WASHINGTON -- A three-week slide in rates for 30-year mortgages has come to a stop.

Mortgage giant Freddie Mac said Thursday that the nationwide average for those fixed-rate mortgages remained at 5.71 percent this week, the same as last week, but still slightly below the average rate a year ago.

A competing survey from bankrate.com found that the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage remained at 5.8 percent

Other types of mortgages dipped lower on expectations of slower economic growth in coming months.

Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.30 percent this week, down from 5.32 percent last week.

The shorter-term mortgages are a popular refinancing choice.

Freddie Mac said one-year adjustable-rate mortgages also edged down slightly, to 4.45 percent from 4.48 percent last week.

The nationwide averages for mortgage rates do not include add-on fees known as points.