The BLS report showed that the economy lost 54,000 non-farm jobs in August which reflects the fact that 114,000 government census workers have now completed their work. Actual new private sector jobs were 67,000 for August and 763,000 for 2010. Estimates called for a loss of 120,000 non-farm payrolls, much more than the actual 54,000 loss, and this disparity is why the market reaction is good for stocks and bad for rates. BLS also reported that 14.9 million people are unemployed. This is a 9.6% unemployment rate, up 4.7% since the recession began in December 2007. See charts and more commentary on the U.S.’s 8.9m involuntary part-timer workers below.

Additionally there are now 8.9 million people who would like to work full time but are working part time because their hours have been cut or they can’t find full-time jobs. This forced-into-part-time-work category is up 4m million since January 2008. This is the fine print of the jobs report—the headline job loss and unemployment statistics show that these 8.9 million people are employed and therefore not in the job loss category, but because of their job status these 8.9 million workers aren’t likely to be consuming at normal levels. This poor statistic in the jobs report is mostly unreported, but until there’s movement here, a sustained recovery will be elusive.

CHART 1: PRIVATE SECTOR JOB GAIN/LOSS DEC 2007 TO AUGUST 2010

CHART 2: AUGUST 2010 JOBS BY SECTOR

CHART 3: JOB LEVELS JANUARY 2000 TO AUGUST 2010

Largest Employer In U.S.
Who is the largest private employer in the United States? Wal-Mart! 2.1 million of us work there. In the public sector, the US Government employs about 2% of the nation’s workforce. The US Postal Service is the largest civilian employer, with about 600,000 folks. Private sector job growth continues to be the key to a sustainable economic recovery, especially if we expect to see much of an improvement in housing prices. Economists continue to believe the probability of a double-dip recession remains low, but are cautious. Heading into this employment data, most believe that if private sector job creation does not improve (or at least hold-up) in the near term, there will be significant ramifications on the economic horizon ranging from the outcome of the November mid-term elections to the likelihood that the Fed proceeds with an additional dose of quantitative easing.

Jobs Report Summary
The long-awaited payroll numbers came out, and Private payrolls rose 67,000 in August after a 107,000 increase in July. The unemployment rate rose to 9.6% from 9.5%, but it was a “good” rise in the unemployment rate since the participation rate rose to 64.7% from 64.6% and household employment rose by 290,000, the first increase in four months. Average hourly earnings were +0.3% month over month, better than consensus expectations. Although it is not a great number in the big picture, but it was better than expected. As you’d expect, the bond market had a bearish reaction, with 10-yr Treasury prices losing a point and moving up to a yield of 2.74%. Mortgage prices are worse between .250-.50. Look for things to become quiet and thinly traded as folks head out for the holiday weekend. Click Jobs Report tag below for full commentary and charts on today’s jobs report.

Mortgage Rates vs. Mortgage Bond Prices
Everyone knows that the prices reflected in the security market for mortgages are not being passed through to rate sheets. (If a Fannie 4% is trading at 103, plus a servicing-released premium, why isn’t a 4.5% loan priced at a 3 or 4 point rebate on the rate sheets?) Rate-sheet prices, however, are beginning to improve a little, relative to MBS prices, an indication that originators are possibly creating some capacity and attempting to grab some refi production volume. It isn’t 2002-2003 yet, for many reasons, but the mortgage market has a long history of “warming” when rates stay low for an extended period, finding ways to increase refi volume over time.

Pending Home Sales
Yesterday the markets were relatively quiet. Most of the price volatility happened in the early morning. The 10yr rallied off 4.00% early April to make new rate lows last week 2.42%. That’s a monster move by any measuring stick. Mortgages wound up Thursday down (worse) between .125-.250 with origination running at about $3 billion. Stocks rallied modestly, while the 10-year Treasury note worsened by almost .5 and its yield hit 2.63%. The Pending Home Sales Index for July rose 5.2% to 79.4 versus an expectation for a 1.1% decline – somewhat encouraging but no one is expecting a big upswing in prices.

FDIC Banks Report $22b Aggregate Profit
“It’s hard to make a comeback when you haven’t been anywhere.” Conversely, banks have certainly made a comeback: FDIC-insured institutions reported an aggregate profit of almost $22 billion in the second quarter of 2010, a $26 billion improvement from the $4 billion net loss the industry posted in the second quarter of 2009. This is the highest quarterly earnings total since the third quarter of 2007. Earnings remain low, however; the primary factor contributing to the year-over-year improvement in quarterly earnings was a reduction in provisions for loan losses.

