- Overall mortgage applications increased in the week of January 20.
- Applications for loans to both purchase and refinance increased in the latest week but remain well below their year-ago pace.
- The average effective rates on 30-year fixed loans declined for the second consecutive week.
Introducing
Kathleen Stephansen, CBE
in:Our Authors
Kathleen Stephansen is a Senior Economist for Haver Analytics and an Independent Trustee for the EQAT/VIP/1290 Trust Funds, encompassing the US mutual funds sponsored by the Equitable Life Insurance Company. She is a former Chief Economist of Huawei Technologies USA, Senior Economic Advisor to the Boston Consulting Group, Chief Economist of the American International Group (AIG) and AIG Asset Management’s Senior Strategist and Global Head of Sovereign Research. Prior to joining AIG in 2010, Kathleen held various positions as Chief Economist or Head of Global Research at Aladdin Capital Holdings, Credit Suisse and Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Securities Corporation.
Kathleen serves on the boards of the Global Interdependence Center (GIC), as Vice-Chair of the GIC College of Central Bankers, is the Treasurer for Economists for Peace and Security (EPS) and is a former board member of the National Association of Business Economics (NABE). She is a member of Chatham House and the Economic Club of New York. She holds an undergraduate degree in economics from the Universite Catholique de Louvain and graduate degrees in economics from the University of New Hampshire (MA) and the London School of Economics (PhD abd).

Publications by Kathleen Stephansen, CBE
- USA| Jan 25 2023
U.S. Mortgage Applications Rose in the Latest Week
- USA| Jan 18 2023
U.S. Mortgage Applications Rebounded in the Latest Week
- Total mortgage applications jumped 27.9% in the week of January 13.
- Applications for loans to both purchase and refinance increased by double-digit percentages.
- The average effective rates on loans reached their lowest levels since September 2022.
- Claims decreased by 1,000 in the week ended January 7.
- Continued weeks claimed dropped 63,000 in the week ended December 31.
- Insured unemployment rate edged down to 1.1% in the week ended December 31.
-
Claims decreased by 19,000 in the holiday week ended December 31.
-
Continued weeks claimed dropped 24,000.
-
Insured unemployment rate held steady.
-
- USA| Jan 04 2023
U.S. Mortgage Applications Dropped in the Latest Two-Week Period
-
Total mortgage applications dropped 13.2% in the week of December 30 from 2 weeks earlier.
-
Applications for loans to purchase and to refinance dropped in the last two weeks of 2022.
-
The average effective rates on fixed-rate loans remain at multi-year highs.
-
-
Claims rose 9,000 in the week ended December 24.
-
Continued weeks claimed were up modestly.
-
Insured unemployment rate holds steady.
-
- USA| Dec 23 2022
U.S. Personal Income Rose in November but Real Spending Was Flat
-
Personal income beat expectations in November.
-
Wage increases remain firm.
-
Real spending on goods declined while real spending on services increased during November.
-
- USA| Dec 07 2022
U.S. Mortgage Applications Decline for a Second Week
- Applications for loans to purchase declined in the week of December 2.
- Applications for refinancing a loan rose in the latest week after a sharp drop in the prior week.
- Mortgage rates declined again on fixed rate loans but rose for ARMs.
- USA| Nov 30 2022
U.S. Goods Trade Deficit Widened During October
- The trade deficit in goods widened by more than expected during October.
- Exports posted their second consecutive monthly decline.
- Imports rose for the second consecutive month.
- Claims edged down 4,000 in the week ended November 12.
- Continued weeks claimed were up modestly.
- Insured unemployment rate holds near record low.
- Claims were little changed in the week ended October 29.
- Continued weeks claimed were up modestly.
- Insured unemployment rate remains near 51-year low.
- USA| Nov 02 2022
U.S. Mortgage Applications Declined in the Latest Week
- Total mortgage applications eased 0.5% in the week of October 28.
- Applications for loans to purchase declined slightly while those to refinance edged up.
- The average effective rates on fixed-rate loans remain at multi-year highs.
- of14Go to 8 page