Short Reports

The average rate for a conventional 30-year mortgage fell to 8.13 percent from 8.16 percent a week ago, according to a survey Thursday from Freddie Mac. The rate remains well above a year ago, when the cost of a 30-year mortgage, the most common loan obtained to purchase a house in the U.S., averaged 6.93 percent.

The Postal Service launched its new electronic postmark service Thursday, offering a means of dating and securing e-mail. An electronic postmark is not a new e-mail service, but rather an additional feature available through any e-mail service. It provides a Postal Service date stamp to guarantee the date the message was sent. The message cannot then be changed without the alterations being obvious, postal officials said. The first Internet company to offer the service is PostX Corp. of Cupertino, Calif. Others are expected to join in.

Computer chipmaker Intel Corp. plans to begin selling its own branded machine for online access later this year as it seeks to tap the increasing demand for Internet-related equipment, software and services.