Commercial Real Estate Update
“Commercial real estate markets showed surprising resiliency during the second quarter, with property transactions rising solidly and leasing activity holding up better than expected. We remain cautious in our outlook for commercial real estate and construction.” So states Wells Fargo’s economics department. “The rise in delinquency rates in recent years was mostly caused by the sharp contraction in employment, retail sales and the rate of household formation growth. The apparent improvement in demand may be overstated, as many firms are taking advantage of soft market conditions to upgrade space and locations. The larger immediate issues with commercial real estate continue to be the overhang of commercial real estate loans coming due over the next few years and the large number of development projects that have been partially completed or less, which continue to weigh on community bank portfolios. After showing some resiliency earlier this year, commercial real estate prices fell sharply in June.”

Mortgage Apps Up, ADP Employment Down
Today we’ve already had the MBA’s application index (apps were up 2.7% last week, with refi’s up 2.8% and purchases up 1.8%), and the ADP numbers which were down 10,000 but notoriously questionable about predicting overall employment data (the ADP # does not include government hiring).

Case Shiller June 2010 Home Price Index

The index tracks existing single family homes, and is a credible pricing barometer for broad market analysis because it excludes condos and new construction. Condos can have more volatile pricing, and new construction pricing can be artificially set by builders, especially in times of distress when discounts an incentives can skew pricing. S&P refers to 10 and 20 “City” Composites, but these are actually metropolitan regional areas, not just cities. For example, where the city says San Francisco, this isn’t just San Francisco, but rather 5 counties in the Bay Area region (see page 9 of this PDF): Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo.

FULL TEXT FROM PRESS RELEASE
Data through June 2010, released today by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show that the U.S. National Home Price Index rose 4.4% in the second quarter of 2010, after having fallen 2.8% in the first quarter. Nationally, home prices are 3.6% above their year-earlier levels. In June, 17 of the 20 MSAs covered by S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices and both monthly composites were up; and the two composites and 15 MSAs showed year-over-year gains. Housing prices have rebounded from crisis lows, but other recent housing indicators point to more ominous signals as tax incentives have ended and foreclosures continue.

The S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, which covers all nine U.S. census divisions, recorded a 3.6% improvement in the second quarter of 2010 over the second quarter of 2009. In June, the 10-City and 20-City Composites recorded annual returns of +5.0% and +4.2%, respectively. These two indices are reported at a monthly frequency and, after 16 consecutive months of improvement in their annual rates of return, June’s figures were the first to moderate from their prior month’s pace, pointing to a possible deceleration in home price returns. The 10-City Composite posted a +5.0% annual growth rate in June, versus +5.4% in May, and the 20-City Composite was up 4.2%, versus its +4.6% May print.

“The monthly Composites cover June and the national index covers the second quarter, when the government’s program for first time home-buyers was winding down. While the numbers are upbeat, other more recent data on home sales and mortgages point to fewer gains ahead,” says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at Standard & Poor’s. “Even with concerns about near term developments, we recognize that the housing market is in better shape than this time last year. Further, California’s cities have moved from some of the hardest hit to three of the four leading cities based on year-over-year gains. Among the other hard hit cities, the news is also a bit encouraging – Las Vegas, however, remains among the weaker cities.

“Seventeen of the 20 MSAs and both Composites saw home prices increase in June over May – Las Vegas was down 0.6%, Phoenix and Seattle were both flat. Through the second quarter, 15 of the 20 MSAs and both Composites have positive annual growth rates, and no market is registering a double- digit decline. The worry starts when you remember that the Homebuyers’ Tax Credit has expired, foreclosures are still at high levels, and July data on home sales and starts were very, very weak. The inventory of unsold homes and months’ supply data were particularly troubling. If this relative weakness in demand continues, it will likely filter through to home prices in coming months.”

As of the second quarter of 2010, average home prices across the United States are at similar levels to what they were in the autumn of 2003. The 2010 second quarter values improved by 4.4% over the first quarter, with a corresponding annual rate of return of +3.6%. Since its recent 2009 Q1 trough, home prices have grown nationally by +6.8%.

From their peak in June/July of 2006 through the trough in April 2009, the 10-City Composite is down 33.5% and the 20-City Composite is down 32.6%. Through June, they have recovered by +7.0% and +6.3%, respectively. The peak-to-date figures through June 2010 are -28.8% and -28.4%, respectively.

Both the 10-City and 20-City Composites saw somewhat slower annual growth. The 10-City Composite was up 5.0% in June, versus +5.4% in May, and the 20-City Composite was up 4.2% in June, versus May’s +4.6%. Most cities also experienced smaller price gains; while June itself was positive, the annual growth rates decelerated in 14 of the MSAs.

