It was an uneventful day for mortgage rates with the average lender holding right in line with last Friday’s levels. In this case, that’s a good thing. On the day before and/or after a 3-day weekend, rates tend to be more volatile than normal. That was certainly the case last Friday as the MND rate […]
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Calm Start Even if Modestly Weaker Tue, Feb 17 2026, 4:27 PM Calm Start Even if Modestly Weaker The day before and/or after a 3-day weekend is more volatile than the average weekend-adjacent trading day. Last Friday fit that bill but today could have been mistaken for a summertime Monday (despite being
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(Image credit: Getty Images) Question: I’m 62, married, and have spent my entire career diligently saving. Between maxing out my 401(k) and consistently funding my Health Savings Account (HSA), I’m confident we’ve hit our “number.” My kids are independent, and I’m ready to reclaim my time. However, my wife is hesitant; she wants me to
(Image credit: Getty Images) The January jobs report came in much higher than expected, alleviating fears of a sharp slowdown in the labor market. The data also strengthens the case for the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged for the foreseeable future; certainly through the remainder of Jerome Powell’s term as Fed chair, which
Job Growth Sizzled to Start the Year. Here’s Why It’s Unlikely to Impact Interest Rates Read More »
(Image credit: Getty Images) An extended rebound in tech stocks sent the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite notably higher to start the week. Price action for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was more muted, though the blue-chip index held its footing atop the psychologically significant 50,000 level. At the close, the S&P 500 was
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The past 2 weeks have seen very little volatility for mortgage rates. After being near 6% for a week in early January, rates rose abruptly to 6.21% (avg top tier 30yr fixed) on January 20th in response to geopolitical drama. They’ve generally descended since then, but in slow, measured steps. Today’s result was actually a
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(Image credit: Getty Images) If you plan to retire in the next year, the most important period of preparation is right now. When retirement shifts from a distant goal to an operational reality, time takes on a different meaning. Yet this is often when planning becomes unintentionally narrow, with attention focused almost exclusively on investment
Now Is the Time to Start Designing Your 2027 Retirement Read More »
Bonds were incidentally and inconsequentially stronger to start the overnight session, but began to see better gains after 7am ET. There were two notable bumps in volume after the 7:30am Challenger job cut data and the 8:30am Jobless Claims data. Of the two, the latter was much more clearly linked to gains. Challenger definitely got
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(Image credit: Getty Images) For many entrepreneurs and family business owners, selling a company represents the culmination of decades of effort. What often begins as a single idea grows into a highly concentrated asset that defines both net worth and personal identity. When the business is sold, that concentration turns into liquidity, creating both opportunities
Selling Your Business? Start Planning Two Years in Advance Read More »
Mostly Sideways to Start. Light Econ Calendar Bonds rallied modestly in the overnight session. There were no notable spikes in volume or volatility–just a gradual grind that took 10yr yields roughly 2bps lower by 8am ET. Volume picked up at the 8:20am CME open (as it usually does) and this time it brought
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