Money, Wealth & Power—A Daily Look at the Financial World
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker used his 2026 budget address to spotlight housing affordability and signal interest in statewide action that could limit local zoning restrictions on housing construction, a direction that could put the state on a collision course with municipalities that have long controlled what gets built in their neighborhoods. The idea targets single-family-only…
Reports say JPMorgan Chase has named CleanSpark as its new top pick among publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies, replacing Riot Platforms in that role after a reported downgrade of the latter. The shift, if accurate, would align with a broader investor focus on miners that can diversify revenue streams beyond pure cryptocurrency extraction, including potential…
Federal housing and income data show wide gaps in affordability and monthly owner costs across states, with income-to-housing ratios varying dramatically from one end of the country to the other. This article explains how analysts use the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to compare property-ownership conditions across states ahead of 2026. For families weighing…
David Tepper’s Appaloosa LP has placed a $285 million bet on Micron Technology, a soaring AI-memory tech titan. The position, disclosed in a regulatory filing made public today, ties its full value to the assumption that call options on Micron shares are exercised, a structure that amplifies both the upside and the risk. The move…
Mortgage rates on 30-year fixed loans eased to around the low-6% range this week, prompting renewed interest in refinancing among homeowners eager to lock in lower monthly payments. The decline follows a retreat in 10-year Treasury yields, the benchmark that most directly shapes long-term mortgage pricing. For millions of borrowers who took out loans when…
Drivers looking for immediate relief on their car insurance premiums often overlook one of the simplest adjustments available: raising their deductible. The strategy involves accepting more financial responsibility per claim in exchange for a lower monthly or semi-annual premium, and state regulators have quantified the potential savings at up to 20%. But the move carries…
Baltimore, a city long burdened by some of the highest property tax rates in the United States, is now attempting something few major American cities dare: cutting those rates to stabilize a housing market under severe pressure. Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced a three-part property tax relief strategy on February 9, 2026, aiming to lower…
A National Association of Realtors economist recently labeled the sharp drop in January 2026 home sales a “new housing crisis,” but the forces behind that label have been building for decades. The national housing supply shortage, persistent affordability pressure, and cyclical sales slumps are structural features of the American housing market, not sudden emergencies. For…
Mortgage rates sitting just above 6% have created the most favorable borrowing conditions in roughly three years, drawing a fresh wave of buyers into a market where home prices continue to climb. Yet lower rates alone do not guarantee a good deal. Buyers who rush to close without understanding their paperwork, tax treatment of points,…
Amazon is preparing to open its largest-ever physical store in Orland Park, Illinois, a move that blends traditional retail browsing with warehouse-scale fulfillment under one roof. The project signals a sharp escalation in the company’s brick-and-mortar ambitions, targeting the kind of suburban shoppers who still prefer to see products before buying. Rather than simply expanding…