Should Commodities Still Have a Place in Your Portfolio?
On this episode of Merryn Talks Money, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek address listener questions.
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CBS News
29 minutes ago
- CBS News
Here's how much an 18-month CD can earn now (and why it's still worth opening)
We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. An 18-month CD can still earn savers a substantial return, even in today's slightly lower interest rate climate. imageBROKER/Firn "What's the interest-earning potential?" That's the question savers are always asking themselves before putting their money into a specific account type. And the answer, in recent years, was often "substantial." Thanks to the highest inflation rate in decades and, thus, the highest interest rates in more than 20 years to combat it, savers were able to earn upwards of 5% on vehicles like high-yield savings and certificates of deposit (CD) accounts. The latter type, in particular, had rates upwards of 6% for some specific savers, making them an obvious way to grow and protect your money. But that was in 2023 and 2024. Towards the end of 2024, the Federal Reserve embarked on an interest rate cut campaign that impacted the returns savers were accustomed to with CDs. And that drop in interest-earning potential is likely to continue later this year as additional cuts are issued. That is, of course, unless savers act promptly to take advantage of today's still-elevated interest rate climate. One way to do so is with an 18-month CD, in particular. Before getting started, however, it's helpful to know the precise interest-earning potential of this CD term now, in early June 2025. Below, we'll do the math – and explain why this CD type is still worth opening now. See how much money you could be earning with a high-rate CD here now. Here's how much an 18-month CD can earn now To determine how much money you can earn with a CD you'll need three primary numbers: the interest rate, the term (or length) of the CD account before hitting maturity and the amount deposited. Using those figures, then, here's what savers could expect to earn with an 18-month CD if opened now, tied to a few different deposit amounts and readily available interest rates: $1,000 CD at 4.16%: $63.04 for a total of $1,063.64 afer 18 months $63.04 for a total of $1,063.64 afer 18 months $1,000 CD at 4.05%: $61.36 for a total of $1,061.36 after 18 months $61.36 for a total of $1,061.36 after 18 months $1,000 CD at 4.00%: $60.60 for a total of $1,060.60 after 18 months $5,000 CD at 4.16%: $315.22 for a total of $5,315.22 after 18 months $315.22 for a total of $5,315.22 after 18 months $5,000 CD at 4.05%: $306.81 for a total of $5,306.81 after 18 months $306.81 for a total of $5,306.81 after 18 months $5,000 CD at 4.00%: $302.98 for a total of $5,302.98 after 18 months $10,000 CD at 4.16%: $630.45 for a total of $10,630.45 after 18 months $630.45 for a total of $10,630.45 after 18 months $10,000 CD at 4.05%: $613.61 for a total of $10,613.61 after 18 months $613.61 for a total of $10,613.61 after 18 months $10,000 CD at 4.00%: $605.96 for a total of $10,605.96 after 18 months $20,000 CD at 4.16%: $1,260.89 for a total of $21,260.89 after 18 months $1,260.89 for a total of $21,260.89 after 18 months $20,000 CD at 4.05%: $1,227.22 for a total of $21,227.22 after 18 months $1,227.22 for a total of $21,227.22 after 18 months $20,000 CD at 4.00%: $1,211.92 for a total of $21,211.92 after 18 months Get started with a high-rate CD online today. Why an 18-month CD is still worth opening As illustrated above, savers can earn hundreds or even thousands of dollars with select 18-month CD accounts if opened now. And while that may be enough of a motivation to act promptly, it's not the only reason why an 18-month CD is worth opening now. Here are two others: Extended protection against market uncertainty: No one knows where the interest rate climate is heading this summer, or in the months after, let alone six months to a year from now. But with an 18-month CD, that's less of a concern as savers will secure extended protection against market uncertainty thanks to the fixed interest rate that CD accounts come with. And, by the time the account matures, you'll hopefully have a better idea of where the market stands. The alternatives are not as beneficial: High-yield savings accounts have comparable (but lower) interest rates than the top CD accounts do now. But high-yield savings account interest rates are variable, meaning that they'll decline alongside your interest earnings as the rate climate cools. Money market accounts have the same caveat, while traditional savings accounts have average rates under 0.50%. Compared to the 4%-plus that 18-month CDs come with, then, it becomes clear which is most advantageous for your money now. The bottom line With the potential to grow your money by hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars, the benefit of extended financial protection against market uncertainty and the unfortunate reality of low-rate alternatives, an 18-month CD could be the place to keep some of your money right now. Before getting started, however, be sure to calculate the exact amount you can comfortably part with for the full term to avoid having to pay any early withdrawal penalties or fees to regain access to your funds.
