US 30-year mortgage rate falls to two-year low of 6.15%

(Reuters) – The interest rate for the most popular U.S. home loan fell last week to its lowest level in two years, on anticipation the Federal Reserve will start cutting interest rates on Wednesday, potentially by as much as a half of a percentage point.

The average contract rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped 14 basis points in the week ended Sept. 13, to 6.15%, the Mortgage Bankers Association said on Wednesday. That was the lowest rate since Sept 2022, and followed a 14-basis-point drop the previous week.

Applications for home loans, refinancing, and purchases all jumped last week, the MBA said, citing lower borrowing costs and improved housing affordability as home prices rose more slowly.

US mortgage rates peaked about 11 months ago at near 8%, and have since fallen as the Fed signaled its 2022-2023 rate-hike campaign had ended and that its next move would be a rate cut, once policymakers became confident inflation was under control.

The Fed wraps up its Sept 17-18 meeting later on Wednesday, and along with a rate cut is also expected to publish fresh projections for the policy rate path over the next few years.