Mortgage rates continued to inch higher this week, marking the sixth consecutive week for borrowing cost increases for home shoppers.
“Wednesday’s Consumer Price Index report showed higher-than-expected inflation; headline consumer price inflation was 2.1 percent year-over-year in January, two-tenths of a percentage point higher than the consensus forecast,” explains Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac’s deputy chief economist. “Inflation measures were broad-based, cementing expectations that the Federal Reserve will go forward with monetary tightening later this year. Following this news, the 10-year Treasury reached its highest level since January 2014, climbing above 2.90 percent. Mortgage rates have also surged.”
After jumping 10 basis points last week, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 6 basis points to 4.38 percent, its highest level since April 2014.
Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending Feb. 15:
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.38 percent with an average 0.6 point, rising from last week’s 4.32 percent average. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.15 percent.
- 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.84 percent, with an average 0.5 point, increasing from last week’s 3.77 percent average. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.35 percent.
- 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.63 percent, with an average 0.4 point, rising from last week’s 3.57 percent average. A year ago, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.18 percent.
Source: Freddie Mac
