Five hostages held in standoff at U.S. bank - CNN

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A man was holding five bank employees hostage on Wednesday at a bank in Exeter, California, a small community near Fresno, California, CNN reported.

The incident began at about 4:50 p.m. local time and was believed to have started with a robbery at the Bank of America branch in the rural town, CNN said.

The hostage-taker had allowed two people to leave the bank, Sgt. Chris Douglass, of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department told the cable television station.

She said no other details immediately available.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.