Latest news with #Rate
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Fortune Names Rate a ‘Best Mortgage Lender' of 2025
Recent honors from Fortune, NerdWallet, Forbes, and Motley Fool reflect Rate's momentum as a tech-forward, service-first home loan platform CHICAGO, May 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rate, a leading fintech company, has been named a 'Best Mortgage Lender' for May 2025 by Fortune, a distinction that highlights the company's customer-first approach, industry-leading technology, and commitment to making homeownership accessible for more Americans. Fortune gave Rate the Best Overall spot for its smooth online mortgage experience, citing its innovative digital tools and impressive array of loan options. With same-day approvals and closings in as little as 10 days, Fortune positions Rate as a strong choice for borrowers seeking an expedited mortgage process. Other leading industry voices are taking notice as well. Forbes recently named Rate the Best Mortgage Lender of 2025 for First-Time Homebuyers, and NerdWallet awarded Rate Best Lender rankings across multiple categories, including FHA Loans, Home Equity Loans, Lower Credit Scores, and more. Motley Fool further recognized Rate as a Best Mortgage Lender of 2025, highlighting the platform's digital experience and down payment assistance. Taken together, these accolades underscore Rate's ability to meet the needs of both first-time homebuyers and seasoned homeowners looking to refinance their present mortgage and/or leverage their equity. With a broad loan portfolio, the nation's top Loan Officers, and unrivaled technology, Rate offers tailored solutions for virtually any borrower, with more ways to say 'yes' built into every part of the process. A standout example is the Rate App, which simplifies financial management by offering mortgage approvals in a day, personal loan applications in five minutes, insurance savings, 24/7 communication with your Loan Officer, and more—all designed to help users achieve their financial goals. This wave of industry recognition is mirrored by the growing interest in Rate from top-performing Loan Officers across the country, many of whom are choosing to join the Rate team. It's a clear sign that Rate has become both a magnet for industry talent and a trusted partner for consumers navigating today's housing market. 'This broad recognition is a result of the work our team puts in every day to make homeownership more cost-effective, simpler, faster, and more attainable,' said Victor Ciardelli, Founder and CEO of Rate. 'We're proud to be building a platform where trust and technology go hand in hand—and grateful to our customers for choosing us.' The accolades add to a growing list of milestones for Rate, including: The launch of Rate Intelligence1, the company's AI-powered mortgage platform The debut of Home Search, giving buyers a unified home shopping and loan experience Surpassing2 10,000 digital mortgage applications in Spanish, underscoring Rate's reach among first-time and diverse homebuyers Rate Insurance being named one of the Top 100 P&C Agencies in the U.S. by Insurance Journal 'For Loan Officers, Rate has become the place where they can truly do their best work,' said Shant Banosian, President of Rate. 'We've built a platform that differentiates LOs from a speed, price, and service perspective so they can grow their business and deliver a superior customer experience.' These accolades cement Rate's leadership as a modern, all-in-one homebuying solution trusted by both new buyers and seasoned homeowners. About Rate Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include: Top 5 Mortgage Lender by Inside Mortgage Finance for 2024; Best Mortgage Lender for First-Time Homebuyers by NerdWallet for 2023; HousingWire's Tech100 award for the company's industry-leading FlashClose℠ digital mortgage platform in 2020, MyAccount in 2022, and Language Access Program in 2023; the most Scotsman Guide Top Originators for 11 consecutive years; Chicago Agent Magazine's Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces list for seven straight years. Visit for more information. Media Contact:press@ 1 - Rate Intelligence refers to automated documentation verification. Underwriting experts provide final mortgage approvals. 2 - All negotiations and Mortgage Loan Transaction Documents will be conducted and provided in English. We suggest that you work with an interpreter of your choice. You can find more information about the loan process in Spanish at: Operating as Guaranteed Rate, Inc. in New York. Guaranteed Rate, Inc. D/B/A Rate; NMLS #2611 For licensing information visit Subject to Approval. Conditions may apply. Guaranteed Rate, Inc. D/B/A Rate; NMLS #2611; 3940 N Ravenswood, Chicago, IL 60613; 866-934-7283. For licensing information visit Equal Housing Lender. Conditions may apply. • AZ: 14811 N. Kierland Blvd., Ste. 100, Scottsdale, AZ, 85254, Mortgage Banker License #0907078 • CA: Licensed by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act • CO: Regulated by the Division of Real Estate • GA: Residential Mortgage Licensee #20973 • MA: Mortgage Lender & Mortgage Broker License #MC2611 • ME: Supervised Lender License #SLM11302 • NH: Licensed by the New Hampshire Banking Department, Lic #13931-MB • NJ: Licensed by the N.J. Department of Banking and Insurance • NY: Licensed Mortgage Banker - NYS Department of Financial Services, 750 Lexington Ave. Suite 2010, New York, New York 10022 • OH: MB 804160 • OR: Licensed and Regulated by the Department of Consumer and Business Services • PA: Licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities • RI: Rhode Island Licensed Lender • WA: Consumer Loan Company License in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PG&E Proposal Will Power California's Growth and Resilience While Stabilizing Customer Bills
