A tornado struck northern Texas late Thursday, killing at least six people and leaving a dozen others missing.    

A North Texas neighborhood torn apart by a tornado will remain closed to its residents until officials can account for everyone who lived there.

That's the word from Hood County Sheriff Roger Deeds who told reporters Thursday that the search and recovery effort is a "day to day" matter in the Rancho Brazos Estates neighborhood in Granbury.

Deeds said the search in the community about 40 miles southwest of Fort Worth will continue "until every piece of debris is turned over."

Deeds said four men and two women were killed Wednesday. One man and one woman were each in their 80s.

He said six or seven people are still missing, but he was confident they would be found "alive and well."

Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but stayed near their historic lows. Cheaper mortgages have helped the economy by spurring more home-buying and refinancing.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate for the 30-year loan increased to 3.51 percent from 3.42 percent last week. That's still near the average of 3.31 percent reached in November, the lowest on records dating to 1971.

The average on the 15-year loan rose to 2.69 percent. That's up from 2.61 percent last week, which was the lowest on records going back to 1991.

Low mortgage rates have helped sustained the housing recovery that began last year. Home sales and construction are up from a year ago, and prices are rising in most U.S. markets.

Home prices are rising in part because more buyers are bidding on a limited supply of homes for sale.

On Thursday, the Commerce Department reported that U.S. builders started fewer homes in April than March. But most of the decline was in apartment construction, which tends to vary sharply from month to month.

And applications for new construction reached a five-year peak last month. That suggests the housing revival will be sustained.

To calculate average mortgage rates, Freddie Mac surveys lenders across the country on Monday through Wednesday 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 mortgages was unchanged from last week at 0.7 point. The fee for 15-year loans also was steady at 0.7.

The average rate on a one-year adjustable-rate mortgage rose to 2.55 percent from 2.53 percent last week. The fee for one-year adjustable-rate loans remained at 0.4 point.

The average rate on a five-year adjustable-rate mortgage increased to 2.62 percent from 2.58 percent. The fee was unchanged at 0.5 point.

Actors Matt Walsh and Tim Simons chat about feedback they've gotten on the show.

Dell reported earnings that fell far shy of market forecasts but revenue came in better than expected. Shares were little changed after-hours.

Two brothers with a history of drug arrests and suspected ties to a neighborhood gang each face 20 counts of attempted second-degree murder in a shooting spree that brought a sudden bloody end to a Mother's Day parade in a New Orleans neighborhood.    

The department also did not disclose until recently the fictitious identities it created for terrorism-linked witnesses to the agency that generates watch lists, a new report said.    

Amid allegations of bias for liberal groups, the EPA will audit its fee-waiver process.

Republicans criticize the secretary's work with a nonprofit supporting Obamacare.

The rise in Americans' average retirement age predates the 2008 recession, and may be a long-term shift, Gallup says.

The group says the IRS inquiry should include its three audits from the 1990s and 2000s.

Lindsey Graham will be co-sponsoring the bill, while Jeff Sessions isn't as supportive.

The center announces a new selection process amid concerns about inclusion of Latinos.

Two separate groups sent letters to Wal-Mart, Target, Sears and Gap, urging them to sign on to the factory safety plan that over 30 European retailers embraced this week.    

Beaten-down gold just can't find any love, and analysts expect it to retest its April lows before long.

She did personal work for Hillary Clinton, the Clinton Foundation and Teneo firm.

The markets are buzzing about the possibility of the Fed's tapering off its $85 billion a month asset-purchasing program.

CEO Tim Cook will testify in front of senators about stashing more than $100 billion overseas.

The CEO behind the fish stick, a kids' food favorite, has passed away.

Daniel I. Werfel will replace Steven Miller, who is at the heart of the controversy over the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of conservative groups, and a second official will leave.