Bernanke Says Interest Rates Unlikely to Change Soon

Bernanke says rate decrease unlikely. Oil prices are a double edged sword he says. Worries about inflation have the Fed leary of dropping the key rate. What does that tell us about housing rates? Well, though the two are related, it doesn't mean much initially. Lenders have set their rates and unless there is a considerable change in the Fed rate we won't likely see much change in mortgages.

Bernanke says we should see economic improvement later this year because of several government programs.

"To help brace the economy, the Fed in late April dropped its key rate to 2 percent, a nearly four-year low, but hinted that could be the last reduction for a while. Bernanke drove that point home again on Tuesday."