(Jan 14): US mortgage rates slid last week to one of the lowest levels in years, sparking a flurry of purchase and refinancing activity that offers hope for a plodding housing market. The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage dropped seven basis points to 6.18% in the week ended Jan 9, according to Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) data released on Wednesday. That’s the lowest reading since September 2024 and one of the lowest since 2022. The rate on a five-year adjustable mortgage plunged nearly a half percentage point to 5.42%, the second-lowest since May 2023. The MBA survey, which has been conducted weekly since 1990, uses responses from mortgage bankers, commercial banks and thrifts.

Source: The Edge Markets January 14, 2026 13:11 UTC