FX.co ★ US Mortgage Applications Hold Muted Momentum

US mortgage applications edged up 0.8% in the final week of August 2026, partially reversing the 1.0% decline recorded the previous week, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The move was consistent with relatively stable benchmark mortgage rates: the average 30-year fixed rate ticked up by just 1 basis point to 4.79%, despite ongoing upward pressure on long-term Treasury yields. Refinance applications, which tend to be more sensitive to short-term rate fluctuations, slipped 1.1%, while applications for mortgages to purchase homes rose 2.2%.