In a week marked by wild headlines, mortgage rates remained relatively calm, thanks to improvements in mortgage spreads.

The lowest fixed rate mortgage deals have dipped below 3.8 per cent - and there is an expectation that rates may fall slightly further.

High summer’s heat may be making home equity rates sleepy. The average rate on a $30,000 home equity line of credit (HELOC) was unchanged at 8.27 percent for the fifth straight week, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. The average rate on the $30,000 home equity loan barely stirred, moving two basis points up to 8.28 percent.