Every week, mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac releases average rates on four types of home loans, including 30-year fixed rate mortgages _ the most popular type of loan for home buyers.

Rates on 30-year mortgages tied a record low this week, spurring refinancing activity as the troubled housing market moves closer to possibly hitting the bottom, Freddie Mac said Thursday.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday said it see signs the recession may be easing, but warned that the economy is likely to remain weak.

The Federal Reserve says it sees signs the recession may be easing but warns the economy is likely to remain weak.

Taking fresh stock of economic and financial conditions, Federal Reserve policymakers are considering whether they need to take additional measures to ease the recession.

Taking fresh stock of economic and financial conditions, Federal Reserve policymakers are considering whether they need to take additional measures to ease the recession.

Federal Reserve policymakers are weighing whether additional steps are needed to brace the economy as an outbreak of the swine flu has emerged as a potential new danger that could aggravate the recession.

As the recession grinds on, Federal Reserve policymakers will open a two-day meeting Tuesday to make a fresh assessment of economic conditions, review the effectiveness of programs in place and weigh whether they need to expand or change them.

Rates on 30-year mortgages fell slightly from last week but remained just ahead of record lows posted this month, Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Canada’s central bank cut its trendsetting interest rate by quarter point to a record-low 0.25 percent and says it will likely stay there through June 2010.