General Rate Case Proposes Smallest Percentage Increase in a Decade Residential Combined Bills Forecast to Be Lower in 2026, Flat in 2027 Compared to Today OAKLAND, Calif., May 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) proposed energy system improvements to drive California's economic growth and increase climate change resilience. The company submitted this proposal, its 2027-2030 General Rate Case (GRC), to California regulators. PG&E and the state's other investor-owned utilities are required to make multi-year cost proposals every four years. PG&E's application outlines a strategy to deliver customer bill stability while improving safety. PG&E is requesting its smallest GRC percentage increase in a decade, made possible in part by reducing costs and passing on savings to customers. Over the past three years, the company has implemented new processes and technologies, reducing operating and capital costs by about $2.5 billion. Based on current information, if the proposal is approved in full, PG&E expects total residential combined gas and electric bills in 2027 to be flat compared to 2025 bills. Additionally, if electric demand increases—as the California Energy Commission forecasts—bills could go down because the costs of operating the system would be shared by more customers. PG&E also forecasts no further electric rate increases in 2025, and projects that residential electric rates and average combined bills will be lower in 2026. That's because cost recovery currently in rates will expire and be removed from rates, helping to offset proposed increases including the 2027 GRC. "At PG&E, we want what you want—safe, reliable, clean and affordable energy for all. We are on a journey to transform PG&E and improve how we serve our customers at a lower cost," said PG&E Corporation CEO Patti Poppe. Stabilizing Bills Through 2030 If fully approved, total residential combined-use bills are expected to be flat in 2027 compared to current bills. Although PG&E's GRC proposal, in isolation, would increase bills by a maximum of 3.6% in 2027, total bills are expected to be flat. This is because other costs will come out of bills in 2026, including those related to the 2023 GRC, wildfire mitigation and storm recovery. PG&E's goal is to stabilize bills through 2030. Factors that could deliver additional customer savings, beyond the GRC proposal, include PG&E's $15 billion Department of Energy loan guarantee that could save customers $1 billion over the life of the loan, achieving a better credit rating which would lower future borrowing costs, and energy demand growth from electric vehicles and data centers. Bills for individual customers may vary based on where they live, energy used, rate plan, discount programs and other factors. Improving Service for Customers Among the ways PG&E's proposal would increase safety and reliability for customers: Deliver a more modern grid to meet expected historic growth in electricity demand from new homes, businesses, electric vehicles and AI-focused data centers. This includes preparing the grid to serve 3 million EVs by 2030 and ramping up to 20,000 new customer connections per year by 2030. Improve wildfire safety through proven layers of wildfire protection. This includes replacing 760 miles of powerlines with stronger poles and covered powerlines; placing 307 miles of powerlines underground in the highest fire-risk areas in 2027, reducing risk on those lines by 98%; installing an additional 114 weather stations for better forecasting and situational awareness; and improving tree trimming by bundling work to reduce costs and minimize impacts for customers. Increase clean energy delivery and system resilience to extreme weather impacts. This includes investing in lower-cost solar and battery energy storage to diversify and complement the grid's existing power plant fleet and protect customers from fuel cost volatility; installing more microgrids in remote areas to reduce wildfire risk and lower costs by removing powerlines and decreasing the need for maintenance; accelerating EV adoption to increase vehicle-to-grid capabilities so EVs can serve as mobile batteries during peak summer energy demand periods; and modernizing existing clean hydroelectric plants to improve safety and reliability, including spillway improvements. Strengthen the gas system to keep customers and communities safe and improve air quality. This includes replacing 164 miles of distribution pipeline and upgrading internal pipeline inspections processes to continue safe operations and extend the lifespan of pipelines; responding to more than 600,000 calls to locate and mark lines to reduce the likelihood of third-party pipeline dig-ins; and using advanced mobile leak detection technology to quickly find and fix gas leaks for safety and to reduce methane emissions. About the GRC Process The regulatory process allows for input from a variety of stakeholders and the public before the California Public Utilities Commission issues a final decision. Customer rates are not expected to change related to this proposal until January 2027 at the earliest. Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts, including statements about PG&E's beliefs, expectations, estimates, future plans, and strategies, including regarding customer bills, wildfire mitigation, and grid modernization. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions, which management believes are reasonable, and on information currently available to management, but are necessarily subject to various risks and uncertainties. In addition to the risk that these assumptions prove to be inaccurate, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements include factors disclosed in PG&E Corporation's and PG&E's joint Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, their most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available on PG&E Corporation's website at and on the SEC's website at PG&E Corporation and PG&E undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether due to new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law. About PG&EPacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than sixteen million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit and View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company
RTÉ News
15-05-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Navy celebrates new wave of sailors at Passing Out parade
The Irish Naval Service celebrated the graduation of its latest crop of Able Rate sailors at a special Passing Out parade at the service's Haulbowline headquarters in Cork harbour. Commodore Michael Malone said the 20 newly qualified sailors reflected the regeneration of the country's naval service which has witnessed a major fall-off in numbers in recent years. Citing improved pay and conditions, Commodore Malone said there are 30 others in training, and another 60 set to be inducted into the Navy over the coming summer. "We've big numbers coming into the Navy for the regeneration and obviously the ultimate hope is to get them all to sea and bring more vessels to do the work that we do, which is extremely essential at sea," he said. The twenty students, aged between 19 and 34 years, hail from across the country and overseas including from Scotland, the Netherlands, Poland and Bulgaria. "There's just certain benefits over here appeal to me and also, I have Irish heritage as well, so that would make me proud to serve my country over here as well," said Able Rate Conor McConway, who is originally from Glasgow. While Able Rate Adam Chruslak, who is originally from Poland but grew up in Dungarvan, said the Navy is now his family. "Training [was] tough, 24 weeks, but we all got through it, and I'd say this is my family for the rest of my life." The students also come from a variety of backgrounds including cheffing, technical theatre, secondary teacher, metal fabrication and oyster farmer. "I was originally working in films and theatre, and I did a lot of rigging and hauling and stuff and it interested me," Able Rate Sean Cassidy said. He added: "I was freelancing, and I wasn't getting a lot of work, and I thought this is a good, good career. "It'll keep me fit, it will keep me fed, keep me watered and keep me on the straight and narrow, and it has so I'm very happy to be here." Twenty-five year old Able Rate Lee McDonagh, from Crumlin in Dublin was awarded Best Overall Student. An awarding winning chef, he said his training in top ranking restaurants, where kitchens are organised in brigades, prepared him well for the demands of the Ordinary to Able Rate training course. "Similar enough like the brigade system of kitchens, it's very similar. It's actually based off of the military. So, I would say it did help me," he said. His grandmother Evelyn, and parents Gavin and Sorcha, were among the dozens of family members and friends of the Class Alpha 2025 who attended the ceremony. Having enlisted in the service last Autumn, the Able Rates have now completed 12 weeks of intensive training including sea survival skills, damage control, marine firefighting, ship familiarisation and ship protection skills. Following the ceremony, they will commence further specialised training including Seamanship/Gunnery, Mechanical/Engineering and Logistics, before being posted to the fleet as Able Rates. "Ah, sure look, we were told that when you first go out to the ship, it'll be a bit awkward at first, but you'll find your sea legs eventually," Able Rate Colm McMahon Doran said.
