NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Interest rates for 30-year and 15-year fixed-rate mortgage loans edged higher this week, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.

The rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.72 percent in the week ended Thursday, with an average 0.6 point payable up front, up from last week when it averaged 5.7 percent, the mortgage finance firm said.

A year earlier, the rate on the 30-year fixed-rate loan averaged 5.98 percent.

"Our forecast is for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate to remain below 6 percent for the rest of the year and not much higher than that for 2005," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist.

The 15-year mortgage rate rose to a 5.12 percent average this week from 5.10 percent last week, with 0.7 point payable up front. Last year, the average rate stood at 5.3 percent.

One-year adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) averaged 3.97 percent, down from 4 percent last week, with 0.7 of a point payable up front. At this time last year, the average rate for ARMs was 3.77 percent.

Freddie Mac's (FRE: down $1.89 to $65.08, Research, Estimates) average mortgage rates are based on a survey of 125 lenders nationwide.