Air pollution in Beijing goes off the index

BEIJING (AP) — People refused to venture outdoors and buildings disappeared into Beijing's murky skyline on Sunday as the air quality in China's notoriously polluted capital went off the index.
The Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center said on its website that the density of PM2.5 particulates had surpassed 700 micrograms per cubic meter in many parts of the city. The World Health Organization considers a safe daily level to be 25 micrograms per cubic meter.
PM2.5 are tiny particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometers in size, or about 1/30th the average width of a human hair. They can penetrate deep into the lungs, so measuring them is considered a more accurate reflection of air quality than other methods.
The Beijing center recommended that children and the elderly stay indoors, and that others avoid outdoor activities.
The U.S. Embassy also publishes data for PM2.5 on Twitter, and interprets the data according to more stringent standards.
In the 24-hour period up to 10 a.m. Sunday, it said 18 of the hourly readings were "beyond index." The highest number was 755, which corresponded to a PM2.5 density of 886 micrograms per cubic meter. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's air quality index goes up to only 500, and the agency advises that anything greater than 300 would trigger a health warning of "emergency conditions," with the entire population likely affected.
While some people vowed to stay indoors with air purifiers turned on, Beijing's streets were still fairly busy Sunday, and there was the familiar sight of heavy traffic on main thoroughfares.
A young couple strolled along hand in hand in the central business district, both with matching white masks strung around their faces. Two Taiwanese tourists wore masks they said they had brought with them because they heard Beijing's pollution was so bad.
"I don't know why there is such heavy haze these past days. It's really quite serious compared with the air quality three days ago," said a 33-year-old lawyer, who would give only his surname, Liu, as he adjusted his own mask. He said he had ventured out only because he needed to go shopping.
Beijing's air started to worsen on Thursday. The Beijing monitoring center has said the pollution is expected to linger until Tuesday.
PM2.5 can result from the burning of fuels in vehicles and power plants.
Weather conditions are a factor in the recent poor air quality, as a lack of wind means pollutants can easily accumulate and fail to dissipate, said Pan Xiao Chuan, a professor at Peking University's public health department.
"Recent pollution doesn't mean there is an increase in the discharge of pollutants," he said.
Experts say they thought the PM2.5 readings were the highest since Beijing started publishing that data early last year. Public pressure forced the publication of the more detailed air quality data, as a growing Chinese middle class is increasingly vocal about the quality of the environment in which it lives. Hourly air quality updates are now available online for more than 70 cities.
Air pollution is a major problem in China due to the country's rapid pace of industrialization, reliance on coal power, explosive growth in car ownership and disregard to environmental laws. It typically gets worse in the winter because of heating needs.
Several other cities, including Tianjin on the coast east of Beijing and southern China's Wuhan city, also reported severe pollution over the last several days.

Roadside bomb kills 6 soldiers in Pakistan

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) — Intelligence officials say a roadside bomb hit an army convoy in a troubled area of northwest Pakistan, killing six soldiers.
The officials say the attack Sunday near Dosalli village in the North Waziristan tribal area also wounded 14 soldiers. One vehicle was completely destroyed.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
North Waziristan is the main sanctuary for al-Qaida and Taliban militants in Pakistan.

Pakistani troops killed in bombing up to 14

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP) — Intelligence officials say the number of Pakistani soldiers killed in a roadside bombing of an army convoy in the northwest has risen to 14.
The officials say another 20 troops were wounded in the attack Sunday near Dosalli village in the North Waziristan tribal area. One vehicle was completely destroyed.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
Pakistani military officials confirmed the bombing but said four soldiers were killed and 11 others wounded.
North Waziristan is the main sanctuary for al-Qaida and Taliban militants in Pakistan.

