Fixed Mortgage Rates Move Higher For Third Consecutive Week

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^{Published in Business and Finance on Thursday, August 16th 2012 at 7:31 GMT by Market Wire}  

Fixed Mortgage Rates Move Higher For Third Consecutive Week -- MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

MCLEAN, Va., Aug. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- [ Freddie Mac ] (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its [ Primary Mortgage Market Survey® ] (PMMS®), showing fixed mortgage rates following long-term Treasury yields higher. This marks the third straight week of fixed mortgage rates moving higher.

News Facts

• [ 30-year fixed-rate mortgage ] (FRM) averaged 3.62 percent with an average 0.6 point for the week ending August 16, 2012, up from last week when it averaged 3.59 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 4.15 percent. 

• [ 15-year FRM ] this week averaged 2.88 percent with an average 0.6 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.84 percent.A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 3.36 percent. 

• [ 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage ] (ARM) averaged 2.76 percent this week with an average 0.6 point, down from last week when it averaged 2.77 percent. A year ago, the 5-year ARM averaged 3.08 percent.

• [ 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM ] averaged 2.69 percent this week with an average 0.4 point, up from last week when it averaged 2.65 percent. At this time last year, the 1-year ARM averaged 2.86 percent.  

Average commitment rates should be reported along with average fees and points to reflect the total upfront cost of obtaining the mortgage. Visit the following links for [ Regional and National Mortgage Rate Details ] and [ Definitions ]. Borrowers may still pay closing costs which are not included in the survey.

Quotes
Attributed to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist, Freddie Mac.

"The latest economic indicators point toward low inflation but gradually stronger economic activity which placed further upward pressure on long-term Treasury yields and, in turn, fixed mortgage rates. For example, inflation remains in check with 12-month growth in the core consumer price [ index ] falling for a second month to 2.1 percent in July. At the same time, [ industrial production ] rose 0.6 percent in July compared to a 0.1 percent increase in June and [ retail sales ] jumped 0.8 percent in July from a 0.7 percent decline in June."

Get the latest information from Freddie Mac's Office of the Chief Economist on Twitter:[ @FreddieMac ]

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the nation's residential mortgage markets. Freddie Mac supports communities across the nation by providing mortgage capital to lenders. Today Freddie Mac is making home possible for one in four homebuyers and is one of the largest sources of financing for multifamily housing. [ www.FreddieMac.com ].

SOURCE Freddie Mac

RELATED LINKS
[ http://www.freddiemac.com ]