BRIEFCASE 30-YEAR FIXED RATE UP ON MORTGAGES.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

WASHINGTON - Freddie Mac said Thursday in its weekly nationwide survey that rates on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.06 percent. That was up from 5.98 percent last week, which had been the first time rates had fallen below 6 percent since late April.

Since peaking at a high for this year of 6.34 percent the week of May 13, 30-year mortgage rates had fallen for five consecutive weeks, reflecting in part a slowdown in economic activity. The economy hit what Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan described in congressional testimony last week as a ``soft patch'' in June.

Analysts attributed the increase in rates to other comments Greenspan made that, while the central bank expects it will be able to raise rates in a gradual manner, it will not hesitate to switch to a more accelerated pace should inflation pressures start to appear.

Tariffs proposed on shrimp imports

NEW ORLEANS - The Bush administration proposed tariffs Thursday on shrimp imports from four of the largest shrimp-producing nations in Asia and South America, accusing them of hurting domestic producers by dumping the shellfish on the U.S. market at artificially low prices.

The proposed tariffs against Brazil, Ecuador, India and Thailand ranged from 4 percent to 68 percent - far lower than Southern U.S. shrimpers and processors had sought.

Although the ruling was preliminary, it will probably stand. The Commerce Department will make a final decision this fall, and the U.S. International Trade Commission will decide in January if imports have damaged the domestic industry, a finding it has already issued in a preliminary ruling.

The ruling, released in Washington, came three weeks after the Commerce Department proposed tariffs on China and Vietnam.

In all, the six countries provide about 75 percent of the shrimp Americans eat.

SEC inquiry hurts doughnut maker

CHARLOTTE - Shares of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc. sank more than 15 percent Thursday after the doughnut maker announced federal regulators were looking into the retailer's franchise repurchases and its recent profit warning.

In a statement, Scott Livengood, chief executive and chairman, said the company was cooperating fully with the Securities and Exchange Commission on an ``informal, nonpublic inquiry'' into the Krispy Kreme's franchise reacquisitions and its earnings guidance.

``Krispy Kreme has no higher priority than the confidence of our shareholders, customers and employees,'' Livengood said. ``While we are confident in our practices, we understand and respect the SEC's responsibilities and will continue to cooperate fully throughout this process.''

Reached at Krispy Kreme's Winston-Salem headquarters, spokeswoman Amy Hughes said she could not elaborate on the written statement.