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Mortgage rates fell dramatically this week, with 30-year mortgage rates even briefly dipping below 6% for the first time since early 2023, according to Zillow data. This should remove a lot of the upward pressure off of mortgage rates and allow them to ease. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to drop.

Persons: they've, Fannie Mae Organizations: Treasury, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

☆ JPMorgan Chase is giving its employees an AI assistant powered by ChatGPT maker OpenAI
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Rather than developing its own AI models, JPMorgan designed LLM Suite to be a portal that allows users to tap external large language models — the complex programs underpinning generative AI tools — and launched it with ChatGPT maker OpenAI’s LLM, said the people. ChatGPT banThe bank is giving employees what is essentially OpenAI’s ChatGPT in a JPMorgan-approved wrapper more than a year after it restricted employees from using ChatGPT. The number of uses for generative AI are “exponentially bigger” than previous technology because of how flexible LLMs are, Heitsenrether said. Ultimately, the generative AI field may develop into “five or six big foundational models” that dominate the market, she said. Heitsenrether charted out three stages for the evolution of generative AI at JPMorgan.

Persons: ” Teresa Heitsenrether, “, ChatGPT, Morgan Stanley, Jamie Dimon, Dimon, JPMorgan didn’t, Heitsenrether, ”, “ We’ve, ” Heitsenrether, it’s, — CNBC’s Leslie Picker Organizations: JPMorgan Chase, CNBC, JPMorgan, Apple, Accenture, Citigroup Locations: U.S

Average 30-year mortgage rates dropped 26 basis points to 6.47%, their lowest level since May 2023, according to Freddie Mac. If today's mortgage rates are lower than the rate you're currently paying, refinancing could be worth it. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. Now that inflation has decelerated and a Fed cut is looking more likely, mortgage rates have trended down. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: Chevron

☆ SoftBank-backed Indian EV startup Ola Electric pops 20% on debut valuing firm at $4.8 billion
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Bhavish Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ola Cabs and founder of Ola Electric speaks during a press conference ahead of the Initial Public Offer (IPO). Shares of Ola Electric surged 20% in their market debut Friday, valuing the Indian electric vehicle startup at around $4.8 billion. Ola Electric makes electric scooters and only shipped its first product 2½ years ago. This is the trend Ola Electric is trying to tap into as it prepares to deliver its first electric motorbike product in the second half of 2025. Ola Electric has some high-profile investors including SoftBank and Singapore's investment fund Temasek.

Persons: Bhavish Aggarwal, Ola, Ola Electric Organizations: Ola, Reuters, McKinsey & Co, Temasek Locations: Mumbai, India

☆ Retailers are tricking consumers into spending more with earlier-than-ever Halloween rollout
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But all the excitement to get a jump start on Halloween comes as consumers are showing more signs of financial stress. Tricking consumers into treating themselves more“It’s clear that consumers have been interested in buying Halloween products earlier and earlier,” said Champine. Michaels said it started selling Halloween goods in June, the earliest the retailer has ever done so. The initial launch of Halloween goods at Michaels “has been consistently beating our internal expectations,” he added. By selling Halloween goods earlier, they’re likely hoping it’ll decrease the likelihood of having to discount, she added.

Persons: can’t, ”, Laura Champine, they’re, Joe Feldman, Michaels, ” John Gehre, Michaels “, ” Kelsey Robinson, Lance Allen, “, ” Allen, David Zalubowski, they’ve, they’ll, Champine, ” Lowe’s, Feldman Organizations: New, New York CNN, Disney, Walt Disney, Loop, Telsey Advisory, CNN, Costco, Consumer, McKinsey, Labor, Depot Locations: New York, Los Angeles, Sheridan , Colorado, Lowe’s

In the court document filed Monday, Sheil denied allegations of copyright infringement made in Gifford’s lawsuit. In her lawsuit, Gifford alleges that Sheil had blocked her on Instagram and TikTok in January 2023 after the two met for a photo shoot collaboration. In her lawsuit, Gifford listed multiple examples of Sheil’s posts that she argues are similar to her own and shared screenshots of the examples as exhibits. “Neutral colors have been in for some time,” Sheil’s attorneys argue, citing Chip and Joanna Gaines’ HGTV programs and celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, who tap into the same aesthetic. Gifford’s lawsuit also noted that the creators use Amazon Storefront, which creators often use as a one-stop shop for their followers to browse their product recommendations.

