Seattle Mortgage Rates 10/16/12:  “The aid in Spain falls mainly on their pain…”  As the European Union summit opens on Thursday, there are hints that Spain may request aid from the European Central Bank through bond-buying.  This is not the agenda of this summit.  Spain has been at the ready to request aid; however, Germany continues the rhetoric that Spain does not need any assistance as there is concern that it could impact other debt crisis-laden countries in the EU.

Given the no holds-barred implementation of easing, the Fed is attempting to reflate the economy through expanded output and hinder deflation.  This round of quantitative easing has already affected inflation and is near the Fed’s maximum of 2 percent.  As inflation is introduced, rates will have nowhere to go except up, even though fundamentally, they should fall (see above paragraph).  Bonds will continue to suffer as inflation continues its upward momentum.  The Fed will continue its easing until the economy shows signs of recovery.  What does that mean to the rest of us?  Inflation is inevitable.