Freddie Mac

The government-sponsored enterprises have consistently earmarked some distressed loans for community, nonprofit and minority investors. Certain Democrats want more.

The average for a 30-year home loan marked the fourth straight week of increases, according to Freddie Mac.

Fee hikes at the government-sponsored enterprises are one remedy, the government-sponsored enterprise's regulator noted in its annual report to Congress.

Mixed economic signals left mortgage rates flat over the past seven days, with experts suggesting the end of Federal Reserve policy hikes might be coming as well.

Persistent inflation concerns drove the 30-year average up 41 basis points this month.

The 30-year fixed rate surged 15 basis points from a week earlier but ends 2022 at more than twice its mark from a year ago.

Scores will be assigned to all loan pools created since 2010, including future securitizations, and are expected to help investors determine the share of mortgages meeting specific characteristics.

Both the 30- and 15-year averages are now more than 3 percentage points higher from their levels of one year ago.

Comments from Federal Reserve officials in Jackson Hole last week have markets bracing for further tightening of monetary policy in the near term.

Better-than-expected economic data helped lead to the steep acceleration of the 30-year average, while the 15-year also shot up.