Rates on 30-year mortgages in the United States were unchanged in the week ending Jan. 4 after having increased for three consecutive weeks, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.

The mortgage company's nationwide survey showed that rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.18 percent this week, the same as last week.

Rates on 30-year mortgages hit a four-year high of 6.8 percent on July 20, 2006, but have been trending lower for most of the rest of the year.

This week, rates on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, a popular choice for refinancing, edged up to 5.94 percent from 5.93 percent last week.

Rates on five-year adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) rose to 6. 02 percent from 5.98 percent, but one-year ARMs declined to 5.42 percent from 5.47 percent.

A year ago, rates on 30-year mortgages stood at 6.21 percent while 15-year mortgages were at 5.76 percent, five-year ARMs averaged 5.78 percent and one-year ARMs were at 5.16 percent.

"Currently, the market is waiting for a clearer signal on the direction in which the economy is headed," Freddie Mac's chief economist Frank Nothaft said.