by Calculated Risk on 5/29/2013 09:14:00 AM

From the MBA: Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey

The Refinance Index decreased 12 percent, the largest single week drop in refinance applications this year, from the previous week to the lowest level since December 2012. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 3 percent from one week earlier.
...
"Refinance applications fell for the third straight week bringing the refinance index to its lowest level since December 2012 as mortgage rates increased to their highest level in a year,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s Vice President of Research and Economics. “Rates rose in response to stronger economic data and an increasing chance that the Fed may soon begin to taper their asset purchases."

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($417,500 or less) increased to 3.90 percent, the highest rate since May 2012, from 3.78 percent, with points unchanged at 0.39 (including the origination fee) for 80 percent loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans.
emphasis added

Click on graph for larger image.

The first graph shows the refinance index.

There has been a sustained refinance boom for over a year.

However the index is down almost 30% over the last three weeks, and this is the lowest level since last December.

The second graph shows the MBA mortgage purchase index.  The 4-week average of the purchase index has generally been trending up over the last year, and the 4-week average of the purchase index is up about 10% from a year ago.