Mortgage rates jump in lackluster market

Long-term fixed mortgage rates return to November levels, Freddie Mac reports.

February 28 2008: 11:21 AM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Following a January surge in refinancing activities, mortgage rates rose this week in the lackluster housing market, but are likely to decline, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.

"Refinancing activities, which had surged to a 12-month high in January, according to Freddie Mac's monthly refi-share report, are likely to ebb following this recent rise in rates," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac (FRE, Fortune 500) vice president and chief economist in a statement Thursday.

Nothaft noted that long-term fixed mortgage rates trended up for a third week, bringing 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages back to last November's levels.

The government-sponsored loan buyer said 30-year fixed-rate loans averaged 6.24% for the week ending Thursday, up from 6.04% last week.

Last year at this time, the 30-year rate averaged 6.18%, Freddie Mac said.

Freddie Mac also said 15-year fixed-rate loans averaged 5.72%, up from 5.64% last week. A year ago, the 15-year rate averaged 5.92%.

Rates on five-year adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 5.43%, up from 5.37% last week. A year ago, the 5-year rate averaged 5.93%.

One-year Treasury-indexed ARMs averaged 5.11%, up from 4.98% last week. At this time a year ago, the 1-year ARM averaged 5.49%.