Rate: 6.29 percent (30-year fixed) Average Points: 0.35

Mortgage rates moved modestly in the past week, continuing a holding pattern that has lasted for about a month. The average 30-year fixed rate fell 3 basis points from the previous week, to 6.29 percent. A basis point is one-hundredth of a percentage point.

For the second consecutive week, the average 15-year fixed — a popular option for refinancing — fell 6 basis points, to 5.92 percent. Meanwhile, the average jumbo 30-year fixed rose 5 basis points, to 7.2 percent. It was the second straight week that the jumbo rose while 30-year and 15-year fixed rates fell.

Adjustable-rate mortgages fell slightly this week. The popular 5/1 ARM fell 4 basis points, to 6.15 percent. The one-year ARM also fell 4 basis points, to 6 percent.

While mortgage rates are holding relatively steady for now, the long-term outlook remains murky. On one hand, mild core inflation and the stock market’s recent dip, which have boosted bond prices and lowered bond yields, have helped contain upward pressure on interest rates.

But the joy may be relatively short-lived. Some experts insist that it is only a matter of time before high energy prices, a sinking U.S. dollar and other factors drive interest rates higher.