No players voted to Hall of Fame, Bonds and Clemens snubbed

(Reuters) - No one was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, with all-time home run leader Barry Bonds and seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens snubbed over suspicion they used performance enhancing drugs.
Bonds was named on 36.2 percent of the ballots, and Clemens 37.6, well short of the 75 percent of ballots required in voting by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Closest to winning election was former Houston Astros player Craig Biggio, who received 68.2 percent of the vote, falling 39 votes short of election. (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)

Bonds, Clemens rejected; no one elected to BB Hall

NEW YORK (AP) — Steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were denied entry to baseball's Hall of Fame, with voters failing to elect any candidates for only the second time in four decades.
In a vote that keeps the game's career home run leader and one of its greatest pitchers out of Cooperstown — at least for now — Bonds received just 36.2 percent of the vote and Clemens 37.6 in totals announced Wednesday by the Hall and the Baseball Writers' Association of America, both well short of the 75 percent necessary. Sosa, eighth on the career home run list, got 12.5 percent.
"Curt Schilling made a good point, everyone was guilty. Either you used PEDs, or you did nothing to stop their use," Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said in an email to The Associated Press. "This generation got rich. Seems there was a price to pay."
Bonds, Clemens and Sosa were eligible for the first time and have up to 14 more years on the writers' ballot to gain baseball's highest honor.
"After what has been written and said over the last few years I'm not overly surprised," Clemens said in a statement he posted on Twitter.
Craig Biggio, 20th on the career list with 3,060 hits, topped the 37 candidates with 68.2 percent of the 569 ballots, 39 shy of election. Among other first-year eligibles, Mike Piazza received 57.8 percent and Schilling 38.8.
Jack Morris led holdovers with 67.7 percent. He will make his final ballot appearance next year, when fellow pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine along with slugger Frank Thomas are eligible for the first time.
Two-time NL MVP Dale Murphy received 18.6 percent in his 15th and final appearance.
"With 53 percent you can get to the White House, but you can't get to Cooperstown," BBWAA secretary-treasurer Jack O'Connell said. "It's the 75 percent that makes it difficult."
It was the eighth time the BBWAA failed to elect any players. There were four fewer votes than last year and five members submitted blank ballots.
"It's a tough period for evaluation, that's what this chalks up to," Hall President Jeff Idelson said. "Honestly, I think that any group you put this to would have the same issues. ... There's always going to be discussion and concern about players who didn't get in, but at the end of the day it's a process and again, a snapshot in time isn't one year, it's 15 with this exercise."
Bonds, baseball's only seven-time Most Valuable Player, hit 762 home runs, including a record 73 in 2001.
"It is unimaginable that the best player to ever play the game would not be a unanimous first-ballot selection," said Jeff Borris of the Beverly Hills Sports Council, Bonds' longtime agent.
Clemens, the only seven-time Cy Young Award winner, is third in career strikeouts and ninth in wins.
"To those who did take the time to look at the facts," Clemens said, "we very much appreciate it."
Since 1961, the only years the writers didn't elect a candidate were when Yogi Berra topped the 1971 vote by appearing on 67 percent of the ballots cast and when Phil Niekro headed the 1996 ballot at 68 percent. Both were chosen the following years when they achieved the 75 percent necessary for election.
The other BBWAA elections without a winner were in 1945, 1946, 1950, 1958 and 1960.
"Next year, I think you'll have a rather large class and this year, for whatever reasons, you had a couple of guys come really close," Commissioner Bud Selig said at the owners' meetings in Paradise Valley, Ariz. "This is not to be voted to make sure that somebody gets in every year. It's to be voted on to make sure that they're deserving. I respect the writers as well as the Hall itself. This idea that this somehow diminishes the Hall of baseball is just ridiculous in my opinion."
Players' union head Michael Weiner called the vote "unfortunate, if not sad."
"To ignore the historic accomplishments of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, for example, is hard to justify. Moreover, to penalize players exonerated in legal proceedings — and others never even implicated — is simply unfair. The Hall of Fame is supposed to be for the best players to have ever played the game. Several such players were denied access to the Hall today. Hopefully this will be rectified by future voting."
Three inductees were chosen last month by the 16-member panel considering individuals from the era before integration in 1947: Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, umpire Hank O'Day and barehanded catcher Deacon White. They will be enshrined during a ceremony in Cooperstown on July 28, when the Hall also will honor Lou Gehrig and Rogers Hornsby among a dozen players who never received formal inductions because of restrictions during World War II.
Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs and was convicted of one count of obstruction of justice for giving an evasive answer in 2003 to a grand jury investigating PEDs. Clemens was acquitted of perjury charges stemming from congressional testimony during which he denied using PEDs.
Sosa, who finished with 609 home runs, was among those who tested positive in MLB's 2003 anonymous survey, The New York Times reported in 2009. He told a congressional committee in 2005 that he never took illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
The BBWAA election rules say "voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."
An Associated Press survey of 112 eligible voters conducted in late November after the ballot was announced indicated Bonds, Clemens and Sosa would fall well short of 50 percent. The big three drew even less support than that as the debate raged over who was Hall worthy.
Voters are writers who have been members of the BBWAA for 10 consecutive years at any point.
BBWAA president Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle said she didn't vote for Bonds, Clemens or Sosa.
"The evidence for steroid use is too strong," she said.
As for Biggio, "I'm surprised he didn't get in."
MLB.com's Hal Bodley, the former baseball columnist for USA Today, said Biggio and others paid the price for other players using PEDs.
"They got caught in the undertow of the steroids thing," he said.
Bodley said this BBWAA vote was a "loud and clear" message on the steroids issue. He said he couldn't envision himself voting for stars linked to drugs.
"We've a forgiving society, I know that," he said. "But I have too great a passion for the sport."
Mark McGwire, 10th on the career home run list, received 16.9 percent on his seventh try, down from 19.5 last year. He received 23.7 percent in 2010 — a vote before he admitted using steroids and human growth hormone.
Rafael Palmeiro, among just four players with 500 homers and 3,000 hits along with Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray, received 8.8 percent in his third try, down from 12.6 percent last year. Palmeiro received a 10-day suspension in 2005 for a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, claiming it was due to a vitamin vial given to him by teammate Miguel Tejada.
While there are exhibits about the Steroids Era at the Hall, the plaque room will remain without Bonds and Clemens, who join career hits leader Pete Rose on the outside looking in. There were four write-in votes for Rose, who never appeared on the ballot because of his lifetime ban that followed an investigation of his gambling while manager of the Cincinnati Reds.
Morris increased slightly from his 66.7 percent last year, when Barry Larkin was elected. Morris could become the player with the highest-percentage of the vote who is not in the Hall, a mark currently held by Gil Hodges at 63 percent in 1983.
Several players who fell just short in the BBWAA balloting later were elected by either the Veterans Committee or Old-Timers' Committee: Nellie Fox (74.7 percent on the 1985 BBWAA ballot), Jim Bunning (74.2 percent in 1988), Orlando Cepeda (73.6 percent in 1994) and Frank Chance (72.5 percent in 1945).
The ace of three World Series winners, Morris had 254 victories and was the winningest pitcher of the 1980s. His 3.90 ERA, however, is higher than that of any Hall of Famer.

