Mortgage rates don’t move in a vacuum. Behind the scenes, many home loans are packaged into securities called mortgage-backed securities (MBS)—often referred to in the media as “mortgage bonds.” Investors buy these bonds, and the market sets the price and yield.
When demand for mortgage bonds rises, bond prices typically rise and yields fall. Because mortgage pricing is closely tied to MBS yields and market spreads, lower yields can translate into downward pressure on mortgage rates—sometimes quickly, sometimes gradually.
According to reporting, the Trump administration has directed a program to purchase up to $200 billion of these mortgage bonds with the stated goal of making borrowing costs more affordable.