Persons: Alyssa Sheil, Sydney Nicole Gifford, Sheil, “ Sheil, Gifford, ”, ’, “, Chip, Joanna Gaines, Hailey Bieber, Gifford —, Sheil “, ” Gifford, Sheil’s, Kim Kardashian Organizations: Monday, U.S, Western, Western District of, NBC News, HGTV, Amazon Associates, NBC, “ Locations: Texas, Western District, Western District of Texas, TikTok, “ People

☆ Boosting worker well-being doesn't have to be pricey
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-07 | by ( Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Courtesy Peter MontgomeryThat ability to make a career conform, where possible, to an employee's life is one of the simple and often inexpensive ways employers can boost their employees' well-being. AdvertisementA recent Gallup survey found worker well-being slipped globally to 34% in 2023 from 35% the year before. Boosting worker well-being is good for employees, of course, but it's also good for the bottom line. And it's critical for boosting other measures of corporate and worker health — things like engagement on the job. A small number of business leaders review requests to keep the process simple and to respect worker privacy, she said.

Persons: Peter Montgomery, Montgomery, he's, it's, Erica Golden, Golden, Bradd Chignoli, Chignoli Organizations: Gallup, Banyan Software, Workers, MetLife Locations: Wellington , New Zealand, Montgomery

Mortgage rates have been trending down in recent days in response to weaker-than-expected labor market data and concerns of a possible economic downturn. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.73% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 5.99%, an eight-basis-point decrease from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: homebuyers, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

☆ Investors want the Fed to save the market, but an emergency cut could make things worse
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-05 | by ( Jesse Pound | In Jesse-Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Monday's global stock market sell-off led to calls for the Federal Reserve to step in , but that could prove to be even more trouble for investors. This sell-off is not being driven banking crisis, and an emergency rate cut by the Fed may hurt more than it helps, said Lawrence McDonald, a bestselling author and market risk expert. "If they do that, they weaken the dollar, they actually strengthen the yen, and this whole carry trade gets worse," McDonald said. The " carry trade " mentioned by McDonald and others as a key reason for this sell-off is related to interest rates in Japan. Central banks in the United States and other developed markets have hiked interest rates aggressively in the post-pandemic period to fight inflation.

Persons: Lawrence McDonald, McDonald, Lehman Organizations: Federal Reserve, Bank of Japan, U.S, Fed, Lehman Brothers Locations: Japan, Central, United States

☆ Palantir raises annual revenue forecast on AI strength; shares surge
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies poses beside the company's logo ahead of an interview with Reuters in the Alpine resort of Davos, Switzerland May 23, 2022. Palantir Technologies raised its annual revenue forecast for the second time this year on Monday, the latest sign that the generative AI boom is driving demand for its software services. The company co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel now expects annual revenue between $2.74 billion and $2.75 billion, compared with $2.68 billion to $2.69 billion expected earlier. It also raised its annual revenue expectation from U.S.-based companies by $11 million, to $672 million. The company forecast third-quarter revenue between $697 million and $701 million, compared to analysts' average estimate of $679.1 million, according to LSEG data.

