THE ECONOMY

* The average interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose to 6.91% this week, up from 6.89% the week before, Freddie Mac said. Fifteen-year mortgages ticked up to 6.46% from 6.44%. On one-year adjustable-rate mortgages, lenders were asking an average initial rate of 6.19%, down from 6.22%.