U.S. mortgage applications edged up last week: MBA

Reuters

Published Jul 29, 2015 07:25AM ET

Updated Jul 29, 2015 07:36AM ET

U.S. mortgage applications edged up last week: MBA

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Applications for U.S. home mortgages edged up last week while borrowing rates moved lower, an industry group said on Wednesday.

The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage application activity, which includes both refinancing and home purchase demand, rose 0.8 percent in the week ended July 24.

The MBA's seasonally adjusted index of refinancing applications rose 1.6 percent, while the gauge of loan requests for home purchases, a leading indicator of home sales, dipped 0.1 percent.

The refinance share of total mortgage activity rose to 50.6 percent of applications from 50.3 percent the week before.

Fixed 30-year mortgage rates averaged 4.17 percent in the week, down 6 basis points from the previous week.