NEW YORK, Feb 13, 2026, 13:25 EST — Regular trading hours.
- The 30-year fixed index tracked by Mortgage News Daily dropped to 6.04%, marking its lowest level in weeks.
- Rate-sensitive stocks caught a bid—Rocket added roughly 5%, while UWM climbed closer to 6%.
- Investors keep an eye on when the Fed might cut rates, with next week’s housing numbers and the Fed minutes also on their radar.
Mortgage rates in the U.S. dropped to their lowest levels in several weeks on Friday, following a softer inflation print that sent Treasury yields sliding. That move gave a boost to mortgage lenders and homebuilder stocks in afternoon trading, according to 1 .
This shift comes right as the spring homebuying season ramps up. Even minor tweaks in financing costs can tip the balance on monthly payments and refinancing calculations. With inventory still tight, lower borrowing costs remain one of the scarce short-term tools available.
On Feb. 13, Mortgage News Daily pegged the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 6.04%, a slip from 6.10% just a day earlier. The same table listed the 10-year Treasury yield hovering near 4.05% for the day. 1
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate slipped to 6.09% this Thursday, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly survey—a fixture for housing economists. That’s a dip of 2 basis points from last week. One basis point equals one-hundredth of a percent. 2
As bond yields pulled back, rate-sensitive names caught a bid. Rocket Companies tacked on 5.2%, hitting $18.68, with UWM Holdings up around 6.4% to $5.00. The iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF gained 1.5%, and D.R. Horton traded about 2% higher by midday.
Yields slipped after January’s U.S. consumer price numbers landed lower than forecasts. According to Reuters, the 10-year Treasury yield eased 2.9 basis points to 4.075% right after the data dropped. 3
Phil Orlando, chief market strategist at Federated Hermes in New York, described the report as “better than expected,” saying it backs up the outlook for rates to eventually move lower. Brad Conger at Hirtle, Callaghan & Co noted he’s overweight in “interest rate sensitive names such as homebuilders and real estate.” 3
Lower borrowing costs haven’t been enough to jolt the housing market out of its extended downturn. Existing home sales in the U.S. dropped 8.4% in January, sliding to an annual pace of 3.91 million, according to Reuters. The median price ticked up 0.9% from a year ago, reaching $396,800. 4
Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors, flagged the ongoing supply issue, saying inventory “has not kept pace and remains quite low.” That tightness, he said, is a key reason prices can stay firm, even as rates drop. 4
According to the Associated Press, almost 79% of homeowners with mortgages are locked in at rates under 6%, a dynamic that’s discouraging many potential sellers from listing. “A larger drop in rates will be needed” before both buyers and sellers return in big numbers, Realtor.com economist Jiayi Xu told AP News. 5
But it’s not all upside here. Reuters pointed to strategist concerns over sticky underlying inflation, while a separate Reuters survey out Thursday warned that hefty Treasury supply and lingering inflation jitters could still drive the 10-year yield up before the year wraps. 3
Next week’s housing starts and building permits numbers land Feb. 18, and traders are eyeing whether the recent bond rally sticks through that. Also on the radar: minutes from the Fed’s Jan. 27-28 meeting, which usually show up about three weeks after the Fed’s call. 6
