The stars appear to be aligning for a wave of refinance activity in the first quarter, which is expected to boost the revenues and results for U.S. mortgage companies during the period, according to an analyst at Keefe Bruyette & Woods. Can it last? “With the 10-year [Treasury] now below 2 percent, the average effective conforming rate is below 4 percent,” analyst Bose George said during a recent KBW podcast. “That rate should continue to trend down as long as ...