Markets, banking, monetary policy, and capital flows.
Mortgage rates are mixed today, with the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rising by 3 basis points to 6.52% and the average 15-year fixed rate falling by 1 basis point to 5.95%, according to the Zillow lender marketplace.
Why it matters
Understanding current mortgage rates is crucial for homebuyers and refinancers, as it affects the monthly payments and the overall cost of borrowing.
CD rates have been declining, but some banks are still offering competitive rates. The highest rate is 4.10% APY, offered by Marcus by Goldman Sachs on its 14-month CD.
Leon Cooperman's Omega Advisors has three names doing outsized work in the portfolio right now. Vertiv Holdings warrants patience, Rocket Companies warrants patience, and Energy Transfer looks most compelling. Each stock has a distinct 2026 tailwind, from AI power buildouts to hyperscale natural gas demand.
Small-cap stocks are experiencing a strong rally, with the Russell 2000 up 20% YTD. Investors can participate in this rally through ETFs such as IWM, IJR, and VB, which provide broad and quality-screened small-cap exposure.
The iShares Global Healthcare ETF provides broad international exposure and market-cap weighting, outperforming the Invesco Health Care ETF in 2026. The iShares fund offers a higher dividend yield and more liquidity than its Invesco counterpart, making it a more compelling choice for most healthcare investors.
Updated as new stories ingest
Designers are creating garments with 'adversarial patterns' that can confuse facial recognition systems, raising concerns about surveillance and privacy.
Trump Media is planning Truth PSI, a paid service giving Wall Street traders priority access to Truth Social posts, including potentially the president's, raising conflict-of-interest alarms.
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