UPDATE 2-Baseball-Bonds, Clemens denied; no players make Hall

* Bonds received 36.2 percent of the vote, Clemens 37.6
* First year since 1996 that no players elected to Hall
* Former Astro Biggio comes closest, falls 39 votes shy (Adds quotes and details)
Jan 9 (Reuters) - No one was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday, with all-time home run leader Barry Bonds and seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens snubbed over suspicion they used performance enhancing drugs.
Craig Biggio, who stroked 3,060 hits in a 20-year career with the Houston Astros, came closest to winning election, named on 68.2 percent of the 569 ballots to fall 39 votes shy of the 427 needed for election to the Cooperstown, New York, shrine.
Three more votes back was pitcher Jack Morris, who received 385 votes, followed by Jeff Bagwell at 339.
Bonds was named on 36.2 percent of the ballots, and Clemens 37.6, well short of the 75 percent needed for enshrinement in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
It marked the first year since 1996 that no player was elected into the Hall of Fame, in what was seen as a referendum on players that compiled outsized statistics during the so-called Steroids Era.
"I was a little shocked," Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins told MLB TV. "I thought probably Jack Morris or Craig Biggio would probably get the opportunity to be a Hall of Famer because they had such outstanding careers.
"But with the high profile situation of having too many other players under the microscope, the suspicion of taking performance enhancing drugs, I think it took away from their opportunity for getting votes."
Clemens and Bonds, appearing on the ballot for the first time after waiting five years following their retirement, would have been certain first-ballot winners but faced a backlash over links to what Major League Baseball's internal Mitchell Report of 2007 called widespread doping in the game.
Bonds has admitted to "unknowingly" using steroids, and been convicted of obstruction of justice in a federal case on PEDs. The longtime former trainer of Clemens has said the pitcher used steroids, though Clemens was found not guilty in a court case.
Hall of Fame voters pledge not only to look at a candidate's playing ability and performance but also to take into account "integrity, sportsmanship and character".
Mike Piazza, the all-time home run leader among catchers, was named on 329 ballots, 32 more than Tim Raines.
Former closer Lee Smith (272) and starting pitcher Curt Schilling (221) also finished above Clemens and Bonds in the voting, who stood eighth and ninth, respectively.
"It certainly is a start-studded ballot with a number of guys who set remarkable records," Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson said before announcing the results.
"Then you put in what voters have gone through and the consternation they've had in trying to decide who to pick and it's made it one of the most talked about classes in history."
They will all return to the ballot next year, which will also feature strong first-time candidates in pitchers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and slugger Frank Thomas.
Players can remain on the ballot for as long as 15 years, and six players from the 1996 vote eventually did win election into the Hall of Fame.
"Major League Baseball recognizes that election to the Hall of Fame is our game's most extraordinary individual honor," the commissioner's office said in a statement.
"While this year did not produce an electee, there are many worthy candidates who will merit consideration in the future."
There will still be an induction ceremony in Cooperstown on July 28.
Former New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert, who bought Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox, turn-of-the-20th-century umpire Hank O'Day and 19th-century catcher Deacon White, all deceased, were elected to the Hall last month by the Pre-Integration Committee and will be honored at the ceremony. (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Frank Pingue)

