Today’s News
FHFA boosts size of home loans that government can guarantee against default
The Federal Housing Finance Agency is increasing the size of home loans that the federal government can guarantee against default as it takes into account rising housing prices. Beginning next year, mortgage buyers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be able to acquire loans of up to $832,750 on single-family homes in most of the country, the agency announced last week. The new conforming loan limit is a 3.3 percent increase from its 2025 level. [...]
Future of the federal government’s health-care plan remains unsettled
WASHINGTON (AP) — A health-care proposal circulated by the White House last week is running into the reality of Republican divisions on the issue — a familiar struggle for a party that has been trying to scrap or overhaul the Affordable Care Act for the past 15 years. The tentative proposal from President Donald Trump would extend expiring ACA subsidies for two years while adjusting eligibility requirements for recipients. The plan has so far been [...]
Consumer confidence index falls in November
WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers were less confident in the economy in November in the aftermath of the federal government shutdown, weak hiring and stubborn inflation. The Conference Board last week said that its consumer confidence index dropped to 88.7 in November from an upwardly revised October reading of 95.5, the lowest reading since April, when President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs. The figures suggest that Americans are increasingly wary of high costs and sluggish job [...]
Environmental Protection Agency seeks to abandon rule for soot pollution
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is seeking to abandon a rule that sets standards for soot pollution, arguing that the Biden administration did not have authority to set the tighter standard on pollution from tailpipes, smokestacks and other industrial sources. The Environmental Protection Agency finalized a rule last year that imposed strict standards for soot pollution, saying that reducing fine particle matter from motor vehicles and industrial sources could prevent thousands of premature deaths [...]
New limits set for RealPage rent algorithm
Landlords no longer could rely on rent-pricing software to quietly track each other’s moves and push rents higher using confidential data under a settlement between RealPage Inc. and federal prosecutors to end what critics said was illegal “algorithmic collusion.” The deal announced by the Department of Justice follows a yearlong federal antitrust lawsuit, launched during the Biden administration, against the Texas-based software company. RealPage would not have to pay any damages or admit any wrongdoing. [...]
Applications for jobless claims down despite layoffs
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits declined in a sign that overall layoffs remain low, even as several high-profile companies have announced job cuts. Applications for unemployment benefits in the week ending Nov. 22 dropped 6,000 from the previous week to 216,000, the Labor Department reported. The figure is below the 230,000 forecast by economists, according to a survey by data provider FactSet. Applications for unemployment aid are seen as [...]
Added feature allows users to see true location of X accounts
They go by names such as @TRUMP—ARMY— or @MAGANationX, and their verified accounts proudly display portraits of President Donald Trump, voter rallies and American flags. They’re constantly posting about politics to their followers, sounding like diehard fans of the president. Yet after an update to the social media platform X, it’s now clear that the owners of these accounts, and many others, are located in regions such as South Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe. Elon [...]
Russian hackers target American engineering firm over Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hackers working for Russian intelligence recently attacked an American engineering company, investigators at an American cybersecurity company said, seemingly because that firm had worked for a United States municipality with a sister city in Ukraine. The findings reflect the evolving tools and tactics of Russia’s cyber war and demonstrate Moscow’s willingness to attack a growing list of targets, including governments, organizations and private companies that have supported Ukraine, even in a tenuous [...]
Shein faces EU scrutiny over child safety and illegal products
LONDON (AP) — European Union regulators are stepping up scrutiny of Shein’s safety measures after French authorities found illegal weapons and child-like sex dolls on the fast-fashion company’s website. The European Commission said last week it was using the 27-nation bloc’s digital rulebook to demand more information from the company on what it’s doing to protect children and to prevent illegal goods from showing up on its online marketplace. Shein has come under fire in [...]
Legal News
Meta prevails in historic FTC antitrust case
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Meta has prevailed over an existential challenge to its business that could have forced the tech giant to spin off Instagram [...]
Judge approves opioid settlement for Purdue Pharma and Sackler family members
A federal bankruptcy court judge earlier this week formally approved OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma’s plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the harms of opioids. [...]
Judge set to OK Purdue Pharma settlement deal
A judge last week said that he planned to approve a deal for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family who own [...]
Business News
Best Buy raises profit, sales expectations for current year
Best Buy raised its profit and sales expectations ahead of the holiday shopping season after a strong third quarter. Comparable-store sales at the nation’s largest [...]
Sinclair makes bid to buy out Cincinnati-based EW Scripps for $7 per share
NEW YORK (AP) — Sinclair has submitted a bid to buy out E.W. Scripps for $7 per share, in a deal that could bring further [...]
Boeing’s next Starliner flight to carry cargo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing and NASA have agreed to keep astronauts off the company’s next Starliner flight and instead perform a trial run [...]
Real Estate
Nicklaus to revamp golf course at Joint Base Andrews
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump says he’s enlisting the help of legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus to spruce up the courses at Joint Base Andrews, [...]
Mortgage rate rises for third straight week
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage edged higher for the third week in a row, though it remains close to its low point this [...]
Nationally, homes sales rose in October
Sales of previously occupied homes across the country increased last month to the fastest pace since February as lower mortgage rates helped pull more homebuyers [...]
Politics
Plan could limit access to some student loans in health care
WASHINGTON (AP) — A coalition of nursing and other health-care organizations are angry over a Trump administration plan that could limit access to student loans [...]
Trump signs order for AI project that’s designed to boost scientific discoveries
President Donald Trump is directing the federal government to combine efforts with tech companies and universities to convert government data into scientific discoveries, acting on [...]
Ohio high schools OK bylaw to allow NIL agreements
Ohio has become the 45th state to allow high school athletes to enter into name, image and likeness agreements. Member schools of the Ohio High [...]