[ad_1] Investing.com – Investors should expect some moderation in growth in the in 2025 after two years of over 20% expansion in the benchmark index, according to BTIG analysts led by Jonathan Krinsky. Despite a somewhat dour ending to 2024, the main US indices all logged double-digit annual increases, with the S&P 500 in particular notching its best two-year performance since 1997-1998. Much of the optimism was bolstered by the Federal Reserve’s decision to beginning slashing interest rates down from multi-year highs. Policymakers have pointed with optimism to a waning in inflationary pressures since a peak in 2022, although some have…
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[ad_1] Mortgage rates have increased for three consecutive weeks and are now at their highest points since July 2024. According to Freddie Mac, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is up by six basis points to 6.91%, and the 15-year fixed rate has risen by 13 basis points to 6.13%. It could be good to wait until spring to buy a home — housing inventory usually goes up in spring, and mortgage interest rates could be lower by then. However, these perks often bring more competition and even higher prices along with them. If you want to have a calmer…
[ad_1] By Hyunjoo Jin SEOUL (Reuters) – The man central to blocking investigators from arresting South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol has come under the spotlight himself in the political crisis sparked by Yoon’s brief declaration of martial law last month. Park Chong-jun, who reports directly to Yoon, was instrumental in rebuffing the investigators’ attempt on Friday to serve an arrest warrant on Yoon, resulting in a six-hour standoff in Yoon’s official residence. Presidential guards and military troops prevented authorities from arresting Yoon for alleged insurrection on the warrant, which is valid through Monday. The anti-graft body that is…
[ad_1] The issuance of “panda bonds” – yuan-denominated debt securities from overseas institutions operating in China – hit a record high in 2024, bolstered by lower funding costs and heightened efforts from Beijing to expand use of the currency. Analysts expect even more growth this year, given the country’s need to shore up its economy and a long-term campaign to widen adoption of the yuan for international settlements. China saw 109 issuances of panda bonds last year at a volume of 194.8 billion yuan (US$26.7 billion) according to Wind, a Chinese financial data provider. This marked a 16 per cent…
[ad_1] Investing.com — January is shaping up to be a key month in US politics, with some key events on the horizon. In a note this week, TD Cowen pointed to four developments that are set to dominate headlines and potentially reshape policy directions. Trump’s Return to the Presidency On January 20, Donald Trump will officially begin his term as president. According to TD Cowen, “numerous executive orders” are expected on his first day, including one to freeze pending federal rulemakings. The bank believes these orders are unlikely to impact independent agencies like the Federal Reserve. Trump is also anticipated to…
[ad_1] KYIV (Reuters) – Russian forces continue to launch attacks near the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk in an effort to bypass it from the south and cut off supply routes to Ukraine’s troops, the Ukrainian military said on Saturday. The capture of the road and rail hub in the eastern Donetsk region could create serious difficulties for the Ukrainian army on the eastern front and also allow Russia to reinforce and advance its front line to the west. “The Pokrovsk direction remains the hottest and there the Russians attacked 34 times (in the past 24 hours) and tried to break…
[ad_1] The Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate three times in late 2024. As a result, deposit interest rates are falling from their historic highs. Still, it’s possible to find high-yield savings accounts paying above 4% APY. So, if you’re looking for the best rates available today, here’s a breakdown of where to find them. Although savings interest rates are elevated by historical standards, the national average rate for savings accounts is still just 0.42%, according to the FDIC. The good news: Top high-yield savings accounts offer more than 10 times the national average. As of January 3, 2025,…
[ad_1] Image source: Getty Images Share-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) aren’t just a brilliant tool to help investors diversify. The multitude of stocks they hold can also provide spectacular capital gains and a decent dividend income, depending on the type of fund that one chooses. Take the following growth-based ETFs, for instance. As the chart below shows, they’ve delivered eye-popping returns during the past five years. FundAverage annual returnInvesco EQQQ Nasdaq 100 ETF (LSE:EQQQ)20.5%iShares Edge MSCI World Quality Factor ETF (LSE:IWFQ)12.5%iShares Core EURO STOXX 50 (LSE:EUE)8.3% And if these ETFs deliver the same performance over the next five years, an investor…
[ad_1] Investors will head into a shortened trading week with a cloudy January outlook and a looming jobs report. Stocks are off to a mixed start in January, ending lower in a choppy first trading session but notching solid gains on Friday. On top of that, the “Santa Claus” rally, in which stocks rise in the final five trading days of one year and the first two of the next, has also failed to appear — a baleful omen to start 2025 after an unusual bout of weakness to cap off last year. Now investors are carefully watching to see…
[ad_1] SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean investigators again asked the country’s acting president on Saturday to order the presidential security service to comply with an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The security service, along with military troops, on Friday prevented prosecutors from arresting Yoon Suk Yeol in a six-hour standoff inside Yoon’s compound. The investigators secured the warrant to arrest Yoon over his brief declaration of martial law last month. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said on Saturday it had again asked acting President Choi Sang-mok, the nation’s finance minister, to order the presidential security…