Business

(NEW YORK) — Mortgage rates this week fell to their lowest level in 15 months, easing borrowing costs for homebuyers eager for a thaw in the housing market in 2026. The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage stands at 6.15%, plummeting from a level of 6.89% in May, data from financial services company Freddie Mac showed. Last […]

Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images (WASHINGTON) In the latest reversal of his signature economic policy, President Donald Trump is rolling back tariffs on furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities. Higher tariff rates on those goods that were set to take effect Jan. 1 will now be delayed for another year, according to a White House fact […]

(NEW YORK) — Holiday shopping season sets forth an annual gut check for the U.S. economy, prompting buyers to splurge in a show of optimism or cut back out of fear of what next year holds. In 2025, shoppers opened their wallets with gusto, though consumers appeared to favor low-cost options and discounts, according to spending data […]

(NEW YORK) — The stock market surged to record highs in 2025, hurtling past tariffs, a government shutdown and fears of a bubble in artificial intelligence. The S&P 500 — the index that most people’s 401(k)s track — climbed about 17% this year, as of Dec. 23. That performance marks a slight slowdown from two […]

(NEW YORK) — If you’re looking for a new set of wheels next year, the choices can be overwhelming. From 3-row SUVs to wagons and futuristic electric vehicles, buyers can select from a wide range of powertrains, prices and body styles. Which models are already generating excitement in the industry? ABC News spoke to several […]

(NEW YORK) — Silver prices on Monday suffered their largest single-day drop in almost five years, before rebounding nearly 8% in midday trading on Tuesday. Some other precious metals, including gold, rode a similar rollercoaster. The turbulent stretch comes near the end of a banner year for gold and silver, which rose far faster than […]

(NEW YORK) — Nearly 20 U.S. states are set to raise their minimum wage in 2026, boosting pay for millions of workers spanning from Arizona to New Jersey. A mix of Republican- and Democrat-controlled states will raise their wage floors on Jan. 1 in keeping with inflation-adjusted increases or as part of scheduled hikes that […]

Person shopping (Kinga Krzeminska/Getty Images) (NEW YORK) — The U.S. economy expanded more than economists expected over a recent three-month period, recording robust growth despite concerns about sluggish hiring and cash-strappped shoppers, federal government data on Tuesday showed. The U.S. economy grew at an annualized rate of 4.3% in the third quarter in the government’s […]

(NEW YORK) — Oil prices jumped about 3% after President Donald Trump this week threatened to blockade all sanctioned oil tankers traveling in and out of Venezuela. Venezuela, which has the largest known oil reserves in the world, exports hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil each day. The threatened blockade risks a reduction of […]

(WASHINGTON) — An inflation report to be released on Thursday will offer a look at price increases for the first time in nearly two months, after the 43-day government shutdown impaired data collection. The fresh data is set to arrive amid an uptick of inflation over recent months that has coincided with a flurry of […]