Looking at the monthly statistics, both the 10-City and 20-City Composite were up 1.0% in June over May. Seventeen of the 20 metro areas showed an increase in June compared to May – Las Vegas was down 0.6%, Phoenix and Seattle were both flat. Sixteen MSAs were positive for all three months of the quarter. Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington have shown recovery from recent lows of +15.9%, +13.4%, +21.1% and +12.0%, respectively. San Diego, in particular, has stood out with 14 consecutive months of increasing home prices. Las Vegas continues to be weak, it was the only market that fell in two months of the second quarter. Home prices in that city are very close to their January 2000 levels.

Personal income was up 0.2% in July, which is the same range of the last 6 months. Wages rose 0.3%, which is roughly the same monthly level for all of 2010. The household savings rate was 5.9%, which is down from the May 2009 all-time record of 6.9%. Below are all key details from the Personal Income & Outlays report. You can automatically create charts and download historical PCE data by scrolling to our data section on the right side of the site, or visiting our Data page.

(1) The second of three 2Q2010 GDP readings showed the economy grew at 1.6% versus expectations of 1.4%. This was a big drop from both the first 2Q reading of 2.4% and the final 1Q reading of 3.7%. Normally economic weakness of this magnitude would cause a mortgage bond rally, bringing rates down. But the opposite happened because traders didn’t think the 1.6% number was weak enough.

(2) St. Louis Fed President and voting FOMC member James Bullard told CNBC that he thinks the Fed has “done as much as we’re going to do” in supporting the mortgage bond market. Remember: the Fed bought $1.25 trillion in mortgage bonds from January 2009 to March 2010, which has been the largest contributor to low rates since credit markets froze in 2007. Mortgage traders take Bullard’s comments seriously because, until now, Kansas City Fed president Thomas Hoenig has been the only FOMC member voting for tighter rate policies.

Rate Factors Week of August 30
Next week is packed with data: July consumer inflation, income and spending Monday; June S&P Case Shiller Home Prices, consumer confidence, and minutes from the August 10 Fed meeting Tuesday; payroll provider ADP’s jobs report Wednesday; June Pending Home Sales from the NAR Thursday; and the critical August BLS jobs report Friday.

After last week’s report that June-to-July Existing Homes Sales were down 27.2%, Robert Shiller (co-creator of the Case Shiller Home Price Index) said “this was the recording the month after the original closing deadline for the [homebuyer] tax credit, so it’s an anomalous month, but I do think that opinions about the market are weakening, and it may result in another decline in home prices going forward.”

Given the weight markets put on his Case Shiller Home Price Index, this Tuesday’s number should move mortgage bonds more than normal. As for Friday’s jobs report, estimates call for 105k job losses in August.

Weaker figures on next week’s data would normally help rates drop. But last week’s mortgage bond market reaction to the GDP figure shouldn’t be ignored: it was a very weak number but not weak enough in the mortgage traders’ eyes, so rates actually rose. Same goes for all data next week.

As discussed in the previous two WeeklyBasis reports (1, 2), mortgage bonds are overbought, very jumpy, and looking for any little reason to sell off—which would push rates up.

CONFORMING RATES ($200,000 – $417,000) – 0 POINT
30 Year: 4.375% (4.49% APR)
FHA 30 Year: 4.375% (4.50% APR)
5/1 ARM: 3.25% (3.37% APR)

SUPER-CONFORMING RATES ($417,001 to $729,750 cap by county) – 0 POINT
30 Year: 4.75% (4.87% APR)
FHA 30 Year: 4.5% (4.62% APR)
5/1 ARM: 3.75% (3.87% APR)

JUMBO RATES ($729,751 – $2,00,000) – 1 POINT
30 Year: 5.125% (5.24% APR)
5/1 ARM: 3.875% (3.99% APR)

Below is a chart that shows total credit market debt as a % of GDP. This chart captures all of the debt in the United States carried by households, corporations, and the government. The data can be found here. During the Great Depression of the 1930′s Total Credit Market Debt as a % of GDP peaked at 260% of GDP. As of today, it stands at 360% of GDP. The Federal Government is adding $4 billion per day to the National Debt. GDP is stagnant and will likely not grow for the next year. The storyline about corporate America being flush with cash is another lie. Corporations have ADDED $482 billion of debt since 2007. Corporate America has the largest amount of debt on their books in history at $7.2 trillion.

