The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the sixth straight week, returning to its highest level since early July. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate ticked up to 6.79% from 6.72% last week. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.5%. When mortgage rates increase they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers. Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to price home loans. Bond yields have been rising following encouraging reports on inflation and the economy.
