Posted To: Mortgage Rate WatchMortgage rates fell only modestly today despite a much stronger move in broader bond markets. I spend a lot of time espousing the fact that rates are based on bonds, so it’s fair to wonder how days like today happen. Indeed, interest rates are based on bonds, but there are a wide variety of rates and bonds! It’s a common misconception that mortgage rates are actually and firmly linked to the 10yr Treasury yield. In reality, this only appears to be the case because the bonds that underlie mortgage tend to move in the same direction as 10yr Treasuries. The magnitude of their moves is also generally the same, but there are notable exceptions. Today was one such exception. In terms of bond prices, 10yr Treasuries did twice as well as mortgage bonds (technically MBS or ‘mortgage-backed securities…(read more)Forward this article via email: Send a copy of this story to someone you know that may want to read it.