Persons: Alex Karp, Peter Thiel, Ryan Taylor, Reuters Palantir, Karp Organizations: Palantir Technologies, Reuters, Big Tech, Microsoft, Palantir Locations: Davos, Switzerland

As the Fed lowers rates this year, mortgage rates are expected to go down. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates were 5.99% this week, according to Freddie Mac data, which is an eight-basis-point decrease from the previous week. Now that the Fed has paused hiking rates, mortgage rates have come down a bit. Once the Fed starts cutting rates, which may happen this year, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: —, Freddie Mac Organizations: Federal, of Labor Statistics, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Chevron

Last week, 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.28%, and they're even lower today, according to Zillow data. What does this mean for mortgage rates? See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage Refinance Rates TodayMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates will affect your monthly and long-term payments. As inflation slows and the Federal Reserve is able to start cutting the federal funds rate, mortgage rates are expected to trend down as well.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Fannie Mae Organizations: Federal, Zillow, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association, ARM Locations: Chevron

CNN —Israeli airstrikes on two school buildings in the north of Gaza City killed 17 Palestinians, most of them children, and left at least 63 injured according to Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal on Saturday. According to Gaza Civil Defense, the schools were being used as shelters for people displaced by violence. The Civil Defense in Gaza published a list of the names of the killed individuals, showing that at least three of the dead were female. At least 1,200 people were killed, and more than 250 others abducted in the Hamas-led assault, according to Israeli authorities. Israeli military action in the strip has since killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians and injured over 90,000, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

Persons: Mahmoud Basal, Omar Al Organizations: CNN, Gaza City, Gaza Civil, Baptist Hospital, Gaza Civil Defense, Al, Huda School, Hamama, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli Air Force, IAF, IDF, ISA, Huda, Getty, Civil Defense, Gaza’s Ministry of Health, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Radwan, Gaza City, AFP, Israel

Mortgage rates are down in response to the labor market slowing. Average 30-year mortgage rates are now hovering in the low 6% range, according to Zillow data, the lowest they've been since January 2024. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowToday's refinance ratesMortgage type Average rate today This information has been provided by Zillow. This is a significant slowdown compared when it peaked at 9.1% in 2022, which means mortgage rates should start trending down soon. This means your entire monthly mortgage payment, including taxes and insurance, shouldn't exceed 28% of your pre-tax monthly income.

Persons: you'll, Fannie Mae Organizations: of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, Zillow, Mortgage, Association, Sky Locations: U.S, Chevron

☆ Gold prices set for weekly gain with U.S. payrolls data on tap
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Gold prices firmed on Friday and were set for a weekly gain, driven by prospects of a Fed rate cut in September and rising tensions in the Middle East, while market participants awaited U.S. nonfarm payrolls data for further direction. Gold prices firmed on Friday and were set for a weekly gain, driven by prospects of a Fed rate cut in September and rising tensions in the Middle East, while market participants awaited U.S. nonfarm payrolls data for further direction. Spot gold was up 0.2% at $2,451.07 per ounce, as of 0243 GMT, and has gained more than 2% for the week. Trader bets for a super-sized 50-basis-point rate cut in September jumped to 28.5% from 11.8% earlier this week, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool. "Angst surrounding U.S. elections and the conflict in the Middle East will play an assisting role in moving gold higher on a sustained basis," analysts at TD Securities said in a note.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Ajay Kedia, Mohammed Deif Organizations: Federal, Kedia Commodities, TD Securities Locations: U.S, Mumbai, Gaza, Tehran

☆ These U.S. states have the best and worst tap water: Washington ranked No. 1 while Arizona came in dead last
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The data also found that 41% of customers say they do not feel the water provided by their local utility is safe to drink. Power ranked the states with the best and worst tap water based on its U.S. Water Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study. It measures satisfaction among residential customers from 92 water utilities, or companies, around the U.S. that deliver water to populations of at least 400,000. The states were ranked based on responses from 32,833 residential water utility customers from June 2023 through March 2024. Last year, the special report focused on asking customers about the reliability and quality of their water, and this year, it was solely focused on the quality.

Persons: Ramah Vaughn Organizations: Gallup, Power, CNBC Locations: U.S, .

