September 2011 U. S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook

Monetary and Fiscal Stimuli

MCLEAN, Va., Sept. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) released today its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for September showing the effect of monetary policy to date and why coupling monetary with fiscal stimulus could accelerate growth in 2012 if the fiscal initiative operates in tandem.

Outlook Highlights

·         The Federal Reserve's accommodative policy has resulted in the lowest interest rates since the early 1950s.

·         Ten-year constant-maturity Treasury yields had averaged 2.0 percent through September before the Federal Open Market Committee's statement, already on track for the lowest monthly average in the 60-year history of the series.

·         Thirty-year and 15-year single-family fixed rates attained new lows in Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey in September.

·         The likelihood of an extended period of both relatively low short- and long-term interest rates is helpful news for the housing market's recovery.

·         Coupling monetary with fiscal stimulus could accelerate growth in 2012 if the fiscal initiative operates in tandem.

Click here to view the complete September 2011 U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook [PDF]. Freddie Mac compiles data on major economic and housing and mortgage market indicators and offers forecasts based on those indicators.

Quotes

Attributed to Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac, vice president and chief economist.

·         "Financial worries among consumers are likely holding back home sales, which remain lackluster despite the most affordable home-buying market in decades. Boosting job and income growth among households will support consumer confidence and also stimulate household formation.  With monetary policy expected to keep interest rates low for a while, affordability will remain high for potential homebuyers. In the meantime, many will choose to rent."

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Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Over the years, Freddie Mac has made home possible for one in six homebuyers and more than five million renters.

SOURCE Freddie Mac