The volume of mortgage applications in the US inched higher by 0.8% on the last week of August 2026, paring the 1.0% drop in the previous week, according to data compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The result was aligned with muted movements in benchmark mortgage rates, with the 30-year benchmark fixed mortgage rate inching 1bps higher to 4.79%, despite the persistent pressure on long-term Treasury securities. Application volumes to refinance a mortgage, which are more sensitive to short-term changes in interest rates, inched down by 1.1%. In turn, applications for a mortgage to purchase a new home rose by 2.2%.