Mortgage Rates Today, September 8, 2026: Rates Near 6.9% as Treasury Yields Rise Again
Mortgage rates are starting Tuesday, September 8, close to their highest levels of 2026, while another rise in Treasury yields is keeping pressure on homebuyers. The latest daily mortgage-rate reading available before Tuesday’s U.S. lending session showed the average top-tier 30-year fixed rate at 6.89%, only slightly below its 52-week high of 6.91%.
There is an important timing detail for borrowers checking rates this morning. U.S. markets were closed Monday for Labor Day, and Mortgage News Daily normally publishes its daily rate index around 4 p.m. Eastern Time. That means a new September 8 closing mortgage rate has not yet been published. The latest daily readings entering Tuesday are:
- 30-year fixed: 6.89%
- 15-year fixed: 6.49%
- 30-year jumbo: 7.06%
- 7/6 SOFR ARM: 6.53%
- 30-year FHA: 6.44%
- 30-year VA: 6.46%
Those numbers show why affordability remains difficult even after periods of lower rates earlier this year. The 30-year fixed rate ended Friday just one basis point higher at 6.89%, while the 15-year fixed and jumbo rates also rose by one basis point. The ARM rate posted the larger move, rising six basis points.
The broader weekly benchmark also moved higher. According to Freddie Mac data, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.71% for the week ending September 3, up from 6.66% one week earlier. That was the highest Freddie Mac reading since July 2025. The 15-year fixed rate increased to 6.04%.
Borrowers can see how quickly conditions have changed by comparing today’s market with the September 5 rates and the September 4 outlook. Rates had already been moving higher as bond yields climbed, and Friday’s surprisingly strong jobs report gave investors another reason to question whether the Federal Reserve can lower borrowing costs soon.
The BLS jobs report showed that U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August. Economists surveyed by Reuters had expected only about 56,000. Other key readings included:
- Nonfarm payrolls: +162,000
- Reuters forecast: +56,000
- Unemployment rate: 4.1%
- Labor-force participation rate: 61.6%
- July participation rate: 61.4%
The stronger labor market pushed investors to increase expectations that the Fed could raise rates at its September meeting rather than cut them. Mortgage rates do not move directly with the federal funds rate, but stronger economic data can push Treasury and mortgage-backed-security yields higher, which can quickly affect lender pricing.
That pressure is visible again Tuesday. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was around 4.788% in Asian trading, according to Reuters, after ending Friday near 4.78%. Higher Treasury yields often make it harder for mortgage rates to fall because mortgage-backed securities compete with government bonds for investors.
The trend has been building for several sessions. Readers can compare the move with September 3 rates, the September 2 surge and the September 1 outlook. Earlier Treasury-driven declines, including this mortgage rate dip, also show how quickly the direction can reverse when bond markets change.
The next major test comes from inflation. The BLS calendar shows the August Producer Price Index is due Thursday, September 10, followed by the Consumer Price Index on Friday, September 11. Those reports could move Treasury yields and mortgage pricing if inflation comes in meaningfully above or below expectations.
For buyers, the practical message is simple: rates are still close to recent highs, and Tuesday’s rising Treasury yield creates more risk of unfavorable lender repricing than of a major immediate drop.
Borrowers who are close to closing should compare several lenders, check both the rate and points, and decide whether the cost of waiting is worth the possibility of a better rate later. Anyone with more time can watch this week’s inflation reports before deciding when to lock.
