The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate edged up for the second week in a row, but remains just above its lowest level in more than three years.
The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.1% from 6.09% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.95%.
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Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. That average rate inched up to 5.49% from 5.44% last week. A year ago, it was at 6.12%, Freddie Mac said.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
The 10-year Treasury yield was at 4.24% at midday Thursday, just below where it was a week ago.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — When American speedskater Erin Jackson won the 500 meters at the Beijing Games four years ago, she knew, of course, that it was her first Olympic medal. She also was aware that it had been a while — 28 years, to be exact — since a woman from the U.S. finished first in that event.
What she had no idea about until days later: Jackson was the first Black woman, from any country, to claim an individual gold medal, in any sport, at any Winter Olympics.
Jackson definitely does not want to be the last.
“It was just really surprising, I guess, because I felt like, ‘How could that be?’” she said in an interview with The Associated Press at the U.S. Speedskating trials ahead of the Milan Cortina Games. “When you think about how many Winter Olympics we’ve had, I just thought it was really strange. I hope people can see my story and the stories of other Black women in winter sports and then, hopefully, we’ll have more coming up soon.”
They’re not there yet.
Erin Jackson competes in the women’s 500 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)
FILE – Erin Jackson of the United States hoists an American flag after winning the gold medal in the speedskating women’s 500-meter race at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, file)
FILE – Gold Medalist Erin Jackson of the United States celebrates during the medal ceremony for the speedskating women’s 500-meter race at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Monday, Feb. 14, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, file)
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Erin Jackson competes in the women’s 500 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The 33-year-old Jackson is the only Black athlete among the 21 speedskaters on the long track and short track squads for the United States at these Olympics, although this could be the most diverse Winter Games roster the country’s had overall.
“I can’t imagine being a younger kid watching the Olympic Games and never seeing somebody that looked like me do what I’m trying to do,” said U.S. speedskater Brittany Bowe, a two-time bronze medalist. “For her to be able to do that, and she is now that face for young Black girls to be able to look up and say, ’She can do it? Now I can do it’ — it’s monumental.”
Bowe famously gave up her spot in the 500 four years ago to her longtime friend after Jackson slipped at the trials; an extra U.S. berth later opened up, allowing both to race in China.
Jackson, already the first Black woman to win a World Cup 500, took full advantage. She was focused on the piece of metal she wanted dangling from her neck, not the historical significance.
“We didn’t even think about that at the time. I didn’t even realize it until a day or two later,” U.S. Speedskating national team coach Ryan Shimabukuro said. “She’s proud of it, obviously. And I’m proud of her for it. But we didn’t really think about that, as much as: What is the best way to skate the fastest?”
These days, though, increasing the kinds of faces seen in her sport is one of Jackson’s goals, along with bringing home more hardware from Italy, where she’ll compete in the 500 and 1,000 after winning both distances at the trials despite being about a month removed from a torn left hamstring.
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“I just hope that I can help other people of color get involved in winter sports and speedskating. … It’s really important to see people like you achieving something, because then maybe that can inspire you to try the same things,” said Jackson, who grew up in Ocala, Florida, and was a top inline skater before switching to the ice four months before qualifying for the 2018 Olympic speedskating team.
“I just always want to be a good example,” she said, “or someone who other people can look to.”
When she’s done competing, Jackson intends to set up a foundation modeled after EDGE Outdoors, a group based in Washington state that helps provide scholarships for minority women to get into skiing and snowboarding. Jackson has worked with them, reviewing scholarship applications. She also has been involved with the Utah-based Sisters in Sports Foundation, which offers mentorship and funding for female athletes with disabilities.
“One of the biggest issues with winter sports is there is a really big barrier to entry around cost. They’re really expensive sports to get into,” Jackson said. “That kind of limits the talent we can have and the people who can give it a shot.”
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he has informed Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez that he’s going to be opening up all commercial airspace over Venezuela and Americans will soon be able to visit.
Trump said Thursday he instructed U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and U.S. military leaders to open up the airspace by the end of the day.
The Republican president says, “American citizens will be very shortly able to go to Venezuela, and they’ll be safe there.”
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Earlier this week, Trump’s Republican administration notified Congress that it was taking the first steps to possibly reopen the shuttered U.S. Embassy in Venezuela as it explores restoring relations with the South American country following the U.S. military raid that ousted then-President Nicolás Maduro.
In a notice to lawmakers dated Monday and obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, the State Department said it was sending in a regular and growing contingent of temporary staffers to conduct “select” diplomatic functions.
“We are writing to notify the committee of the Department of State’s intent to implement a phased approach to potentially resume Embassy Caracas operations,” the department said in separate but identical letters to 10 House and Senate committees.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries collapsed in 2019, and the U.S. State Department warned Americans shouldn’t travel to Venezuela, raising its travel advisory to the highest level.
The State Department on Thursday still listed a travel advisory for Venezuela at its highest level, “Do not travel,” warning that Americans face a high risk of wrongful detention, torture, kidnapping and more.
