According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages climbed slightly last week from the week before. It was the second consecutive week of mortgage rate increases, with the average rate up for conforming loan balances, jumbo loans, and mortgages backed by the FHA. The rise in rates coincided with an 8.5 percent decline in the Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan application volume. The Refinance Index fell 11 percent, while the unadjusted Purchase Index was virtually unchanged from the previous week. Michael Fratantoni, MBA’s chief economist, said though demand for purchase applications was little changed, this is the time of year when a significant pickup in purchase activity would typically begin. The MBA’s survey has been conducted weekly since 1990 and covers 75 percent of all retail residential mortgage applications. More here.