<p>WASHINGTON — U.S. long-term mortgage rates again rose modestly this week against the backdrop of an improving economy and further distribution of coronavirus vaccines. Rates remain near historic lows, however. </p>
<p>The benchmark 30-year loan stayed above the 3% mark, a level it breached last week for the first time since July 2020. </p>
<p>Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate home loan rose to 3.05% from 3.02% last week. By contrast, the benchmark rate stood at 3.36% a year ago. </p>
<p>The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate loans, popular among those seeking to refinance their mortgages, increased to 2.38% from 2.34% last week.</p>
<p>President Joe Biden <a href="https://apnews.com/article/85d1ae52bc61abffd3ae91c324e58308">signed into law Thursday the long-awaited $1.9 trillion relief package</a> targeted to help the U.S. defeat the coronavirus. The prospect of the massive stimulus has helped lift uncertainty about the economic recovery. </p>
<p>The government reported that the number of <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jobless-claims-fall-712k-pace-layoffs-ease-db8a00276937695cdf494b9ae08e49d4"> Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week to 712,000,</a> the lowest total since early November, evidence that fewer employers are cutting jobs amid a decline in confirmed virus infections and signs of a healing economy. Still, many businesses remain under pressure and 9.6 million jobs remain lost to the pandemic that flattened the economy one year ago.</p>
