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AP
Long-term U.S. mortgage rates fell this week after three straight weeks of increases. The drop followed a surprisingly weak employment report that deepened doubts about the economy.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage slipped to 3.60 percent from 3.66 percent last week. That is well below its level a year ago of 4.04 percent.
The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages declined to 2.87 percent from 2.92 percent.
The government reported on Friday that hiring in May slowed to a near-standstill. While unemployment slid from 5 percent to 4.7 percent, the lowest since November 2007, the rate fell for a troubling reason: Nearly a half-million jobless Americans stopped looking for work and so were no longer counted as unemployed.
The jobs report raised doubts that the Federal Reserve will increase short-term interest rates at its meeting next week or perhaps even at its subsequent meeting in July. Rates have hovered around zero for seven years and almost everyone had expected the Fed to grow more aggressive this summer.
The report sent investors toward the safety of U.S. government bonds, lifting their prices and reducing long-term bond yields. Mortgage rates often move in sync with long-term bond yields. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note dropped to 1.70 percent on Wednesday from 1.84 percent a week earlier. It fell further to 1.67 percent Thursday morning.
To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country at the beginning of each week. The average doesn’t include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates.
One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount.