US Mortgage Rates Rise Again, Reach Highest Since Mid-February

US mortgage rates rose again last week, reaching the highest level since mid-February and further depressing the appetite to buy homes or refinance loans.

The contract rate on a 30-year mortgage climbed 9 basis points to 6.90% in the week ended April 18, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. That followed a 20 basis-point jump in the prior week, marking the biggest back-to-back increase since early November.

Mortgage rates track US Treasury yields, which have risen recently as they lose their appeal as a safe haven. The Trump administration’s tariffs and threats to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome ...