Finance
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Federal Reserve cuts key rate by sizable half-point, signaling end to its inflation fight
Sep 18, 2024 8:06 am - The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large half-point, a dramatic shift after more than two years of high rates helped tame inflation but that also made borrowing painfully expensive for American consumers.
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Will the Federal Reserve cut interest rates fast enough to deliver a ‘soft landing’?Sep 16, 2024 7:12 am - WASHINGTON — American consumers and homebuyers, business people and political leaders have been waiting for months for what the Federal Reserve is poised to announce this...
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Mortgage rates just fell again. Here’s what you need to know.
Sep 15, 2024 5:22 am - Mortgage rates fell on Thursday to their lowest level since April 2023 — 6.2% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, down from 6.35% a week before, according to Freddie Mac.That’s a sharp drop from the high of 7.8% recorded last October and welcome news for would-be home buyers who have been priced out of the property market, as well as homeowners who bought at high rates and are eager to refinance.
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US consumer watchdog finds that school lunch fees are taking a toll on parents
Sep 14, 2024 6:00 am - NEW YORK — Single mother Rebecca Wood was already dealing with high medical bills in 2020 when she noticed she was being charged a $2.49 “program fee” each time she loade...
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Student loan servicer Navient reaches $120 million settlement
Sep 12, 2024 4:06 pm - Navient, one of the nation’s largest student loan companies, will pay $120 million to resolve allegations that it misallocated payments, steered people into costly repaym...
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Midyear pit stop: How to rev up your company from good to better to bestSep 11, 2024 10:00 am - Midyear is the exact right time for businesses to make a pit stop. Pull over and consider what good business practices and strategies are for the remaining laps of the year. Also, pause to think about what better practices and strategies could be, and what best practices might look like.
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BBB investment scam reports reach three-year high. Here’s what to look forSep 10, 2024 11:00 am - Since 2020, investment scam reports to BBB Scam Tracker totaled more than 4,000, reaching a three-year high in 2023. Scammers blended aspects of various scams, including romance and cryptocurrency, to trick targets into handing over large sums of money.
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Edgy traders brace for potentially ‘pivotal’ Trump-Harris debate
Sep 10, 2024 8:14 am - Investors weighing election risks ahead of the first U.S. presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are already a lot mor...
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First credit cards can make or break you. Here’s what you need to know.
Sep 08, 2024 5:43 am - Newly minted credit-card users have reasons to be wary. Here’s what you need to know if you’re a student about to sign up for your first credit card.
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COVID-19 government disaster loans saved businesses, but saddled survivors with debt
Sep 06, 2024 3:09 pm - NEW YORK — In 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans were a lifeline for small businesses. But now some small businesses are having trouble paying them of...