☆ Wall Street will look for signs of what's next for the market after a rocky start to August
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The S & P 500 ended the week down by 2%. As of Friday, the Nasdaq Composite was more than 10% below its recent high, while the S & P 500 was down by 5.7%. Markets were last pricing in a 71% chance of a half percentage point rate cut in September, up from 22% on Thursday, according to the CME FedWatch Tool . Brands , Fidelity National Information Services , Uber Technologies , Marathon Petroleum , Caterpillar Wednesday Aug. 7 3 p.m. Consumer Credit (June) Earnings: Costco Wholesale , Warner Bros. Discovery , Occidental Petroleum , Ralph Lauren , CVS Health , Hilton Worldwide Holdings , Walt Disney Company Thursday Aug. 8 8:30 a.m.

Persons: Stocks, payrolls, Bill Hornbarger, Benjamin F, Edwards, Russell, Claudia Sahm, selloff, Michael Kantrowitz, Piper Sandler, Kantrowitz, Jan Hatzius, Goldman Sachs, Hatzius, CNBC's, Eli Lilly, Ralph Lauren, Martin Marietta Organizations: Nasdaq, Treasury, Investors, Federal Reserve, Walt Disney Company, Caterpillar, Costco, Micro Computer, PMI, PMI Services, Services PMI, Simon Property Group, Diamondback Energy, Tyson Foods, Devon Energy, Airbnb, Wynn Resorts, TransDigm, Brands, Fidelity National Information Services, Uber Technologies, Marathon Petroleum, Consumer Credit, Costco Wholesale, Warner Bros, Discovery, Occidental Petroleum, CVS Health, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Gilead Sciences, Akamai Technologies, News Corp, Paramount Global, Expedia, Martin, Martin Marietta Materials Locations: Fortinet, Devon

As the Fed lowers rates, mortgage rates are expected to go down. "Mortgage rates declined to their lowest level since early February," Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's chief economist, said in a press release. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Barely Tick Down (-0.05%)The average 15-year mortgage rate is 5.55%, five basis points lower than last week. Mortgage rates also rose dramatically in 2023, though they started trending back down toward the end of the year.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Jerome Powell, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's, you'll, It's, refinance, they've Organizations: Reserve, Zillow, FHA Locations: Chevron

☆ Age is just a number for this 36-year-old academic who has danced her way to the Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-02 | by ( Charmaine Jacob | In Charmainemariajacob | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Australian Olympic breaking athlete Rachael Gunn poses during a portrait session in the Sydney central business district on April 17, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. Cameron Spencer | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images"Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." Mark Kolbe | Getty Images Sport | Getty ImagesBreaking, for the first time, has become an official sport at the Olympics, making it Gunn's biggest competition so far. Road to ParisGunn's journey to the Olympic dance floor was quite challenging, especially as she started breaking much later in her life. Australian Olympic breaking athlete Rachael Gunn is representing Australia as a B-Girl after qualifying for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games.

Persons: Rachael Gunn, Cameron Spencer, George Bernard Shaw, Gunn, Mark Kolbe, —, I've Organizations: Getty, Paris, Sydney's Macquarie University, Studies, Olympics, CNBC, Sydney Town Hall, Olympic Locations: Sydney, Australia, Paris

Learn moreThe LG G4 is one of the most stunning premium displays I've tested. Judged against other 2024 models, the LG G4 is easily one of the best TVs you can buy for top-notch image quality. But the G4 is technically the best OLED TV LG has ever made. LG 65-inch G4 OLED 4K TV The G4 is one of the most impressive OLED TVs we've tested, but its benefits over last year's more affordable G3 are subtle. Steven Cohen/Business InsiderThe LG G4 delivers high-end image quality that's a clear step above cheaper TVs.

