Fed Chair Powell's surprising words could cause mortgage rates to tumble

Core Insights - The Federal Reserve's interest rate policies are closely monitored by homebuyers affected by high mortgage rates [1][2] - The Fed's recent actions, including a quarter-percentage point cut in the Federal Funds Rate (FFR), have led to a decrease in mortgage rates from approximately 6.5% to 6.3% [4][8] - Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has indicated the possibility of utilizing additional tools to provide relief to borrowers amid conflicting pressures on employment and inflation [5][6] Group 1: Federal Reserve Actions - The Fed does not directly control mortgage rates, but changes in the FFR influence them indirectly through Treasury note yields [2] - After three rate cuts in late 2024 totaling 1%, the Fed was hesitant to make further cuts due to inflation concerns [3][7] - The FFR was reduced to a range of 4% to 4.25% in September, following a rise in unemployment to 4.3%, the highest since 2021 [8] Group 2: Economic Indicators - Inflation increased to 2.9% in August, up from a low of 2.3% in April, influenced by newly enacted tariffs [8] - The jobs market has shown signs of weakening, with independent reports suggesting further deterioration [10]