NEW YORK, Jan 14, 2026, 06:43 EST — Premarket
- Rocket shares fell behind other rate-sensitive housing stocks following a broader drop in mortgage-related shares.
- Daily mortgage-rate data reveal the benchmark 30-year fixed rate climbing back over 6% following last week’s decline.
- Traders are eyeing U.S. mortgage-application data, along with new inflation and spending reports set for release later Wednesday.
Rocket Companies shares slipped roughly 1.9% to $22.76 in early trading on Wednesday, as mortgage stocks lost momentum and investors monitored borrowing costs. UWM Holdings edged up 0.7%, while loanDepot dropped around 4.6%. Mortgage insurers MGIC Investment and Radian Group each declined about 7%.
The reason this matters now is straightforward: rates hover in a tight range that still determines if borrowers refinance, shop around, or hold off. For lenders, just a few tenths of a percentage point can quickly impact application volume and gain-on-sale margins.
Mortgage News Daily’s latest index showed the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbing to 6.07% on Tuesday, rising 6 basis points—0.06 percentage point—pushing it firmly back above 6%. Matthew Graham noted the CPI report “did more to help the bond market avoid losing ground than it did to spark a new rally,” especially after lenders hiked rates late last week and again earlier this week. (Mortgage News Daily)
Inflation remains the main driver. U.S. consumer prices climbed 2.7% in December compared to a year earlier, with core inflation — excluding food and energy — up 2.6%, Reuters reported Tuesday. The numbers keep traders guessing about when the Federal Reserve will start cutting rates again. “A disinflationary trend is gradually taking shape,” said Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management, in the Reuters report. (Reuters)
U.S. stock index futures slipped before the open as investors braced for key bank earnings and a flood of economic reports that might alter the outlook on interest rates. (Reuters)
Mortgage rates don’t track the Fed’s short-term rate directly. Instead, lenders base their pricing on longer-term yields and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) — bonds made from pools of home loans — since many mortgages are bundled and sold this way.
For Rocket and its rivals, the rate tape is a double-edged sword. When rates drop, refinance demand can surge from the bottom, boosting originations. But sharp moves disrupt pricing and hedges. On the flip side, higher rates may slow new-loan volume but push up the value of servicing rights.
A packed few hours lie ahead with key checkpoints. Traders are set to see if new data holds bond yields steady or reignites last week’s rate volatility.
A clear risk scenario exists: if inflation heats up unexpectedly or bond markets tumble on growth worries or policy news, mortgage rates can spike fast. That usually hits refinance activity first, pushing lenders to rely more heavily on purchase loans.
Wednesday’s U.S. slate includes MBA mortgage applications at 7:00 a.m. ET, then producer prices and retail sales data at 8:30 a.m. ET. (Econoday)