Persons: It's, HLG, Steven Cohen, I'm, you'll, steadying, it's, webOS Organizations: Business, LG, Amazon, Walmart, Dolby, HLG Smart, Sony, Samsung, Google, Disney, Luna

Mortgage rates are often indirectly impacted by changes to the federal funds rate, and as the Fed starts lowering its benchmark rate, mortgage rates are expected to go down as well. This means that as long as inflation continues to ease, mortgage rates should drop further this year. See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's interest rates will affect your monthly payments. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesAverage 15-year mortgage rates fell to 6.07% last week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates increased dramatically over the last two years, but they're expected to go down at some point this year.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Zillow, Federal Reserve Locations: Chevron

☆ I moved to Spain single and started dating locals. Most were still living with their parents and expected to split the dinner bill.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-01 | by ( Jennifer Fernández Solano | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

We'd "met" a few nights before on a dating app, and I was doing my best to keep the conversation flowing. I've had friends move back home to save for a house deposit and have also met men in their 40s living with their parents following a divorce. At the time, I found that everyone in Spain used Tinder — there was hardly anyone to match with on the other apps. I also noticed that most men didn't fill out their profiles, which made it hard to see if we had common interests. I came up with strict parameters and finally met the oneSix months into living in Spain, I was getting frustrated with the dating scene.

Persons: —, he's, it's, I've, it'd, haven't Organizations: Service, Business Locations: Spanish, Spain Before Spain, Australia, American, Mexico City, Valencia, Spain, Mexico, Europe, Portugal, Valencian

☆ What to do now that the Fed is signaling lower interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Given the many ways lower rates can affect your finances, here are some things to consider when deciding what steps to take in response. Here’s how lower rates may affect key areas of your financial life, along with tips on what to do about it. If that proves difficult to get, see if you can transfer your balance to a credit card from a credit union or local bank that offers lower rates than the biggest banks. And because many variables determine what that factor will be, it will be hard to figure out the impact of lower interest rates. His advice: Don’t keep more than six months’ to a year’s worth of living expenses in cash or cash equivalents.

Persons: ”, Greg McBride, ” McBride, “, Chris Diodato, Diodato, you’ll, McBride, ” Dodiato, Collin Martin, don’t Organizations: New, New York CNN, Federal Reserve, Bankrate, Schwab Center, Financial Research, AAA Locations: New York, Schwab.com

☆ Podcast: Samsung bets on the Galaxy Ring and AI as its next big thing
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +42 min

Along with its S24 series of smartphones, foldable devices, smartwatches and now the Galaxy Ring, Samsung is hoping to lock users into its world of products held together with its suite of artificial intelligence features, known as Galaxy AI. Arjun KharpalOne of the things Samsung said was look, the ring is one product, but we've got the watch, we've got the smartphone. I think that's the right approach for Samsung, I don't think they have unrealistic expectations for volumes on this. And you'd feel like if there was some sort of Apple ring, it would do pretty good volumes. Do you think Samsung is seriously looking at ways to monetize this via subscriptions or other kinds of service business model?

Persons: aren't, Tom Chitty, Ben Wood, Meta's Ray, Arjun, Tom Chitty I've, I've, we've, Arjun Kharpal, let's, It's, That's, it's, you've, they've, there's, they're, someone's, I'm, that's, you'll, Ben Wood It's, smartwatch, Arjun Kharpal Apple's, Ben Wood They've, Tim Cook, He's, who'd, Tom Chitty Diamond, somebody's, who've, wasn't, Samsung hasn't, we'll, Ben, they'll, Will, wearables, Kharpal, Arjun Kharpal Tom, Tom, Tom Chitty We'll Organizations: Samsung, South, Galaxy, CNBC, CCS Insight, Mobile, Apple, Garmin, Apple Watch, U.S, Vision, Samsung Electronics, Google, MWC Locations: South Korean, Paris, France, beyondthevalley@cnbc.com, There's, Finland, London

See more mortgage rates on Zillow Real Estate on ZillowMortgage CalculatorUse our free mortgage calculator to see how today's mortgage rates would impact your monthly payments. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesThe average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.78% last week, according to Freddie Mac. 15-Year Fixed Mortgage RatesLast week, average 15-year mortgage rates were 6.07%, a two-basis-point increase from the previous week, according to Freddie Mac data. Mortgage rates started ticking up from historic lows in the second half of 2021 and increased over three percentage points in 2022. Once the Fed cuts rates, mortgage rates should fall even further.

Persons: they've, you'll, Freddie Mac, it's Organizations: Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Zillow Locations: Chevron

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