Yahoo
38 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who owns the news? It must not be a group of foreign powers
Who owns the news? Much of the Left has been obsessed with the issue for over a century. They have long railed against press barons and their supposed bias. So it is perhaps surprising that this Labour Government is taking such a lackadaisical approach to foreign states having substantial holdings in British newspapers. The last Conservative government back in December 2023 intervened to put on hold and scrutinise the proposed sale of The Telegraph to a company backed by Sheikh Mansour, the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. Columnists, including Charles Moore, The Telegraph's former editor, rightly argued that even if there was no actual interference in the newspaper's editorial line, there would be the perception that the paper would no longer be independent. This would fatally undermine the newspaper's standing by throwing away its reputation for fearless reporting, whatever the reality of the situation. The then government listened and last year, in the Digital, Media and Competitions Act, introduced a new regulatory regime to restrict foreign state ownership of newspapers and news magazines. But this Act only set out the broad principle, not the details of how it would be implemented. A total ban would come with its own problems. There would be little risk of editorial interference if, say, the sovereign wealth fund of Norway was a passive investor owning 3pc or 4pc in a UK-listed media company. During the consultations, it was proposed that a 5pc limit may be appropriate to allow for such holdings. Last month the new Government announced that the threshold would not be 5pc, but actually 15pc. I and many of my colleagues in the House of Lords have serious misgivings about this much higher limit, but it is one we can live with. However, there is another aspect of the draft regulations which is unacceptable. The 15pc threshold is not cumulative, it applies to each individual holding. This means that there would be nothing to stop multiple states each owning 15pc of a newspaper. It has been reported that after The Telegraph's proposed takeover by RedBird Capital, Sheikh Mansour intends to retain up to a 15pc stake in the newspaper. With the current proposals there would be nothing to stop, say, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain from each taking 15pc holdings. A cumulative 60pc of a British newspaper owned by foreign states is a very different proposition. The guarantees against foreign control would have evaporated. Has this potential scenario arisen as a result of an oversight by Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary? Alongside 50 of my fellow peers, I have written to Ms Nandy asking for clarification. Signatories include former chancellor Lord Lamont, former trade secretary Lord Lilley, long-time chairman of the 1922 committee Lord Brady, ex-director of public prosecutions Lord Macdonald and the current chairman of Ipso, the independent press regulator, Lord Faulks. Our fears could be easily assuaged by simply amending the proposed regulations to ensure that 15pc is a cap on total foreign ownership. If the move is deliberate, it raises serious questions about this Government's commitment to a free press. The statutory instrument implementing the Government's regulations has now been laid and will shortly come before both Houses of Parliament. If the proposals reach the Lords in their current form, I and many of my colleagues will not be able to support the measure. The Telegraph's ownership has been left in limbo for two years so far. It is time for the new regulatory framework to be put in place that will allow its smooth transfer to new owners. But this must be done in a way that entrenches the traditional freedoms of our press. The issues are much wider than the future of just one newspaper. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Daily Dividend Report: Verizon, World Kinect, Graco, T-Mobile, CRM
The Board of Directors at Verizon Communications today declared a quarterly dividend of 67.75 cents per outstanding share, unchanged from the previous quarter. The quarterly dividend is payable on August 1, 2025 to Verizon shareholders of record at the close of business on July 10, 2025. World Kinect announced today that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share, an increase of approximately 18% over its previous dividend of $0.17 per share. The dividend is payable on July 16, 2025, to shareholders of record on June 17, 2025. The Board of Directors of Graco has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 27.5 cents per common share, payable on August 6, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on July 21, 2025. The company has approximately 165.6 million shares outstanding. T-Mobile US announced today that the Company's Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.88 per share on its issued and outstanding shares of common stock. The dividend is payable on September 11, 2025 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 29, 2025. Salesforce, the world's #1 AI CRM, today announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.416 per share. The dividend is payable July 10, 2025 to shareholders of record on June 18, 2025. Other Top Dividends
