Thrift institutions reported $603.2 billion in mortgage originations during 2004, a decline of 17.4 percent from the previous year but a less severe downturn than was experienced by the mortgage market at large. New mortgage production by thrifts increased in the fourth quarter, rising 6.0 percent to $154.1 billion, including a 22.2 percent jump in refinance business, according to Office of Thrift Supervision data. …