HTC actually had a pretty awesome December

HTC (2498) announced dismal fourth-quarter 2012 numbers on Monday and it resulted in a lot of gloomy coverage. Lowest quarterly profit in half a decade, weak global market share, and so on. But here’s the thing: we already knew the fourth quarter was woeful because HTC had released October and November revenue numbers earlier. What really matters is the December sales trend. And as it turns out, it looked kind of hot.
[More from BGR: Apple’s next iPhone to reportedly feature larger screen and ‘brand new exterior design’]
In October, HTC posted an atrocious, -61% year-on-year sales decline. In November, that decline suddenly moderated to -31% as HTC was able to deliver a nice 23% month-on-month sales rebound. Now we find out that in December, HTC managed to slash its annualized sales decline to just -18% as sales inched up 1.6% between November and December.
[More from BGR: With BlackBerry 10, there’s no place like home]
Is 1.6% sales growth from November to December really something to celebrate? Well, yes. Yes, it is. Because in the handset business, December is always a weaker shipment month than November. Vendors peak in November, when they move the Christmas product to retailers. In December, shipment volumes slump in anticipation of weak January demand. HTC has always showed a December revenue decline from November, even during its hot run in 2009 and 2010.
Until now.
December 2012 marked the first time HTC actually increased sales from the previous month. That is why the annualized sales decline rate has now corrected smartly from -61% pace to -18% in  just two months.
So yes, Q4 sucked as a quarter. But the monthly numbers now reflect exceptional improvement during the period. This is most likely due to decent demand for the Windows Phone 8X, HTC’s high-end Windows Phone, and strong European demand for the Windows Phone 8S.
HTC may still be stumbling in the Android market, but its new Windows Phones seem to have stopped its revenue collapse and may actually lead to year-on-year sales growth by February.

