Mortgage rates climbed again this week and are now at the highest mark since mid-February, according to Freddie Mac’s latest weekly rate survey.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.86% this week, up five basis points from last week’s 6.81% mark. The 15-year rate hit 6.01%, up nine basis points from the prior week.
Rates remain below where they stood this time last year, when 30-year mortgages averaged 6.94% and the 15-year rate averaged 6.24%.
“Mortgage rates inched up this week but continue to remain lower than one year ago,” Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater said in a statement. “With more inventory for buyers to choose from than the last few years, purchase application activity continues to hold up.”
The 30-year mortgage rate is closely tied to the yield patterns of the 10-year Treasury note. The 10-year yield climbed above 4.5% on Monday after Moody’s Ratings cut the U.S. government’s long-term debt rating. On Wednesday, it breached the 4.6% mark amid concerns that the federal tax-and-spending bill working its way through the legislative process will lead to a ballooning federal deficit.
