Scott Horsley

It does make it a little cheaper to buy a car or grow a business.

Mortgage rates have also come down a little bit.

The mortgage giant Freddie Mac said today that the average rate on a 30-year home loan is down to 6.15 percent, which is the lowest it's been all year.

that could give a little boost to the housing market, which has been in a deep slump.

It does make it a little cheaper to buy a car or grow a business.

Mortgage rates have also come down a little bit.

The mortgage giant Freddie Mac said today that the average rate on a 30-year home loan is down to 6.15 percent, which is the lowest it's been all year.

That could give a little boost to the housing market, which has been in a deep slump.

Trading is expected to be light on this New Year's Eve as investors count their annual gains.

The S&P 500 index is up about 17 percent this year.

New applications for unemployment benefits dipped last week as 199,000 people applied for jobless aid.

The numbers suggest that layoffs remain uncommon even as hiring has slowed.

Concern about a weakening job market led the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this month for the third time since September.

Minutes of the Fed's most recent meeting show most policymakers think rates can fall further so long as inflation moderates.

Markets are betting the central bank will hold rates steady at its next policy meeting in four weeks.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

Minutes show most members of the Fed's rate-setting committee think interest rates will continue to come down so long as inflation moderates, but the timing of the next rate cut remains uncertain.

Some Fed policymakers say it will likely be appropriate to hold rates steady for some time.

after cutting rates by a quarter percentage point at each of the last three Fed meetings.

The vote to cut rates in December was not unanimous.