The Weekly Wrap | The CLT Mortgage Guy
 
 
@thecltmortgageguy Vol 1 · Iss 9 · May 22, 2026
 
The Weekly
 
THE WEEKLY WRAP
 
Rates. Market intel. What it means for you.
 
 
 
Welcome Back
 
A Tough Week. A Weekend to Remember.
 
This week was a reminder that markets can move fast and without a lot of warning. It was a rough ride Tuesday, and a much better one by Thursday, and through all of it you kept your clients moving forward. That is the job, and you are doing it. Before you close your laptops and head into the long weekend, take a moment. This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women who gave everything so the rest of us can do what we love. Grateful for this community, and I will see you Tuesday.
 
 
 
Market Update
 
Bonds Broke. Then They Bounced.
 
30-yr Fixed
 
6.51%
 
↑ Up from 6.36%
Rate Direction
 
Up
 
Volatile week
 
The week opened with pressure already building in the bond market. By Tuesday morning, benchmark interest rates had pushed to levels not seen since before the 2008 financial crisis. The 10-year Treasury yield surged near 4.68% while the 30-year climbed above 5.1%, its highest point in roughly two decades. Mortgage bonds sold off sharply, down about 13 ticks on the day, and rate sheets reflected every bit of it.
 
The move was driven by a combination of sticky inflation, elevated oil prices, and growing investor concern about government deficits. Global bond markets were selling off in unison. Traders were asking a hard question: have rates been high enough, for long enough, to actually bring inflation under control? With very few buyers willing to step in at the long end, the path of least resistance was toward higher rates and wider spreads on mortgage products.
 
Thursday brought the reversal. Oil dropped on growing optimism around a potential US-Iran agreement, and benchmark rates pulled back to around 4.55%. Mortgage bonds recovered all of the week's losses and then some, giving lock desks meaningful relief heading into the holiday weekend. If those levels hold, rate sheets should look better next week. The headline risk has not gone away. Oil and geopolitics are still driving the bus. Stay defensive and stay ready to move quickly when your clients are.
 
  Volatility is not the enemy. Waiting for perfect conditions is.
 
 
 
This Tuesday · Noon ET
 
VA Loans: What Every Charlotte Agent Needs to Know
 
With Memorial Day this weekend, Tuesday's call is dedicated to the men and women who served, and to making sure they get every benefit they have earned. VA loans are the most misunderstood product in the market, and that misunderstanding costs veterans real opportunities every single day. We are covering how entitlement works, how to identify VA-eligible clients, what agents need to know about competing with a VA offer, and how to serve this community the right way. If you have clients who have served or are currently serving, this call is for you.
 
Drop in Tuesday at noon. No booking needed. Zoom link at linktr.ee/thecltmortgageguy. Bring your VA questions. Any of them. Have a topic for a future call? Just reply to this email.
 
 
 
See you Tuesday. For daily rate updates follow @thecltmortgageguy on Instagram.
 
Book a consult or grab the Zoom link at linktr.ee/thecltmortgageguy.
 
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thecltmortgageguy.com  ·  NMLS #1465241
 
 
Ian Smith
VP of Lending · Rate
[email protected]
linktr.ee/thecltmortgageguy
@thecltmortgageguy
NMLS #1465241
Equal Housing Lender  ·  © 2026 Guaranteed Rate, Inc. D/B/A Rate  ·  NMLS ID 2611