Now we get to the Big Lie about frugal consumers paying off debts, cutting up those credit cards, and eating Raman noodles 5 nights per week. Household and non-profit debt, which includes mortgages, credit card debt, auto loans, home equity loans, and student loans peaked at $13.8 trillion in 2008. After two years of supposed deleveraging, frugality and mass austerity, the balance is $13.5 trillion. Consumers have buckled down and have paid off 2.2% of their debts, it seems. But wait. A simple search of the Federal Reserve website reveals that banks have charged off 5.66% of all their loans in the last two years. The charge off rate in the 2nd quarter of 2010 was 6.66%. To verify for yourself go to the Federal Reserve website.

Total Debt Balance & Its Composition

So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. If consumer debt was $13.8 trillion at the end of 2008 and the banks have since written off 5.66% of that debt, total write-offs were $800 billion. If total consumer debt now sits at $13.5 trillion, then consumers have actually taken on $500 billion of additional debt since the end of 2008. The consumer hasn’t cut back at all.

Is There A Bond Bubble & Are Rates Set To Spike?
Rates have an inverse relationship with fixed-income prices, meaning that when bond prices go up, rates go down. With the major drop in rates in the last several months comes talk of a “bond market bubble”. Most economists do not feel that we’re in a bond market bubble where there is a disconnect between prices and fundamental reality, but it is still worth talking about. All bubbles follow a common pattern, whether it concerns high-tech stocks, tulip bulbs, or real estate. Initially prices increase when a new opportunity presents itself with the prospect of good returns. Investors become more optimistic and lenders become less risk-averse. Suddenly everyone is chasing prices regardless of fundamental values, expectations become unrealistic, and speculators who are more concerned with short term gains rather than long term returns flood the market. But clearer minds begin to prevail, and insiders start to sell. Asset prices stop rising, panic sets in, and investors rush to unload positions before the next guy, and prices crash.

In the current case of fixed-income securities, however, fixed-income instruments like Treasuries are not new. There have been good returns, but any excitement is certainly tempered by the fact that the federal government will record a $1.3 trillion budget deficit in 2010, with fiscal year 2010 (ending 9/30) seeing Treasury debt issuance of about $2.3 trillion of which net issuance is about $1.7 trillion. At this point it appears that investors are buying bonds out of fear and from being defensive rather than being excited about bond prices rallying and rates dropping. And as we all know, there is little in the way of credit truly expanding – banks are holding onto their capital. Cash continues to be king – maybe the Fed should charge banks for holding onto capital.

Rates Not As Low As Mortgage Bonds Would Suggest
Let’s turn our focus to securities and pipeline hedging for a moment. What’s the scoop on 3.5% securities becoming more active? After all, the 4% coupon (which contains, basically, 4.25-4.625% mortgages) is trading around 103. 3.5% securities are near par. And when you throw some servicing value on there, whether it is .5 point or 1.5 points, it should present a rebate on the rate sheet for 30-yr mortgages around 4%. But this is not being reflected on the rate sheets, and the production is not there yet enough to calm fears of non-delivery issues. Volume in 3.5% securities has been steadily creeping up, and becoming more liquid, but seller’s are still timid of any kind of “short squeeze” if they sell 3.5’s out in November or December, and then rates slide up and they don’t have the production. On top of that, production is still in the mid-4’s, which goes into a 4% security. When profit margins start dropping a little, 3.5% volume should increase.

Who’s Profiting From Troubled Loans
Under the heading, “The more things change, the more they stay the same”, investment banks and “vulture funds” are garnering headlines for securitizing and selling troubled loans. The good news, of course, is that it helps keep the talk of a private mortgage bond market alive, and give servicers an outlet for their bad loans. The bad news, if you want to call it that, is that the pools are made up of delinquent loans rather than original liens. One can expect to see more news about companies with names like Penny Mac, Kondaur Capital, Allonhill, Residential Credit Solutions, Arch Bay Capital, Carrington Mortgage, Equifin Capital, etc., and probably ratings provided by the usual Fitch, Standard & Poors, and Moody’s. The process is more conservative this time around (although I don’t know precise details), with supposedly issuers having to set aside half or more of their assets as a cushion from loss, while the cash flow goes to the investors.

Market Update
Thursday started off somewhat quietly, but by the end of the day mortgage securities filled with rate sheet current coupon mortgages were better in price by .375. Just as there were numerous prices changes for the worse on Wednesday, the MBS market got it all back Thursday – woe to anyone who locked Wednesday instead of Thursday. And not only did all rates drop, but mortgages “tightened”, meaning they improved more than Treasury securities did. The $29 billion 7-yr auction went well (coming in at less than 2%!) at the same time that the stock market began to falter. Soon traders saw that investors interested in buying mortgages outnumbered sellers, with only $1.3 billion being sold.

Huge economic day today, and so far mortgage bonds are selling off, pushing rates higher.