Federal Reserve Bulletin

Profits and Balance Sheet Developments at U.S. Commercial Banks in 2005

Figure 8. Residential mortgage refinancing, 1990-2005. Data plotted as a curve with the value for January 26, 1990, equal to 1. The series begins in 1990 at 1 and stays at about that level through the middle of 1991, after which it moves in a range of between about 1 and 15 through the end of 1997. It moves up to reach almost 30 in late 1998 and then falls to reach about 5 in late 1999, where it roughly remains though September 2000. It then enters a more volatile period in which it rises to more than 40 in late 2001, falls to about 10 by mid-2002, and rises to reach almost 60 in late 2002, where it roughly stays until early 2003, after which it rises to the high for the period of about 95 in mid-2003. It then falls to about 20 in late 2003. After a brief climb to about 40 in early 2004, it remains around 20 through the end of 2005.

Note: The data are four-week moving averages. For definition of residential mortgages, refer to text.

Source: Mortgage Bankers Association.  Return to article