By MATT OTT, AP Business Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage ticked up for the second straight week following a string of declines that had brought down home borrowing costs to their lowest level in nearly a year.
The average long-term mortgage rate rose this week to 6.34% from 6.3% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.12%.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also inched up. The average rate rose to 5.55% from 5.49% the previous week. A year ago, it was 5.25%, Freddie Mac said.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
The 10-year yield was at 4.10% at midday Thursday, down from 4.19% the same time last week. Much of that decline has come in the past few days, driven by discouraging reports on the U.S. economy, particularly the job market.
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