Average US rate on 30-year mortgage steady at 3.71 percent

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was steady at 3.71 percent.

The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages edged up to 2.98 percent from 2.96 percent last week.

Prices of U.S. government bonds and their yields — which move in opposite directions— also showed little change over the week, in contrast to their sharp swings in recent weeks.