Phone Arena
15-05-2025
- Phone Arena
Huawei Watch 5 review: a health and fitness powerhouse
The Huawei Watch 5 is Huawei's most advanced smartwatch to date, introducing significant improvements in health monitoring, build quality, and user interface. It continues the legacy of blending futuristic technology with style, and this time around, it adds some industry-first features that elevate the smartwatch experience even further. X-TAP multi-sensing technology - Combines ECG, fingertip PPG (photoplethysmography), and pressure sensors for advanced health readings and interaction. - Combines ECG, fingertip PPG (photoplethysmography), and pressure sensors for advanced health readings and interaction. Real-time fingertip SpO2 - Industry-first continuous oxygen monitoring via fingertip for improved precision. - Industry-first continuous oxygen monitoring via fingertip for improved precision. Health glance & HRV - One-tap mini health check now includes Heart Rate Variability and emotional stress tracking. - One-tap mini health check now includes Heart Rate Variability and emotional stress tracking. Gesture control - Perform actions like answering calls with simple hand gestures. - Perform actions like answering calls with simple hand gestures. Aerospace-grade titanium model - Stronger, lighter materials with rare color options like Chromatic Purple. Huawei Watch 5 - image by PhoneArena For the first time ever, the Huawei Watch 5 comes in distinct male and female designs (which come in fitting 46mm and 42mm sizes, respectively) and various finishes, including aerospace-grade titanium and 904L stainless steel. As usual for Huawei's high-end watch, it has eSIM support built in. Of course, it is compatible with both Android and iOS, but this time it comes with Huawei's latest Harmony OS Next platform (launching with version 5.1). Depending on the model, it offers up to 11 days of battery life (in battery saver mode). Huawei Watch 5 models For this review, I'm testing the 46mm version in black stainless steel case, coupled with the black silicone strap, which is very convenient. I briefly tried the silver titanium model, which, to me, is the ultimate looker, but the band immediately started pulling on my wrist hairs (painful stuff!), so I decided to switch to the black silicone model instead. Pricing varies by model, with the base stainless steel editions starting around £399 (around $530) and titanium versions climbing higher. This positions it close to the Apple Watch Series 10 , but with way longer battery life and and minus the apps Huawei Watch 5 - image by PhoneArena The Huawei Watch 5 stands out with its aerospace-grade titanium body and refined, seamless design that wraps ergonomically around the wrist. It's lightweight, durable, and available in elegant colorways like silver and purple. I'm personally using the black, 316L stainless steel case model, and I can find nothing wrong with it. The female options at 42mm are also dramatically stylish. While the Watch GT5 goes for a more mainstream (yet bad-ass) look, the Watch 5 differentiates itself with a decidedly futuristic style. The improved 1.5-inch LTPO AMOLED display is brighter than before and with even thinner bezels, reaching the impressive 3000 nits. It remains readable in direct sunlight and, it moves mostly smoothly, thanks to its adaptive refresh rate. I say "mostly," because I do have a small performance consideration, but more on that in a bit. The Huawei Watch 5's bands are made of different materials, ranging from fluoroelastomer to leather, metal, and woven hybrids. They're easily swappable, and strap quality feels high-end across the board. The bands that come with the Watch 5 have a special design that makes them look as a seamless whole with the case, but you can replace them with standard 22mm bands as well, which is always an enormous benefit. Powered by the latest Harmony OS Next platform, the Huawei Watch 5 includes all the standard smart features like call notifications, music controls, calendar alerts, weather, camera remote control, etc. It also supports app downloads, though the current library seems very limited. A big highlight is the addition of gesture controls. With simple finger gestures like double tap and slide, users can answer calls or dismiss alarms without touching the screen. This sounds like a useful feature, but it's only available with a handful of apps right now, so it doesn't feel like an enormous quality-of-life enhancer. Maybe if Huawei can integrate it more widely across the system, then it could have a real impact. Unfortunately, contactless payments still don't work outside of China. While Huawei has set up a bit of a workaround for its phones, where users outside China can make NFC paymants using Curve (as long as they have internet access), this solution still doesn't work with its watches. The Harmony OS Next software running on the Huawei Watch 5 is Beautiful (capital B on purpose). All graphics and animations are extremely rich, detailed and eye-pleasing. I'm sure the wonderful display quality has a lot to do with it. However, when running in standard mode (not battery saver), I can see a few frames being dropped here and there. The Watch 5 doesn't seem to run perfectly smoothly all the time. Don't get me wrong – it's not slow or irritating, it's just that you can see it could use a bit more horsepower to move all the pixels perfectly smoothly. If you switch over to the power saver mode (which disables some advanced features – most notably eSIM, X-TAP and Wi-Fi, but keeps most standard smart features), the watch flies. The user interface isn't all