Mortgage applications plunge
In yet another sign of the economic crisis, applications down 23% in the week ended Sept. 26.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- In yet another sign of the economic crisis, the Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday that mortgage applications plunged 23% last week.
The MBA said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage application activity dropped to 455.4 in the week ended Sept. 26, down from 591.4 the prior week.
Turmoil in the banking and finance industries has resulted in a credit freeze, making it difficult for prospective homeowners to take out loans. The market is also experiencing a glut of foreclosures.
In an unprecedented move, the U.S. government in September took over the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, with a rescue plan that could inject $100 billion into each of them just to keep them afloat.
The association also reported steep declines in other weekly indexes tracking housing finance.
The refinance index plummeted 34.7% to 1333.9 from the prior week. The seasonally adjusted purchase index fell 10.9% to 304.8.
The average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages slipped to 6.07% from 6.08%, the association said. 
-
Steve Jobs revived Apple, defying the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression. More -
Consumers looking to buy electronics for holiday gifts won't have to break the bank this season. More -
Search firm says it will pay the bill for wireless Internet during the holidays. More -
Twitter and LinkedIn hook up, signing agreement to let users share information across both platforms. More -
The search firm is investing heavily in Google Earth, but will its gamble be profitable? Play -
Anne Giapapas has a job in one of the 15 most overworked and underpaid professions. More -
These 5 businesses are offering their services -- from shoes to hair cuts -- to the unemployed. More
