There is definitely no shortage of critics out there questioning the purpose of the entire cryptocurrency industry. However, that hasn't put off speculators that were bold enough to take risks and had the stomach to handle volatility to achieve monster returns. Just look at Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: SHIB). This meme token's price is up an unbelievable 97,000% in the past five years (as of Feb. 16). But it trades 93% below its record from October 2021. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just reveal ...

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Farm-machinery maker Deere & Co raised its annual profit forecast on Thursday citing a rebound in its construction and small ‌agriculture businesses and cost cuts that mitigated weak equipment demand, sending ‌its shares up 4.7% before the bell. The world's largest farm-equipment maker previously scaled back factory ​production to counter weak demand for new machinery as lower crop prices and higher input costs push farmers to postpone big-ticket purchases. The company is also workin ...

Canadian gold producer Hemlo Mining has announced findings from its 2025 B-Zone exploration drilling programme at the Hemlo Gold Mine near Marathon, Ontario. The latest drilling results have extended mineralisation at the mine by 400m in depth and identified a new mineralised zone within the Cedar Creek area. The mineral resource conversion drilling has enhanced geological certainty and is anticipated to facilitate a possible increase in indicated mineral resources around 100m beneath current mining lev ...

UK-based John Lewis Partnership will invest £108m ($145.9m) in employee pay, raising hourly shop floor wages by 6.9% from 1 April across both John Lewis and Waitrose. The latest allocation follows nearly £300m added to the pay budget over the past three years. Of the £108m increase, close to 90% is discretionary spending above the UK’s National Minimum Wage. From April, minimum hourly pay will rise to £13.25 nationwide and £14.80 inside the M25, equal to approximately £1,600 annually for a typical full ...

Evy Hambro, head of fundamental equities thematic and sector investing at BlackRock, and Jim Reid, head of macro and thematic research at Deutsche Bank, speak on Bloomberg Television about the price of gold and whey there is an inherent demand for the precious metal. "There's an element of speculation there, and there's an element of store of value against inflation," Reid says. ...

Meanwhile, Dutch historian and former E.U. official Luuk van Middelaar described the address as “well-crafted and therefore all the more dangerous for the Europeans, offering a new pact on the basis of a shared civilization, but omitting the Vance part of a year ago, which comes with U.S. alignment with MAGA allies in Europe (4).”Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, argued that Rubio’s speech suggests “the US will entirely set the parameters of that partn ...

We recently published 10 Losing Stocks in an Otherwise Optimistic Market. Axcelis Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLS) was one of the worst performers on Wednesday. Axcelis ended two straight days of gains on Wednesday, slashing 16.74 percent to finish at $82.01 apiece as investor sentiment was dampened by a dismal earnings performance in both the full-year and fourth quarter of 2025. In an updated report, Axcelis Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ACLS) said that net profit last year fell by 40.2 percent to $120.2 mi ...

Core Insights - CD rates are currently higher than historical averages, with the best rates reaching 4% APY, particularly from online banks [2][3] - The Federal Reserve has been cutting its target rate, leading to a decline in CD rates since last year, with predictions of further cuts in 2026 [2][4] Group 1: Current CD Rates - The highest CD rate available today is 4% APY, offered by Marcus by Goldman Sachs for its 1-year CD [2] - Several financial institutions are providing competitive rates of 4% APY and above, especially among online banks [2] Group 2: Federal Reserve Impact - The Federal Reserve has decreased the federal funds rate three times in late 2024 by a total of one percentage point, impacting CD rates indirectly [3][5] - As the Fed lowers its rates, financial institutions typically adjust their deposit interest rates accordingly, leading to a potential decline in CD rates [5] Group 3: Opening a CD - The process for opening a CD account includes researching competitive rates, choosing an account that meets financial needs, and preparing necessary documents [6] - Applicants can often complete the application online, and funding the account can be done through transfers or checks [6]

Mortgage rates fell sharply this week as tensions between the US and Iran stoked the possibility of military conflict. Inflation concerns also lingered, as evidenced in the minutes of the Federal Reserve's latest meeting. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell 8 basis points to 6.01% for the week ending Wednesday, according to Freddie Mac. That's the lowest level since September 2022. The 15-year fixed dropped 9 basis points to 5.35%. “This lower rate environment is not only improving affordability for pro ...

Mortgage Rates Overview - The 30-year fixed mortgage rate has increased by 11 basis points to 5.89%, while the 15-year rate rose by four basis points to 5.38% [1] - Despite the increase, the 30-year loan rate remains close to a three-year low [1] - The Mortgage Bankers Association reported an increase in refinance applications as rates remain favorable [1] Current Mortgage Rates - Current national average mortgage rates include: - 30-year fixed: 5.89% - 20-year fixed: 5.79% - 15-year fixed: 5.38% - 5/1 ARM: 5.99% - 7/1 ARM: 5.79% - 30-year VA: 5.38% - 15-year VA: 5.08% - 5/1 VA: 4.98% [4] Refinance Rates - Today's refinance rates show slight variations, with refinance rates generally being higher than purchase mortgage rates [3][11] - Current refinance rates include: - 30-year fixed: 5.97% - 20-year fixed: 5.86% - 15-year fixed: 5.47% - 5/1 ARM: 6.28% - 7/1 ARM: 6.19% - 30-year VA: 5.46% - 15-year VA: 5.07% - 5/1 VA: 4.81% [5] Mortgage Rate Determinants - Mortgage rates are influenced by controllable factors such as lender comparison, credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, and down payments [9][10] - Uncontrollable factors include economic conditions, where struggling economies typically lead to lower mortgage rates to encourage borrowing [11] Mortgage Types - Fixed-rate mortgages lock in the interest rate for the entire loan term, while adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) have an initial fixed period followed by periodic adjustments [7] - A 30-year fixed mortgage offers lower monthly payments but incurs more interest over time, whereas a 15-year fixed mortgage has higher monthly payments but lower overall interest costs [12][13] Market Insights - The lowest-ever 30-year fixed mortgage rate recorded was 2.65% in January 2021, and it is unlikely to drop below 3% in the near future [16] - Experts suggest refinancing when a new rate is at least 1% to 2% lower than the current rate, depending on individual financial goals [17]