Stolen Android apps reportedly being sold in BlackBerry App World

One of the biggest problems with launching a new mobile platform just as the current leaders are starting to peak is attracting enough top developers to create an appealing ecosystem. Just ask Microsoft (MSFT). Research In Motion (RIMM) says it is making good progress in that regard and it expects BlackBerry App World to house more than 70,000 BlackBerry 10 apps when the new OS launches in the coming months. RIM is hedging its bets though, and its new BlackBerry OS will also support Android apps, providing developers that do not wish to build new apps with an easy way to repackage their current Android applications. The process is so easy, in fact, that some people are reportedly stealing Android applications and publishing them in RIM’s app store without the original authors’ consent.
[More from BGR: With BlackBerry 10, there’s no place like home]
In a message posted to Reddit on Tuesday, a user warned fellow Android developers that they should monitor BlackBerry App World to ensure that others aren’t stealing their applications and listing them in RIM’s software market. He praised RIM for making the app porting process so simple, but went on to say that the vendor does not “check the origin of the apps” to ensure they’re being listed by the proper publishers.
[More from BGR: Apple’s next iPhone to reportedly feature larger screen and ‘brand new exterior design’]
“I recently had two users email me about certain compatibility problems,” the developer wrote. “They did mention that they were using Playbooks, but I figured they were running some kind of Android ROM on their devices. I asked one of them for his Google account, and he informed me that he only had a BB ID, not a Google account, and that he had downloaded the app from BB App World.”
He continued, “Sure enough, someone had downloaded my app from Google Play, converted the APK and published it for BB using his account, along with half a dozen other Android apps that were obviously not his own. Most of them have since been taken down, but his account remains active, and he still has three apps published that look like they might be from Google Play.”
The developer went on to state that one of his apps that had been repackaged and distributed in BlackBerry App World without his permission was a paid app and it was being sold for three times the price he charges in Google’s (GOOG) app store.
“RIM respects intellectual property. We expect others to do the same,” RIM’s senior public relations and social media manager, Alex Kinsella, said to BGR in a statement delivered via email. ”If a developer believes that their copyright or trademark rights are being infringed by third-party content on the BlackBerry App World storefront, the developer can submit a complaint to our IP team and the issue will be reviewed. In the case of copyright or trademark violations, the offending content will be removed immediately.”
Complaints can be submitted to RIM’s IP team through a page on the company’s website.

Sony unveils Xperia Z Android phone with full HD display

Unlike rivals LG (066570) and Samsung (005930), Sony (SNE) still thinks the Consumer Electronics Show is a worthy place to unveil new smartphones. Sony on Monday officially took the wraps off its new Xperia Z smartphone that features a 5-inch full HD “Reality Display” with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, a Snapdragon S4 Pro 1.5GHz quad-core processor, a 13-megapixel camera and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. Sony is also releasing a slightly smaller version of the Xperia Z, known as the Xperia ZL, in “select markets.” Both devices are slated to launch in the first quarter of 2013 and no pricing information is yet available.

Justice Department against most sales bans for infringing key patents

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Companies that own a key patent, such as those that ensure mobile and other electronic devices work together, should be allowed to win sales bans as a punishment for infringement only in rare, very specific cases, the Justice Department and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said in a joint policy statement on Tuesday.
The Federal Trade Commission, which with the Justice Department enforces U.S. antitrust law, has also argued that infringement of "standard essential patents" should be punished with monetary damages, not bans, except in a handful of specific cases.
Standard essential patents have been a central element in the patent wars that smartphone companies have waged around the globe since 2010, as Apple has sought to fend off a challenge by Google's Android phones.
The fight has also embroiled Samsung Electronics, HTC Corp and others who use Android technology.
The usual expectation among corporations has been that standard essential patents will be inexpensively licensed to anyone.
Tuesday's statement appealed to the U.S. International Trade Commission to make the public interest paramount in deciding whether to order an injunction against an imported good that uses an essential patent.
"The USITC, may conclude, after applying its public interest factors, that exclusion orders (sales injunctions) are inappropriate," the Justice Department and patent department said.
Their statement is an expression of the administration's view and may carry weight with judges but is not binding.
GLOBAL PATENT FIGHT
It has been harder recently for companies to win injunctions for infringement in U.S. district courts.
The Federal Trade Commission, in a December filing, argued that Motorola Mobility, a unit of Google, was not entitled to ask a court to stop the sale of Apple iPhones and iPads that it said infringe on a patent that is essential to wireless technology.
In June 2012 Judge Richard Posner in Chicago threw out cases that Motorola and Apple had filed against each other claiming patent infringement. Both companies appealed.
In rejecting the Google case, Posner barred the company from seeking to stop iPhone sales because the patent in question was a standard essential patent.
The ITC, meanwhile, is considering accusations that Apple infringed patents owned by Samsung Electronics in making the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad. Essential patents are part of that mix as well.
An administrative law judge at the ITC said in a preliminary ruling in September that Apple was innocent of violating the patents. A final decision is expected this month.
The two standard essential patents in the complaint are related to 3G wireless technology and the format of data packets for high-speed transmission.
Apple won a huge victory in August when a U.S. jury found the South Korean firm had copied key features of the iPhone. Apple was awarded $1.05 billion in damages. That ruling is under appeal.

