Mortgage rates drop slightly in week

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Interest rates for 30-year, fixed-rate U.S. mortgages dropped modestly from the previous week, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. said Thursday.

The 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.35 percent with an average 0.7 points for the week ending Sept. 4, Freddie Mac said.

A year ago, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages were slightly higher at 6.46 percent. A week ago, the average rate was 6.4 percent.

At 5.9 percent with an average 0.6 points, the 15-year, fixed-rate average also declined, dropping from the previous week's average of 5.93 percent. A year ago, 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.15 percent, the report said.

"Mortgage rates eased a bit over the holiday-shortened week following release of economic data that suggest consumer spending may slow," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist.

"The economy grew at an upwardly revised 3.3-percent pace in the second quarter, boosted by the smallest trade deficit in eight years and residential fixed investment slowed growth by 0.6 percent, the least amount since the same period a year ago," Nothaft said in a statement.

"However," Nothaft noted, "personal income fell 0.7 percent in July."

The decline "will likely slow consumer spending in the third quarter," he said.