This morning's economic data had moderate impact on bond market trading levels.  The two key releases were ADP Employment and ISM Non-Manufacturing.  Of the two, ADP was the bigger market mover despite falling closer to the median forecast.

The takeaway is that bond markets are most interested in this week's labor market data, and will obviously be sated by Friday morning's NFP.  The other takeaway is that it's not going to take a stellar report to reinforce the writing on the wall.

As for that proverbial writing, Yellen showed up this morning in her hiking gear (which incidentally includes a pen, to help more clearly delineate proverbial wall-writing).  While her prepared remarks didn't address monetary policy, several questions from the House Financial Services Committee made the topic unavoidable.  This ultimately proved to be a much bigger market mover than the economic data, taking Treasuries and MBS well into their weakest levels since September.

Bottom line: Yellen unequivocally reinforced last week's FOMC Announcement message, which is that the Fed is ready to hike in December.  In fact, she noted that the Fed views a more immediate hike as the more prudent choice, in order to better ensure a gradual pace of hikes overall.  The Fed really doesn't get much more transparent than this.  If they do NOT end up hiking in December, it will only be because something very serious and unexpected happened between now and then.


MBS Pricing Snapshot
Pricing shown below is delayed, please note the timestamp at the bottom. Real time pricing is available via MBS Live.
MBS
FNMA 3.0
100-17 : -0-08
FNMA 3.5
103-22 : -0-07
FNMA 4.0
106-05 : -0-06
Treasuries
2 YR
0.8200 : +0.0500
10 YR
2.2390 : +0.0210
30 YR
3.0070 : +0.0090
Pricing as of 11/4/15 1:33PMEST

Morning Reprice Alerts and Updates
A recap of Alerts and Updates provided to MBS Live subscribers.
10:44AM  :  ALERT ISSUED: MBS Hit Weakest Levels as Yellen Talks Policy
10:10AM  :  ISM Services Beat Forecast; Nominal Weakness in Bonds
8:38AM  :  Giving Up Overnight Gains After On-Target ADP Data

Live Chat Featured Comments
A recap of featured comments from the Live Discussion on the MBS Live Dashboard.
Matthew Graham  :  "Yellen reinforcing gradual path of rate rises = softening the blow and solidifying December"
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - FED'S YELLEN: DECEMBER RATES LIFTOFF COULD BE JUSTIFIED DEPENDING ON DATA"
Matthew Graham  :  ""moving in a timely fashion is a prudent thing to do""
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - FED'S YELLEN: INFLATION WILL MOVE BACK UP TO TARGET AS PRESSURES DIMINISH"
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - FED'S YELLEN: SEEN SOME RECENT SLOWDOWN IN PACE OF JOB GAINS"
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - FED'S YELLEN SAYS SEES U.S. ECONOMY AS PERFORMING WELL"
John Tassios  :  "market is used to revisions in both ADP and NFP data. Sometimes they could be big revisions."
Victor Burek  :  "10k difference is nothing"
Hugh W. Page  :  "The former is not of significance really to the market IMO and the latter I think you know is an outright NO. :)"
Ryan Bier  :  "quick question for you smart guys... Help me out with the "revision" factor. So earlier, MG said the Sept ADP forecast was 194K. It "came in" at 200K... then revised down today to 190K. I wonder what the market would have done if it "came in" originally at 190K. Do they intentionally leak the numbers higher to appease the markets KNOWING they can issue a 10K off number as a revision? Sounds like the old "do over". I wonder if I can use the "revision" card with conversations with my wife."
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - ISM REPORT ON U.S. NON-MANUFACTURING SECTOR SHOWS PMI 59.1 IN OCT (CONSENSUS 56.5) VS 56.9 IN SEPT"
Matthew Graham  :  "Only relevant data so far is ADP. And yes, that hurt us. ISM Services at 10am will be the only other relevant report and can be a bigger mover than ADP if it's far from consensus"
Jon Leslie  :  "Thanks MG just seems Data would have shifted other way , No SK just a question"
Matthew Graham  :  "S&P down a quick 10 points at the open"
Matthew Graham  :  "Looks like stock lever has caused the shift"
Jon Leslie  :  "what is causing the green"
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - US ADP PAYROLL CHANGE FOR SEPTEMBER REVISED TO +190,000 FROM +200,000"
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - REUTERS CONSENSUS FORECAST FOR ADP PAYROLL CHANGE FOR OCT WAS FOR INCREASE OF 180,000 JOBS"
Matthew Graham  :  "RTRS - ADP NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT REPORT SHOWS U.S. EMPLOYMENT INCREASED BY 182,000 PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS IN OCTOBER"