US long-term mortgage rates flat; 30-year stays at 2.73%

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. long-term mortgage rates were flat this week for a second straight week. Home-loan rates stayed near record lows as the economy, especially in the services sector, remains burdened by the coronavirus pandemic. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reports that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate home loan remained at last week’s 2.73%. The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate loans eased to 2.19% from 2.21%. The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly to 793,000 last week, the government reports, evidence that job cuts remain high despite a substantial decline in new confirmed viral infections.