WASHINGTON — Rates on 30-year mortgages fell for a second straight week to the lowest level since the beginning of the year.

Mortgage giant Freddie Mac reported yesterday that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.18 percent this week, down from 6.22 percent last week.

The decline pushed rates down to the lowest point since the 30-year mortgage was at the same 6.18 percent the week of Jan. 4.

Analysts said this week's drop reflected weak economic data and the huge 416-point plunge in the stock market on Tuesday, which pushed investors to seek the safety of bonds.

The Freddie Mac survey showed that other types of mortgage rates edged down this week as well.

Rates on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, a popular choice for refinancing, fell to 5.92 percent, down from 5.97 percent last week.

Five-year adjustable-rate mortgages edged down to 5.93 percent, compared with 5.96 percent last week.

One-year ARMs were unchanged at 5.49 percent, the same as last week.

The mortgage rates do not include add-on fees known as points. Thirty-year mortgages carried a nationwide average fee of 0.4 point, while 15-year mortgages had an average fee of 0.5 point.

Five-year adjustable rate mortgages and one-year ARMs both carried a fee of 0.6 point.

A year ago, rates on 30-year mortgages stood at 6.24 percent, while 15-year mortgages were at 5.89 percent, five-year adjustable-rate mortgages averaged 5.97 percent and one-year ARMs were at 5.34 percent.