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4+ min ago (587+ words) A seal is seen before Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell walks out to speak during a news conference following the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, Sept. 17, 2025, at the Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington. Credit: AP/Jacquelyn Martin WASHINGTON " The Federal Reserve faces an unusually contentious meeting this week that will test Chair Jerome Powell's ability to corral the necessary support from fellow policymakers for a third straight interest rate cut. The Fed's 19-member rate-setting committee is sharply divided over whether to lower borrowing costs again. The divisions have been exacerbated by the convoluted nature of the economy: Inflation remains elevated, which would typically lead the Fed to keep its key rate unchanged, while hiring is weak and the unemployment rate has risen, which often leads to rate cuts. Some economists expect three Fed officials could vote against the quarter-point…...

4+ min ago (625+ words) Interest rates on home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) are already at 2025 lows. However, with the Federal Reserve considering another cut to the federal funds rate at its meeting Wednesday, rates could move even lower. The CME FedWatch tool is forecasting the chances of a Fed rate cut at 87%. Learn how HELOC rates are determined. According to Curinos data, the average weekly HELOC rate is 7.44%. That's down 62 basis points from its 2025 high in January. This rate is based on applicants with a minimum credit score of 780 and a maximum combined loan-to-value ratio (CLTV) of less than 70%. Homeowners have a record-setting amount of value tied up in their houses " nearly $36 trillion at the end of the second quarter of 2025, according to the Federal Reserve. That's the largest amount of home equity on record. With mortgage rates lingering in the low-6% range,…...

4+ min ago (784+ words) Deposit account rates are on the decline " but the good news is you can lock in a competitive return on a certificate of deposit (CD) today and preserve your earning power. In fact, the best CDs still pay rates above 4%. Read on for a snapshot of CD rates today and where to find the best offers. CDs today typically offer rates significantly higher than traditional savings accounts. Currently, the best short-term CDs (six to 12 months) generally offer rates around 4% to 4.5% APY. Today, the highest CD rate is 4.1% APY. This rate is offered by Sallie Mae on its 15-month CD, Marcus by Goldman Sachs on its 14-month CD, Synchrony Bank on its 9-month CD, and LendingClub on its 8-month CD. The following is a look at some of the best CD rates available today from our verified partners. The 2000s were marked by the…...

4+ min ago (410+ words) The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept its cash rate steady at 3.60%, emphasizing an end to easing and hinting at the potential for a future hike, while AUD/USD rebounded toward 0.6650 with resistance near 0.6700 awaiting direction from tomorrow's Fed decision, BBH FX analysts report. "RBA delivers a hawkish hold. As was widely expected, the RBA Board voted unanimously to keep the policy rate unchanged at 3.60% for a third consecutive meeting. The RBA also stressed it's done easing, warning "the risks to inflation have tilted to the upside" while dropping past reference to two-way uncertainty about the outlook." "AUD/USD initially slipped, then bounced back to recent highs near 0.6650, with limited follow-through given it's already near the level implied by AU-US interest rate expectations. AUD/USD faces major resistance at 0.6700. Tomorrow's Fed outcome will dictate whether AUD/USD clears it or…...

4+ min ago (926+ words) Mortgage rates have been rangebound for over six weeks, with nothing to compel them higher or lower. According to Zillow, the average 30-year rate is 6.07%. The 15-year average rate is 5.53%. A Federal Reserve rate cut is likely tomorrow, with Fed Chair Jerome Powell's comments and the Fed's dot plot likely to lead bond market sentiment. MORE:See our top picks for mortgage lenders right now. Remember that these are the national averages and rounded to the nearest hundredth. Again, the numbers provided are national averages rounded to the nearest hundredth. Refinance rates are usually higher than purchase rates. A mortgage calculator can help you see how various mortgage term lengths and interest rates will affect your monthly payments. Use this mortgage calculator to play around with different outcomes. You can bookmark the Yahoo Finance mortgage payment calculator and keep it…...

4+ min ago (384+ words) High-yield savings account rates have been falling, but some of the best accounts still pay above 4% APY. In order to get the highest interest rate possible on your savings, it's important to do your research and find competitive offers. Not sure where to start? Here's a closer look at savings interest rates today and where you can find the best ones. The average interest rate on a traditional savings account is only 0.40%, according to the FDIC. However, the best savings rates can be found on high-yield accounts, which often pay much more. Over the last decade, savings account interest rates have fluctuated quite a bit. From 2010 to about 2015, rates were rock-bottom, hovering at around 0.06% to 0.10%. This was largely due to the 2008 financial crisis" and the Federal Reserve's decision to lower its target rate to near zero in order to spur…...

8+ min ago (312+ words) Letters to Editor This refers to "Dollar rule: Powered by money or muscle?" (December 9) The US dollar continues to hold its position as the world"s dominant reference currency due to a combination of factors like deep financial markets, global trust in US institutions, strong external demand for dollar-denominated assets etc Despite the US carrying a gross national debt of around $38 trillion, the global system still provides substantial support in ensuring that the dollar dominates as it is widely used for trade invoicing, cross-border lending, and international debt securities This persistent global demand for US Treasury securities eases America"s debt-financing burden and offsets structural pressures such as its long-standing trade deficit So there is no immediate alternative that matches the dollar"s liquidity, depth, and widespread use.Srinivasan VelamurChennaiIndia-Russia dialogueApropos "Balancing act: India"s multi-alignment to the fore in…...

12+ min ago (427+ words) The US Dollar (USD) remains under pressure as Treasury yields ease and US equity futures tread water, with today's ADP and October JOLTS reports providing a crucial read on labor demand ahead of the upcoming Fed meeting, BBH FX analysts report. "USD is holding below its 200-day moving average, 10-year Treasury yields eased back a little after testing the top-end of its 3.95%-4.20% range in place since September, and US equity futures are treading water." "The US ADP weekly employment preliminary estimate is due today . The last weekly report from November 25 showed that for the four weeks ending November 8 private employers shed an average of -13.5k jobs a week while the November ADP jobs print was -32k." "The US October JOLTS report will be a bigger job check ahead of Fed showtime. Further declines in the hiring rate, quit rate and vacancy-to-unemployed ratio…...

13+ min ago (197+ words) When asked by Politico if he would rule out reducing" (The Daily Signal) " President Donald Trump didn't rule out reducing tariffs on some goods in order to address affordability concerns. When asked by Politico if he would rule out reducing tariffs on any more goods, Trump said he would "on some" goods, adding on some, he will increase tariffs." "Because you know what happens is because of tariffs, all of the car companies are coming back," he said. "You know, we lost 58% of the automobile business. We had a monopoly in the world." Trump said he "inherited a total mess" from former President Joe Biden." Trump said beef prices will "start coming down pretty substantially." On Monday, Trump announced he would make $12 billion in tariff revenues available to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production…...

14+ min ago (302+ words) U.S. job openings barely budged in October, coming in at 7.7 million with ongoing uncertainty over the direction of the American economy. The Labor Department reported Tuesday that employers posted 7.67 million vacancies in October, close to September's 7.66 million. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), which was delayed by the extended government shutdown, also showed that the layoffs rose and number of people quitting their jobs " a sign of confidence in the labor market " fell in October. Job openings have come down steadily since peaking at a record 12.1 million in March 2022, when the economy was roaring back from COVID-19 lockdowns. The job market has cooled partly because of the lingering effect of the high interest rates the Federal engineered in 2022 and 2023 to combat an outburst of inflation. Overall, it's a puzzling time for the American economy, buffeted by President Donald Trump's…...