According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey, the average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages was unchanged last week from the week before. Mortgage rates held steady for loans with both conforming and jumbo balances, while 15-year rates increased. Demand for loan applications, on the other hand, was up – rising 2.6 percent from the previous week. The Refinance Index spiked 5 percent – after falling 9 percent a week earlier – and the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index fell 1 percent. The results were adjusted to account for the New Year’s Day holiday. Also in the report, the refinance share of total mortgage activity remained at 63 percent from the week before. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Applications Survey covers more than 75 percent of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications and has been conducted since 1990. More here.