“I’d listen to their forecasts about as much as I’d listen to Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler dispense advice on monogamy.” Regardless of who this LO was talking about, predictions are dicey business. Thank you to Julie W. who sent, “Why So Many COVID Predictions Were Wrong.” We all knew rates would move higher, but not at this pace. And companies have reacted. Layoffs, reductions in force, cutbacks, whatever the politically correct term is these days, are not confined to lenders. Blend made headlines last week with its layoffs. (Resumes for those displaced can be posted here for free.) The drop in volume has allowed companies to focus on cutting costs and maximizing hedging performance and secondary marketing execution. Along those lines, today’s podcast, available here, features an interview Eric Connors, SVP of Product Strategy and Management at ICE Mortgage Technology, on the ICE futures contracts. This week’s is sponsored by