December, according to the Standard Poor's/Case-Shiller home-price index. The weaker economy has persuaded more young Americans to rent instead of buy. That has spawned a rise in apartment construction and a drop in the nation's homeownership rate,http://bbs.hunjia360.com/. Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said the low rates are helping lift the housing market. Still, home sales remain weak and it could take years for the market to fully return to health. To calculate the average rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country Monday through Wednesday of each week. The average rates don't include extra fees, known as points, which most borrowers must pay to get the lowest rates. One point equals 1 percent of the loan amount. The average fees for the 30-year and 15-year loans were unchanged at 0.8,http://www.bbsbokyart.com/bbs/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=1158883. For the five-year adjustable loan, the average rate rose to 2.83 percent from 2.80 percent, and the average fee was unchanged at 0,toms shoes coupon.7. The average on the one-year adjustable loan ticked down to 2.72 percent from 2.73 percent, and the average fee was unchanged at 0.6. Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ. An insider's guide to politics and policy, available on the iPad or as a PDF download.
By GILLIAN FLACCUS, Associated Press SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) Mattel Inc. appealed a $310 million award in its eight-year legal fight over Bratz dolls but will no longer pursue its claim that a rival toy maker infringed on its copyright by developing the lucrative line. In court papers filed with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, attorneys for Mattel said the company disagreed with the jury finding that MGA Entertainment didn't steal the idea for the pouty-lipped, hip hop-inspired dolls but wouldn't challenge it after the grueling legal battle,http://mercedsnapshots.com/2009/09/emotions-on-the-field.html#comments. "While we continue to believe that the Bratz designs ... were owned by Mattel,cheap toms shoes, we've decided not to appeal that aspect of the verdict, because we do not wish to have another lengthy trial on the Bratz claims," Mattel spokesman Alan Hilowitz said Thursday. However, El Segundo-based Mattel did ask the appeals court in the papers filed Monday to reverse the financial judgment entered by a judge based on a jury verdict. The award included $172 million in damages for MGA for misappropriation of trade secrets, and $137 million for MGA in attorney fees and defense costs. Isaac Larian,toms shoes discount, the CEO of MGA, said he was pleased Mattel would not challenge the ruling on copyright infringement. "Bratz and its ownership has always belonged to MGA and was built with the hard work and ingenuity of MGA employees," he said. "As for the damages and legal fees award of $310 million ... I am confident we will prevail upon appeal." The Bratz dolls were a blockbuster hit for Los Angeles-based MGA when the line debuted in 2001 and generated nearly $1 billion in sales at their peak in 2006. The tw