, and investors are likely to watch for any update on the timing of its next financial report as the calendar turns.