W.Va. teachers to attend 'Finance University'

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia University's business school is teaming up with the state auditor's office and a nonprofit economic literacy group called the West Virginia Jump$start Coalition to present a conference for educators to learn personal finance — and how to teach it to their students.
This year's Finance University is the 10th annual event for middle- and high-school teachers. It will be held Monday through Friday at the Charleston Conference Center.
Conference organizers say that participants will take a course to prepare for teaching their students personal-finance topics, including credit-card use, saving and investing, insurance, retirement plans, and more. Fifteen financial experts also are expected to give presentations.

Average on 30-year US mortgage stays at 3.55 pct.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage held steady this week, staying slightly above the lowest level on record. Low mortgage rates have aided a modest housing recovery.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan was unchanged at 3.55 percent. In July, the rate fell to 3.49 percent, the lowest since long-term mortgages began in the 1950s.
The average on the 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, slipped to 2.85 percent, down from 2.86 percent last week. That's above the record low of 2.80 percent.
Cheap mortgages have helped lift the housing market. Sales of new and previously occupied homes are well above last year's levels. Low rates have also allowed people to refinance, which lowers monthly mortgage payments and helps boosts consumer spending.
Home prices are increasing more consistently this year, largely because the supply of homes has shrunk while sales have risen. And the number of Americans who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth declined in the second quarter.
Still, the housing market has a long way back. Home sales are below healthy levels. And many people are still having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can't afford larger down payments required by banks.
Mortgage rates are low because they tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. A weaker U.S. economy and uncertainty about how Europe will resolve its debt crisis have led investors to buy more Treasury securities, which are considered safe investments. As demand for Treasurys increase, the yield falls.
To calculate average rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week.
The average does not 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 fee for 30-year loans was 0.6 point, down from 0.7 point last week. The fee for 15-year loans was changed at 0.6.
The average rate on one-year adjustable rate mortgages was steady at 2.61 percent. The fee for one-year adjustable rate loans also was unchanged, at 0.4 point.
The average rate on five-year adjustable rate mortgages fell to 2.72 percent from 2.75 percent. The fee declined to 0.6 point from 0.7.

Ahead of the Bell: Weekly mortgage rates

WASHINGTON (AP) — Loan buyer Freddie Mac reports Thursday on whether mortgage rates are continuing to hold near recent low rates.
Last week the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage held steady at 3.55 percent, slightly above the record low of 3.49 percent that was reached in July. Meanwhile, the average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage, a popular refinancing option, dipped to 2.85 percent from 2.86 percent.
Cheap mortgages have helped the housing market recover this year. Sales of new and previously occupied homes are well above last year's levels.
Home prices are increasing more consistently this year, largely because the supply of homes has shrunk while sales have risen. And the number of Americans who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth declined in the second quarter.
Still, the housing market has a long way back. Home sales are below healthy levels. And many people are still having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can't afford larger down payments required by banks.
The report is expected at 10 a.m. Eastern.

NBA standings

Jan 9 (Infostrada Sports) - Standings from the NBA on Tuesday
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
1. NY Knicks 23 11 .676 -
2. Brooklyn 20 15 .571 3 1/2
3. Boston 17 17 .500 6
4. Philadelphia 15 21 .417 9
5. Toronto 12 22 .353 11
CENTRAL DIVISION
W L PCT GB
1. Indiana 21 14 .600 -
2. Chicago 19 13 .594 0 1/2
3. Milwaukee 17 16 .515 3
4. Detroit 13 23 .361 8 1/2
5. Cleveland 8 28 .222 13 1/2
SOUTHEAST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
1. Miami 23 10 .697 -
2. Atlanta 20 13 .606 3
3. Orlando 12 22 .353 11 1/2
4. Charlotte 9 24 .273 14
5. Washington 5 28 .152 18
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
1. Oklahoma City 26 8 .765 -
2. Portland 19 15 .559 7
3. Denver 20 16 .556 7
4. Minnesota 16 15 .516 8 1/2
5. Utah 18 18 .500 9
PACIFIC DIVISION
W L PCT GB
1. LA Clippers 27 8 .771 -
2. Golden State 22 11 .667 4
3. LA Lakers 15 19 .441 11 1/2
4. Sacramento 13 22 .371 14
5. Phoenix 12 24 .333 15 1/2
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
W L PCT GB
1. San Antonio 27 10 .730 -
2. Memphis 22 10 .688 2 1/2
3. Houston 21 14 .600 5
4. Dallas 13 22 .371 13
5. New Orleans 9 25 .265 16 1/2
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10 FIXTURES (GMT)
Utah at Charlotte (0000)
Atlanta at Cleveland (0000)
Philadelphia at Toronto (0000)
Phoenix at Boston (0030)
Milwaukee at Chicago (0100)
Houston at New Orleans (0100)
Minnesota at Oklahoma City (0100)
LA Lakers at San Antonio (0100)
Orlando at Denver (0200)
Memphis at Golden State (0330)
Dallas at LA Clippers (0330)

