Money, Wealth & Power—A Daily Look at the Financial World
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.01% last week, its lowest point in more than three years, offering a rare window of relief for homebuyers who have spent months sidelined by elevated borrowing costs. The decline coincided with a U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down most of the tariffs imposed by the…
The post-2008 era of near-zero interest rates, when central banks flooded economies with cheap credit, is over. A convergence of sticky inflation, record sovereign borrowing needs, and fragile market plumbing now threatens to expose how deeply governments, corporations, and investors built their strategies around money that no longer comes cheap. The adjustment has barely begun,…
U.S. home prices in several high-cost regions have started to decline, trapping recent buyers who purchased near the market’s peak with shrinking equity and few options to move. At the same time, a new study finds nearly half of Americans feel stuck in their current homes as elevated mortgage rates freeze the broader housing market….
Federal regulators have spent the past year tightening the rules around 401(k) plans, and workers who fail to keep up risk losing tens of thousands of dollars in retirement savings to penalties, taxes, and forgone investment growth. From missed contribution limits and overlooked catch-up rules to early cashouts, hidden fees, and missed tax credits, eight…
Cautious retirees often want equity income without the stomach-churning swings that can come with broad stock indexes. Low-volatility dividend ETFs aim to smooth the ride while still delivering regular cash flow. The following three funds focus on quality companies, disciplined screening and defensive sector tilts that can help Retirement investors stay invested through market stress….
Federal regulators and antitrust enforcers have spent years documenting how real estate agents mislead buyers and sellers, from disguised referral kickbacks to inflated property claims. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission have each flagged specific deceptive practices that cost consumers thousands of dollars per transaction. With commission…
Retirees drawing down savings face a tightening set of competing pressures: bond yields have climbed well above the levels that defined the post-2008 era, life expectancies continue to stretch retirement horizons past 30 years for many households, and federal tax rules now force minimum withdrawals from retirement accounts starting at age 73. Together, these forces…
Taiwan’s government has flatly refused to reopen the terms of its recently signed trade agreement with the United States after a Supreme Court ruling limited presidential tariff authority. Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun told reporters that preferential tariff treatment for Taiwan’s exports, set at 15 percent under the arrangement with Washington, will not change. The comments…
Federal data and behavioral research point to the same conclusion: middle-class households that automate a handful of money habits can accumulate significantly more wealth over time without cutting back on daily spending. The mechanism is not willpower or extreme frugality. It is inertia, the same force that keeps most workers stuck at default savings rates,…
Home Depot reported fourth-quarter results on February 24, 2026, revealing that American homeowners have pulled back sharply on big renovation projects as housing affordability and job-security worries intensify. The nation’s largest home-improvement retailer posted $38.2 billion in quarterly sales, a 3.8% year-over-year decline, while comparable sales barely moved. The results, paired with a housing market…