After falling for four days and then holding at that level for another day, rates on 30-year mortgages added points Thursday, as did most other loan types.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased this week to just below 7%, its first decline after climbing five weeks in a row. The rate fell to 6.96% from 7.04% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) broke a five-week upward trajectory and dipped to 6.96%, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). At this same time last year, the rate averaged 6.

Mortgage rates are likely to remain elevated through at least the first half of the year, keeping sales of previously owned homes subdued.