The trend continues as we honor MLK

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Jeffrey Loyd Mortgage Loan Officer Phone: +1 212 243-0373 Fax +1 347 686-6406 NMLS #:: 410097 jloyd@unfcu.com www.unfcu.org/JeffreyL

In This Issue Last Week in Review: Stocks continue their winning ways Forecast for the Week: Light news week ahead of Fed View: Learn more about how social media can help grow your business Last Week in Review Home loan rates finished this week near unchanged and remain near 9-month lows -- so we have that going for us. Most of the week's news was pretty bond friendly, including Brexit uncertainty, ongoing Government shutdown, ongoing US/China trade dispute, low inflation and more. So why haven't rates improved further with these bond-friendly tailwinds? The first Friday of 2019 was the day things changed for the Bond Market when a blockbuster Jobs Report and overly "dovish" Fed Chair Powell speech were delivered, which has helped Stocks move steadily higher at the expense of Bonds. Here's an important word to consider as we head into the Spring home buying season and that's disinflation, which means a slowing growth rate of inflation. We are seeing signs of this today and if the trend continues, home loan rates will benefit as 2019progresses. If you or someone you know has questions about home loans, give me a call. I'd be happy to help. Forecast for the Week We kick off the week remembering Martin Luther King Jr. and the financial markets will be closed. This is otherwise a light news week and with the government partially closed some reports, like New Home Sales and Durable Orders may not be reported. Corporate quarterly earnings season ramps up this week after mostly positive numbers thus far. Stocks continued their winning ways and have done so thanks to the Fed Powell speech back on Jan 4th. Speaking of the Fed -- there will be no Fed members speaking this coming week ahead of the two-day Fed meeting on January 29-30. There is zero chance of a rate hike in January. The markets will be listening closely to the Fed's thoughts on future hikes. At the moment, there is a very good chance the Fed Funds Rate will finish 2019 at current levels -- meaning no rate hikes. Reports to watch: Existing Home Sales will be released on Tuesday followed possibly by New Home Sales on Friday. As usual, Weekly Initial Jobless Claims will be released on Thursday. Durable Orders may be released on Friday. Chart: Fannie Mae 4.0% Mortgage Bond (Friday, January 18, 2019) The Mortgage Market Guide View... Tip: Social Media and Property Pages: A Statistical Review Today, it seems as though everyone has a social media page. In fact, around 70 percent of the U.S. population has at least one social media profile. If you're interested in connecting your business with even more potential customers, advertising on social media could be the way to go. This is especially true for home sellers and agents. Millennials now account for 66 percent of the market for first-time homebuyers, and almost all of them use the internet to research and look at homes. If you're trying to expand your potential market, some of the top social media platforms can help. Facebook: Currently, 69 percent of real estate agents say they use Facebookbecause it makes it easier to deliver advertisements to their coredemographics. If you plan to post videos on Facebook to advertise a home,keep in mind that only 15 percent of users watch Facebook videos with thesound on. If you don't include subtitles, you're missing out on a large portion ofyour target market. Instagram: Another top social media channel that home sellers should consideris Instagram. Not only is Instagram currently the fastest-growing social medianetwork, but its visual nature also fits in perfectly with real estate. Also, don'tforget to include the right hashtags to expand your reach. When you're looking to grow your business, choosing the right content to share onsocial media can help. After all, you never know when your next potential buyer couldbe scrolling through your social media feed. Sources: Lyfe Marketing, Adweek Economic Calendar for the Week of January 21 - January 25 Date ET Economic Report For Estimate Actual Prior Impact Tue. January 22 10:00 Existing Home Sales Dec NA 5.32M Moderate Thu. January 24 8:30 Jobless Claims (Initial) 1/19 NA NA Moderate Fri. January 25 08:30 Durable Goods Orders Dec NA 0.8% Moderate Fri. January 25 10:00 New Home Sales Dec NA NA Moderate This credit union is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Accounts and shares are insured by the Administration to the maximum insurance amount for each member or shareholder. Unless otherwise noted, fees may be associated with certain products and services. Certain UNFCU products and services are subject to approval. Federal and state laws may limit the availability of certain products and services in select areas. UNFCU is a registered mark of the United Nations Federal Credit Union. 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