Crude oil and gasoline prices rose sharply on Tuesday, reaching multi-week highs due to geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions from drone attacks, and supportive factors like Chinese demand and commodity index rebalancing.
No-spend challenges, popularized on social media, involve avoiding nonessential purchases for a set period to save money and identify overspending areas. Participants set goals, timelines, and rules for essential expenses.
Walmart approaches a $1 trillion market cap, driven by retail strength and stock splits, while AI firms like TSMC and Broadcom have recently joined the elite group.
A 2025 survey shows over half of consumers use AI for financial advice, with 13% using it daily. AI tools help with saving money through goal setting, subscription management, bill negotiation, shopping, and automated savings.
JPMorgan forecasts the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in Q3 2027, contrasting with crypto analysts' expectations of cuts. Bitcoin's sensitivity to rate expectations is noted.
AmeriHome Mortgage provides various loan options including conventional, FHA, VA, and jumbo loans, with interest rate buydowns up to 3%. The lender operates in 47 states but excludes Hawaii, Massachusetts, and New York.
Dependent first-year students face a $5,500 federal loan limit, covering under 25% of average $25,850 public college costs, leading many to private loans with different terms.
Sardar Biglari, CEO of Biglari Holdings, purchased 2,221 Class B shares in open-market transactions from Dec. 8-10, 2025, totaling $705,671.28, per an SEC filing.
Movement Mortgage, a national lender, draws attention for not publishing sample rates online and scoring low on 2024 rate and cost metrics while offering extensive loan products and community investment.
USAA offers VA and conventional mortgages exclusively to eligible military members, veterans, and their families, with specific loan products and physical locations in four states.
Mortgage rates remain in the low-6% range, with economists offering mixed predictions for 2026. Experts cite inflation and other factors as key to future rate movements.
Metamora State Bank, a $98 million-asset community bank in Ohio, has changed its name to Bank419. CEO Kathleen Fischer said the new name reflects a commitment to the wider region, referencing the area code 419. The rebranding, planned for two years, aims to signal growth while honoring the bank's 80-year legacy.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released December's Consumer Price Index, showing a 2.6% annual rise in core inflation. This figure matched September and November levels, indicating stagnant inflation unlikely to prompt immediate Federal Reserve action on interest rates.
President Trump announced a plan to prohibit large investment firms from purchasing single-family homes, aiming to ease housing inventory. Experts debate its impact, noting institutional investors hold a small market share, while local building restrictions and regulatory costs are cited as major affordability challenges.
SoFi, an online mortgage lender, offers various loan products and buyer incentives but has slightly higher rates than competitors and no physical branches. Its 2024 rates and costs were analyzed using HMDA data.