that simplified in power saver mode, except for some translucency effects and maybe one or two other eye-candies, so the slight hiccups in standard mode are probably solvable through some optimization. But boy, does that UI look gorgeous: the watchfaces, the widgets, menu items... everything! The Watch 5 offers over 100 sport modes, enhanced GPS with offline maps, and continuous health tracking. The headline feature is the X-TAP system, which unlocks fingertip-based SpO2 monitoring, ECG, and even a mini health check (Health Glance) that evaluates 11 body metrics in about a minute. It's a really cool feature with great user experience. You just need to slightly press on the X-TAP sensor, which sits between the two buttons on the right hand side of the case, and your mini health check initiates in a couple seconds. For about 60 seconds, you'll be required to keep your finger on the X-TAP sensor, then let go of it for a few seconds, and finally cough 2-3 times into the watch. After a brief second, you get a convincing health report that encompasses 9 key metrics: Heart rate HRV SpO2 Skin temperature Stress level ECG Arterial stiffness Respiratory check Sleep breathing awareness (obviously, aquired via sleep tracking and not part of the 60-second check-up) Speaking of sleep tracking, it includes loads of useful data, such as respiratory evaluation, stress levels, resting heart rate, and detailed sleep stage reporting. The new HRV (Heart Rate Variability) and emotion monitoring offer a deeper look into your overall wellness. From my walks and running session with the Huawei Watch 5, GPS accuracy appears to be spot-on, thanks to Huawei's Sunflower system. Huawei Watch 5 - image by PhoneArena Battery life ranges from 3 to 11 days depending on model and usage. With the 46mm Watch 5 in standard mode, you can officially get up to 4.5 days. Even though I didn't have an eSIM set up, I think just having this funcitonality there still took its toll on the battery. After enabling airplane mode (which still allowed my to keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on), I think I managed to extend the Watch 5's battery by another 2 days or so, which makes for a much more respectable longevity. The power saver mode is a legitimate option if you want an 11-day smartwatch that still acts like a smartwatch, but you'll sacrifice eSIM and X-TAP, among other, less important features. The 42mm Watch 5 model holds up a bit less charge. It can go for about 3 days (or maybe up to about 5 days if you enable airplane mode), or up to about 7 days in battery saver. While the Watch 5 can't quite match the GT 5 for sheer longevity, it still balances power and advanced features better than nearly every other flagship smartwatch on the market. The built-in eSIM support allows for truly standalone calling and navigation with the Huawei Watch 5. There are two eSIM modes you can take advantage of: one is to use the same number on both your phone and the watch, or use a standalone number on the watch. Be sure to confirm if your carrier supports the eSIM service before you make a purchase decision. The Watch 5 is a perfectly legitimate device to make and receive calls on – the speaker is loud enough and clear enough, while callers didn't report any issues hearing me, as long as I didn't keep the watch at too much of a distance. Notifications, alarms, and haptic feedback on the Watch 5 are pretty good. You have granular control on what notifications come through to the Watch 5, which is a must. The Watch 5's biggest rivals include the Apple Watch Series 10 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. Both offer real app ecosystems, but fall way short in battery life. On the other hand, the Huawei Watch 5 stands out with its thorough health and fitness tracking, good data presentation, unique, premium design, beautiful UI, and its built-in ability to function fully without a paired phone. Huawei Watch 5 - image by PhoneArena The Huawei Watch 5 is one of the most health-focused and premium smartwatches on the market. It doesn't match Apple or Wear OS watches in app richness, but it surpasses both in battery life, design variety, and unique wellness tools. The fingertip blood oxygen readings and HRV data are especially helpful for those with health concerns or athletes training at elevation. The price? The Watch 5 starts at about £399 (translates roughly to $530), which isn't exactly cheap, but this is meant to be a feature-rich, top-tier smartwatch, and for the most part, I think it manages to clear that bar. If you're looking for an advanced smartwatch that goes beyond notifications and steps – one that genuinely aims to help you understand and manage your health – the Huawei Watch 5 is absolutely worth a look.
Business Recorder
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
SBP revises O/N repo, reverse repo rates
KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Monday announced new rates for overnight Repo and Reverse Repo Facilities as Policy Rate (Target Rate) has decreased from 12 percent to 11 percent. With effective from May 6th, 2025, SBP Overnight Reverse Repo (Ceiling) rate will be at 12 percent; ie, 100 bps above the SBP Policy Rate. While, the SBP Overnight Repo (Floor) rate will be at 10 percent; i.e., 100 bps below the SBP Policy Rate Accordingly, the Floor and Ceiling levels for the Interest Rate Corridor are 10 percent and 12 percent p.a.; respectively (i.e., width of 200bps). SBP will continue to ensure that the money market overnight rate remains close to the SBP Policy Rate (Target Rate). Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