UPDATE 1-NBA-Timberwolves overcome lost Love to clip Hawks

* Rubio returns for Timberwolves
* Hawks lose third straight
Jan 8 (Reuters) - The Minnesota Timberwolves coped with the absence of head coach Rick Adelman and All Star forward Kevin Love to beat Atlanta 108-103 on Tuesday, ending a near seven-year winless run against the Hawks.
Timberwolves coach Adelman missed the game for personal reasons, while Love is out indefinitely after reinjuring his right hand last week, but the home team still had enough beat the Hawks for the first time since April 2006.
Nikola Pekovic scored 25 points and had 18 rebounds, Andrei Kirilenko added 21 for Minnesota (16-15), who had lost 11 straight to the Hawks before Tuesday's game.
"We were really motivated," Pekovic told reporters. "I think everyone wants to step up and show more."
Minnesota led 100-89 with four minutes remaining but Atlanta managed to cut the deficit to one in the final minute. Minnesota's Dante Cunningham made a crucial jump shot with 15 seconds left and the Timberwolves added free throws to put the game away.
Minnesota's Ricky Rubio returned from a four-game absence with back spasms and had eight assists in just 19 minutes of action.
Josh Smith and Louis Williams each scored 21 for the Hawks (20-13), who have lost three straight.
"If this doesn't change there's going to have to be some changes, that's plain and simple," said Hawks coach Larry Drew.

Timberwolves overcome lost Love to clip Hawks

(Reuters) - The Minnesota Timberwolves coped with the absence of head coach Rick Adelman and All Star forward Kevin Love to beat Atlanta 108-103 on Tuesday, ending a near seven-year winless run against the Hawks.
Timberwolves coach Adelman missed the game for personal reasons, while Love is out indefinitely after reinjuring his right hand last week, but the home team still had enough beat the Hawks for the first time since April 2006.
Nikola Pekovic scored 25 points and had 18 rebounds, Andrei Kirilenko added 21 for Minnesota (16-15), who had lost 11 straight to the Hawks before Tuesday's game.
"We were really motivated," Pekovic told reporters. "I think everyone wants to step up and show more."
Minnesota led 100-89 with four minutes remaining but Atlanta managed to cut the deficit to one in the final minute. Minnesota's Dante Cunningham made a crucial jump shot with 15 seconds left and the Timberwolves added free throws to put the game away.
Minnesota's Ricky Rubio returned from a four-game absence with back spasms and had eight assists in just 19 minutes of action.
Josh Smith and Louis Williams each scored 21 for the Hawks (20-13), who have lost three straight.
"If this doesn't change there's going to have to be some changes, that's plain and simple," said Hawks coach Larry Drew.
"(To) come out and not be energized to play, that's totally unacceptable."
Atlanta fell behind early, trailing by as much as 17 in the second, but they sprang to life late in the fourth, with Kyle Korver making two straight three-pointers. Al Horford had 19 and 11 rebounds in the defeat.

US rate on 30-year mortgage rises to 3.41 pct.

