Markets & Investing
Coverage of financial markets, investment strategies, and the economic forces that move money. Connects macro trends to real decisions for investors and professionals.
Latest in Markets & Investing
$7 trillion sits in money-market funds earning 4% while bank savings pay near zero
Savers keeping cash in traditional bank accounts are losing ground to a simple alternative that pays several percentage points more in annual interest. More than...
Most Federal Reserve officials now expect a rate hike later this year, keeping mortgage and card rates high
Borrowers carrying credit-card balances and adjustable-rate mortgages face another stretch of elevated costs after the Federal Reserve signaled that its next move on interest rates...
The 30-year mortgage sits near 6.5%, and the Fed now hints its next move could be a hike, not a cut
Home buyers shopping for a mortgage this week face a 6.47 percent average rate on a 30-year fixed loan, and the Federal Reserve just signaled...
Holding both stocks and bonds cushions a portfolio when one market drops
Investors holding a traditional mix of stocks and bonds got a fresh warning this week: the cushion that fixed income provides during equity selloffs is...
Oil has dropped toward $90 on the Iran deal, but gas could take months to fully follow
American drivers watching crude oil prices slide toward $90 a barrel after reports of progress on an Iran nuclear deal face an uncomfortable reality: the...
Stocks bounced back the day after the Fed selloff, recovering part of the hit to 401(k)s
Millions of Americans with retirement savings tied to broad stock indexes saw part of their losses reverse on June 13, 2024, one day after the...
The Iran ceasefire is holding under a 60-day deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Commercial vessels are moving through the Strait of Hormuz again after the United States and Iran signed a 60-day ceasefire that terminated military operations and...
Treasury yields surged after the Fed hinted at a hike, lifting borrowing costs again
Homeowners weighing whether to refinance and prospective buyers shopping for mortgages face a sharper cost squeeze after Federal Reserve officials signaled they remain open to...
Savers are the rare winners from the Fed’s hold, with top yields still above 4%
Savers holding cash in high-yield deposit accounts woke up on June 17, 2026, to a familiar but favorable reality: the Federal Reserve held rates steady...
Forget a summer rate cut: some Fed officials now want a hike before year’s end
Several Federal Reserve officials now project at least one interest-rate increase before the end of 2026, a sharp reversal from the summer rate cut that...
The S&P 500 fell more than 1% as the Fed dashed hopes for lower rates
Investors holding U.S. equities lost ground on June 17, 2026, after the Federal Reserve signaled it is in no rush to cut interest rates. The...
The Dow set a record Wednesday morning, then shed 507 points after the Fed’s hawkish turn
Investors holding retirement accounts and stock portfolios watched the Dow Jones Industrial Average swing from a fresh all-time high to a 507.12-point loss in a...
4.30% CDs are slipping toward 4% — lock one in before the best yields fade
Savers hunting for the best certificate of deposit rates face a narrowing window. The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate steady at 3.50% to 3.75%...
Nearly every 401(k) got a lift Monday as stocks jumped on the Iran deal, pushing the Dow to a record 51,671
Millions of Americans with retirement savings tied to broad stock indexes saw their account balances climb on Monday, June 15, 2026, after Wall Street rallied...
The U.S. and Iran will sign a war-ending deal in Switzerland Friday — the reason oil, gas, and mortgage rates are all sliding
American drivers, homeowners, and energy traders are all watching the same calendar date: Friday, June 19, 2026, when U.S. and Iranian officials are expected to...
Oil has dropped about 20% from its 2026 peak since the U.S.-Iran deal, easing the pressure that pushed gas to $4.55 in May
American drivers who watched gasoline prices climb to roughly $4.55 a gallon in May are now seeing the first signs of relief. Oil prices have...
Reinvesting dividends automatically buys more shares and compounds your returns over time
Investors who elect to reinvest their dividends through a formal plan end up owning more shares after every payout, and those additional shares generate their...
Money you’ll need within five years generally has no business in the stock market
Households saving for a home down payment, a tuition bill, or any other expense due before 2031 face a simple but high-stakes question: should that...
Dollar-cost averaging — investing a set amount on a schedule — smooths out the market’s swings
Investors watching their portfolios swing through volatile stretches face a simple but high-stakes question: keep buying or stop? Dollar-cost averaging, the practice of investing a...
4.30% CD rates are already slipping, and locking one in freezes the yield for years
Savers who locked in multi-year certificates of deposit near the top of the recent rate cycle are watching that window narrow. The FDIC’s national rate...