Investing News

The astonishing ascent of 30-year mortgage rates over the past two weeks finally hit reverse Wednesday, with the flagship average knocking off more than four-tenths of point to lower the average back below 7%, though barely. Today’s National Mortgage Rate Averages From September 11 to September 27, rates on 30-year mortgages bolted repeatedly higher, ultimately

Fidelity and TD Ameritrade are among our top-ranked brokers for 2021. Both have websites packed with helpful features, news feeds, research, and educational tools. The two brokers also offer intuitive web-based, mobile, and desktop platforms to address the needs of both casual investors and frequent traders. Fidelity, founded in 1943, built a reputation on its

Investment robo-advisor Betterment partnered with crypto exchange Gemini to launch a crypto investing portfolio service for its 730,000 customers. Key Takeaways Betterment has partnered with Gemini to offer clients customized crypto investment plans based on risk profiles and interests. Betterment said it hopes to foster a desire in clients for long-term investment in cryptocurrencies, with the assets coming from

Companies in the semiconductor industry are in a constant race to build smaller, faster, and cheaper chips. The industry, which began in 1958 when fabricating semiconductors became feasible, grew from a $1 billion industry in 1966 to a $600 billion industry by the end of 2022. The semiconductor industry is dominated by some very large

When you’re buying gifts for the holiday season or another special occasion, you have no shortage of options. For one thing, e-commerce makes it easier than ever to have presents delivered from around the world. However, except for some collectibles, not many gifts have a chance of growing in value. If you’re looking for a

If your company offers a 401(k) retirement savings plan, as most do, one of the big questions you may have to answer is this: Which version do you want—traditional or Roth? The question is whether you will contribute to your retirement in pre-tax money or post-tax money. The short answer is that saving pre-tax money

A Brief History of the UK pound (GBP) vs. the US dollar (USD) Before WWII, the British pound was the primary medium of foreign exchange, The British pound (aka Sterling) has been nominally stronger than the USD for most of the past few decades, making a high just over 2.0000 USD per GBP around the

Bitcoin vs. Ethereum: An Overview  Ether (ETH), the cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network, is the second most popular digital token after bitcoin (BTC). As the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization (market cap), comparisons between Ether and bitcoin are only natural. Ether and bitcoin are similar in many ways: Each is a digital currency traded via

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning taxpayers about a significant rise in so-called ‘smishing’ attacks consisting of IRS-themed texting scams designed to steal personal and financial information. Smishing attacks target mobile phone users by delivering scam text messages offering fake COVID relief, tax credits, or other benefits. The IRS does not send emails or

The acquisition of Scottrade, was completed by brokerage firm TD Ameritrade on September 18, 2017. Scottrade was an online brokerage firm that served more than 3 million accounts in the U.S. and had consolidated assets of approximately $24.4 billion. Founded in 1980 by Rodger O. Riney, the firm had about 500 branch offices throughout the

Fidelity and Robinhood are fundamentally different in that Fidelity is an established, full service brokerage firm and Robinhood is a newer player that has received a lot of publicity, both good and bad. Fidelity was founded in 1946 and has evolved into a significant force in the online brokerage space. Robinhood was founded in 2013

What NFT Collections Are Trending? The non-fungible token (NFT) marketplaces continue to be a hive of activity despite continued bearish prices in the cryptocurrency sector. This week’s sales volume was boosted by an appetite for new collections, with PlayDapp & Mikey, Critters Cult, and Exosama leading the way. Key Takeaways In the past week, Critters

Cryptocurrencies have come a long way from their relatively obscure origins. While the mainstream financial world once disdained digital currencies as tools for criminals and speculators, the industry has made significant progress in establishing itself as a legitimate and (potentially) world-changing space. Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) have seen massive growth in price and users, but there

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have levied more than $1.8 billion in penalties on various Wall Street firms for record-keeping failures. The SEC action targets 16 firms, with 11 of them having agreed to pay a combined $1.1 billion. The CFTC action covers 11 institutions,

Lauren Taylor Wolfe, center, Roy Swan, left, and Shundrawn Thomas at CNBC’s Delivering Alpha, Sept. 8, 2022. Scott Mlyn | CNBC ESG and sustainable investing generally have come under fire recently, with critics pointing to a lack of transparency and differing definitions sparking confusion around what investors are actually buying. Adding to the confusion is

When choosing an online broker, day traders place a premium on speed, reliability, and low cost. Features designed to appeal to long-term, infrequent traders are unnecessary for day traders, who generally start a trading day with no positions in their portfolios, make numerous transactions, and end the day having closed all of those trades. Our top

With so many different types of online brokers available to investors, it can be tough to choose one that works best for you. That’s why we put these U.S.-based online brokers through a comprehensive review process that included hands-on research to determine the best in the industry. We publish unbiased product reviews; our opinions are

Dan Ivascyn, PIMCO, at CNBC’s Delivering Alpha, Sept. 28, 2022. Scott Mlyn | CNBC The U.S. is likely headed toward a recession but there’s a chance for the downturn to be comparatively mild due to strong underlying fundamentals, according to Pimco bond expert Dan Ivascyn. In remarks echoed by other speakers Wednesday at CNBC’s Delivering

The end is not yet in sight for mortgage rates’ dramatic September ascent. For a fourth consecutive day, the 30-year average has risen by two-tenths to a quarter percentage point, raising the flagship average an astonishing 1.27 percentage points in just over two weeks and pushing it into the mid-7% range. Today’s National Mortgage Rate

Whenever you buy something in the U.S., odds are it’s going to cost more than the listed price. This is likely the result of the sales tax levied against the cost of your purchase. Sales tax is one of the ways governments collect tax revenue from their citizens. The sales tax rate varies by the