The average contract interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($806,500 or less) in the US increased to 6.38% in the week to December 12th, higher than 6.33% in the previous period, according to the MBA. As a result, mortgage applications declined 3.8%, following a 4.8% jump in the previous week, with purchases sinking 2.8% while applications to refinance a home loan plunged 3.6%. “Mortgage rates inched up last week following the FOMC meeting, as investors interpreted the comments to signal that we are near the end of this rate cutting cycle. As a result, mortgage applications declined slightly,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP.