Mortgage costs are rising - with the average rate on a two-year fixed deal now at 5.5% - despite a recent cut in interest rates. A string of lenders, including Barclays, HSBC, NatWest and Nationwide, have increased the rates charged on new fixed deals in recent days.

Mortgage rates, in particular, surged last year to their highest level since 2000 but have since come down alongside inflation. But it's been a bumpy ride back to the bottom in recent weeks. What, then, does this latest Fed rate cut mean for mortgage interest rates? That's what we'll break down below.

Mortgage rates held near 7%. The average rate on the standard 30-year fixed mortgage edged lower to 6.78%, according to a survey of lenders released Thursday by the mortgage-finance firm Freddie Mac.

The Fed has dropped the nation's lending rate again, but mortgage rates haven't dipped. The FOX 5 I-Team's Dana Fowle went to an economist to understand the reason why.

"When rates are moving around a lot, it makes a lot of uncertainty in the market," said Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist and vice president of research at the National Association of Realtors. Mortgage rates seem to have steadied.

In September, the Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point. That was then followed by a quarter-point rate cut in November. Unlock a bonus worth $250 and pause interest into 2026 – this credit card is the perfect combo!