Watching How Mortgage Rates Moves As Compared To The Fed Funds Rate (1990-2010)

The Federal Reserve begins a scheduled 2-day meeting today during which it which it will vote to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged near zero percent. The press will report this tomorrow as "Fed Holds Rates Steady". But, don't confuse this to mean that the Fed held mortgage rates near zero. The Fed doesn't set mortgage rates. The Fed sets the Fed Funds Rate. The former is a long-term rate and the latter is a short-term rate. The Fed Funds Rate and the 30-year fixed mortgage are two different animals.