Average U.S. mortgage rates rose only slightly this week and continued to hover near record lows, a trend that has helped boost home sales and refinancing.
Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage edged up to 3.41 percent, from 3.37 last week. Three weeks ago, the rate touched 3.36 percent. That's the lowest level on records dating to 1971.
The average rate on the 15-year fixed mortgage, often used for refinancing, rose to 2.72 percent. That's up from last week's record low of 2.66 percent.
The rate on the 30-year loan has remained below 4 percent all year, helping drive a modest housing recovery. And rates have fallen even further since the Federal Reserve started buying mortgage bonds in September to try to encourage more borrowing and spending.
Home sales have increased from last year, and prices are rising more consistently in most areas. Builders are more confident and starting more homes. Lower rates have also persuaded more people to refinance. That typically leads to lower monthly mortgage payments and more spending.
This week brought more positive news on the housing front. U.S. sales of new homes jumped last month to the highest level in more than two years, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. And slightly more Americans signed contracts last month to buy homes, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday.
Still, the housing market has a long way to a full recovery. And many people are unable to take advantage of the low rates, either because they can't qualify for stricter lending rules or they lack the money to meet larger down payment requirements.
To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday of each week.
The average doesn'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 fee for 30-year loans was 0.7 point, unchanged from last week. The fee for 15-year loans also held steady, at 0.6 point.
The average rate on a one-year adjustable-rate mortgage slipped to 2.59 percent from 2.60 percent. The fee for one-year adjustable rate loans remained at 0.4 point.
The average rate on a five-year adjustable-rate mortgage was unchanged at 2.75 percent. The fee also was unchanged, at 0.6 point.

US home sales rise 2.1 percent in October

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose solidly in October, helped by improvement in the job market and record-low mortgage rates.
The increase along with a jump in homebuilder confidence this month suggests the housing market continues to recover.
The National Association of Realtors said Monday that sales rose 2.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.79 million. That's up from 4.69 million in September, which was revised lower.
The sales pace is roughly 11 percent higher than a year ago. But it remains below the more than 5.5 million that economists consider consistent with a healthy market.
As the economy slowly recovers, more people have started looking to buy homes or rent apartments. Prices are steadily climbing, while mortgage rates have been low all year. At the same time, rents are rising, making the purchase of a single-family home or condominium more attractive.
"Altogether, the report is encouraging," said Michael Gapen, an economist at Barclays Capital. "Our view is that housing is in a recovery phase," he added, though it will be restrained by limited credit and modest job gains.
A separate report Monday showed confidence among homebuilders rose this month to its highest level in six and a half years. The increase was driven by strong demand for newly built homes and growing optimism about conditions next year.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index increased to 46, up from 41 in October. Readings below 50 suggest negative sentiment about the housing market. The index last reached that level in April 2006. Still, the index has been trending higher since October 2011, when it stood at 17.
The Realtors' group said Superstorm Sandy delayed some sales of previously occupied homes in the Northeast. Sales fell 1.7 percent there, the only region to show a decline. Those sales will likely be completed in future months, the group said.
The median price for previously occupied homes increased 11.1 percent from a year ago to $178,600, the Realtors' said.
A decline in the number of homes available for sale is helping push prices higher. There were only 2.14 million homes available for sale at the end of the month, the lowest supply in 10 years. It would take only 5.4 months to exhaust that supply at the current sales pace. That's the lowest sales-to-inventory ratio since February 2006.
Prices are also benefiting from the mix of homes being sold. Sales of homes priced at $500,000 and above have jumped more than 40 percent in the past year. Sales of homes and condominiums that cost less than $100,000 fell 0.6 percent.
There have been other positive signals from the housing market. Applications for mortgage loans to buy homes jumped 11 percent in the week ended Nov. 9, compared with a week earlier, the Mortgage Bankers' Association said last week. Purchase applications are up 22 percent in the past year.
Foreclosures are slowing. The number of properties that began the foreclosure process in the first 10 months of the year fell 8 percent compared with the same period last year, RealtyTrac said last week.
And builders broke ground on new homes and apartments at the fastest pace in more than four years in September. The jump could help boost the economy and hiring.
Still, the market has a long way back to full health. Many potential home buyers cannot meet stricter lending standards or produce larger down payments required by banks.
That can be a particular problem for first-time homebuyers. They accounted for 31 percent of sales in October, down slightly from September and below the 40 percent that is common in a healthy market.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday that banks' overly tight lending standards may be preventing sales and holding back the U.S. economy.

News Summary: US home sales rise 2.1 pct. in Oct.

SALES RISE: U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose moderately in October, helped by improvement in the job market and record-low mortgage rates. Sales rose 2.1 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.79 million according to the National Association of Realtors.
INVENTORIES: A decline in housing inventory is helping push prices higher. There were only 2.14 million homes available for sale at the end of the month, the lowest in 10 years.
GAINS LIKELY TO CONTINUE: As the economy slowly recovers, more people have started looking to buy homes or rent apartments. Mortgage rates are at record lows and rents are rising. That makes buying a home more attractive.