WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) – U.S. mortgage rates fell this week for the first time in more than a month amid signs of slowing economic activity, but remain too high to provide a significant boost to the housing market.

The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was down to 7.09% as of May 9, from 7.22% last week, ending five straight weekly increases, mortgage finance agency Freddie Mac said in a statement on Thursday. It averaged 6.35% during the same period a year ago.