Rates Jump Quickly to Highest Levels Since July

By the smallest of margins, mortgage rates are back up to levels last seen in July.  That means we've gone from being fairly close to 6% in mid-September to being nearly as close to 7% today when it comes to top tier 30yr fixed scenarios for the average lender. Today's jump was particularly quick and frustratingly lacking in satisfying explanations.  It's not the explanations make bad news any more palatable, but it's always more frustrating to be confronted with unpleasantness that seems to be happening for no good reason. There are several theories, but nothing as obvious or demonstrable as a surprise result in a key piece of economic data.  These include things like shifting election odds coupled with assumptions about policy impacts, arcane calendar issues surrounding the opti