U.S. mortgage rates ticked up this week after four straight weeks of declines, with the average 30-year fixed rising to 6.3% from 6.26%, according to Freddie Mac. The increase follows a Fed rate cut last week and signals how bond market shifts and cautious Fed messaging can quickly push borrowing costs higher. While rates remain near 11-month lows — giving many recent buyers a chance to refinance — economists expect 30-year mortgages to stay in the mid-6% range through 2025.