• February 20, 2025

US mortgage rates tick lower: What this means for homebuyers

US mortgage rates move lower this week, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage ticking down from 6.87% to 6.85% as reported by Freddie Mac. Yahoo Finance senior housing reporter Claire Boston joins Wealth host Brad Smith to talk more about the mortgage data and a Redfin report that may illustrate that homebuyers have more bargaining power now. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. This post was written by Luke Carberry Mogan.

  • February 19, 2025

Diversification will play role in driving global markets further

The bull market run in US equities (^GSPC, ^IXIC, ^DJI) continues, pushing the asset class to dominate global markets, with top companies worth more than all those in Asia combined. Citi Wealth chief investment strategist Steven Wieting joins Market Domination to note that this trend is driven by large, innovative firms. Though, he warns against taking this growth for granted, especially with the dollar (DX=F, DX-Y.NYB) at its second-highest level in history. "There are places where you just see some relatively dynamic growth and low expectations. Just think about low expectations," Wieting says, citing countries like Brazil's strong rebound despite facing recent challenges. Wieting also highlights broadening profit gains across sectors, such as healthcare (XLV) and mid-sized companies, as signs of diversified market performance in 2024 and beyond. For investors seeking balance, Wieting emphasizes that "diversification is the name of the game," noting that fixed-income (^TYX, ^TNX, ^FVX) assets offer competitive returns. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination here. This post was written by Josh Lynch

  • February 18, 2025

2 mistakes to avoid and 3 tips for first-time home buyers

As challenges persist in the US housing market, Rate.com senior vice president of lending Jennifer Beeston joins Wealth with Brad Smith to outline common mistakes the first-time homebuyer can make, while shining a spotlight on several homebuying tips. Beeston says the "two biggest mistakes" she sees first-time homebuyers make are jumping into house hunting without making a budget and "not vetting experts." She outlines three tips for first-time homebuyers after they have "gone through that pre-approval and they've picked their team." "First of all, avoid tech fatigue" from spending too much time on Realtor.com, Zillow (Z, ZG), and other sites. Her second tip is to "play detective" and "look for any potential problems." "Thirdly, get a homeowners insurance quote. The unfortunate reality of 2025 is that homeowners insurance across America has soared, and it can really make homeownership unaffordable. So we really want to make sure you're going to be in that range before you start shopping," she adds. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Wealth here. This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.