Banks increasing their acquisitions According to a Bloomberg report, the resurgence in acquisitions comes amid a rise in deposits, prompting banks to seek avenues to deploy this influx of capital. With traditional lending options constrained due to subdued loan demand and increased defaults resulting from two years of interest rate hikes, banks are turning to … [Read more…]
The peer-to-peer payment network Zelle offers free and almost instant transfers between bank accounts at different U.S. banking institutions. Launched in 2017, Zelle’s network has grown to include more than 2,000 participating banks and credit unions. Many, but not all, bank customers can find Zelle featured in their bank’s mobile app.
Using a bank that offers Zelle in its app has perks: There’s no extra app to download, and your bank may have higher transfer amount limits than what Zelle’s app allows.
Skip down to our lists to see if your bank uses Zelle.
Quick facts about Zelle
Zelle is primarily used to send, request or receive funds with friends and others you trust.
Zelle transfers can be delivered within minutes and generally are free.
Customers at banks, credit unions or neobanks that don’t offer Zelle can access Zelle’s standalone app, though transfer amount limits may differ.
SoFi Checking and Savings
Min. balance for APY
$0
CIT Bank Platinum Savings
Min. balance for APY
$5,000
BMO Alto Online Savings Account
Min. balance for APY
$0
Frequently asked questions
Are Zelle transfers free to send and receive?
Typically, yes. More than 99% of checking accounts linked to Zelle don’t charge a fee, according to a 2023 Zelle survey of financial institutions that offer Zelle.
How much can I send or receive through Zelle at a non-participating bank?
If your bank doesn’t offer Zelle, you can send up to $500 weekly and receive up to $5,000 in Zelle’s app. There’s no ability to request different limits. You can have higher limits at a bank in Zelle’s network, though it’s up to the bank.
What are some notable banks and credit unions that don’t use Zelle directly?
Some notable financial institutions that NerdWallet has reviewed and that don’t participate directly in the Zelle network include Alliant Credit Union, American Express, Barclays, Connexus Credit Union, LendingClub Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, SoFi and Synchrony Bank. In addition, nonbank fintech apps (or neobanks) such as Chime, Current and Greenwood aren’t in Zelle’s network.
Can the sender and recipient be at banks where neither offers Zelle?
No. Unfortunately, either the sender or recipient must belong to a bank or credit union that offers Zelle for a transfer to work. The person who doesn’t have Zelle directly can download the Zelle app and enroll with a Visa or Mastercard debit card.
What are transfer services like Zelle?
Peer-to-peer transfer apps such as Venmo and Cash App have the same ability as Zelle to transfer money fast to friends and family for free. However, unlike Zelle, they put any money you receive into an in-app balance. The process to withdraw money to a linked bank account is free but usually takes several days, or you can withdraw within minutes for a fee. Learn more about peer-to-peer payment services.
In addition, banks and credit unions are gradually adopting FedNow, a new real-time transfer service run by the Federal Reserve.
Who owns Zelle?
Zelle is owned by Early Warning Services, a financial tech firm and consumer reporting agency that is co-owned by seven of the largest U.S. banks: Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, PNC, Truist, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.
Is Zelle safe?
Zelle’s parent company has said that more than 99.9% of payments sent don’t have reports of fraud or scam, according to a 2022 press release. However, there is still a chance you can be contacted by fraudsters who ask you to send money via Zelle.
Unlike credit card and debit card purchases, a Zelle transfer can’t be canceled or reversed once someone receives it, which is also the standard practice for wire transfers and transfers on a real-time network such as FedNow and RTP. Zelle provides customer support and potential reimbursement in cases when people get scammed.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Nearly instant transfers between your accounts: When you enroll two accounts at two different banks with Zelle, you can transfer money between banks faster than typical ACH transfers. Standard bank-to-bank transfers can still take multiple days.
12 online banks that use Zelle
We considered online banks with strong account offerings that participate in Zelle’s network. Click each bank name to read our review:
17 traditional banks that use Zelle
We considered the largest U.S. banks as well as various regional banks that we’ve reviewed. Click each bank name to read our review.
12 credit unions that use Zelle
We considered credit unions we’ve reviewed and that stand out due to their size or services. Some credit unions have geographic or other membership restrictions. Click each credit union name to read our review:
Don’t see your bank or credit union? See the full list of financial institutions in Zelle’s network on Zelle’s website.
Did you know…
Zelle transfers are not wire transfers, which use a separate network. Both can provide funds delivery within minutes, but wires tend to have high fees and are intended for large amounts, such as a home purchase. Zelle transfers are typically free and can be for various reasons and amounts (up to a limit).
Bear Stearns reported a larger-than-expected writedown in its mortgage portfolio, leading its first quarterly loss in its 84-year history.
The nation’s fifth-largest investment bank, who is also a mortgage lender, took a $1.9 billion writedown in the quarter ended November 30, significantly larger than its earlier estimate in November of $1.2 billion.
“The continued repricing of credit risk and the severe dislocation in the structured products market led to illiquidity in the fixed-income markets, lower levels of client activity across the fixed-income sector and a significant revaluation of mortgage inventory,” Bear Stearns said in the earnings release.
The fiscal fourth-quarter loss after preferred dividends was $859 million, or $6.90 per share, compared to a profit of $558 million, or $4 per share, a year ago.
The company reported negative net revenue of $379 million, compared to revenue of $2.41 billion a year earlier.
It’s likely 2007 is a year Bear Stearns would prefer to soon forget, as profit during the year fell 90 percent from the year-ago period to a meager $212 million.
“We are obviously upset with our 2007 results, particularly in light of the fact that weakness in fixed income more than offset strong and, in some areas, record-setting performance in other businesses,” Chief Executive Jimmy Cayne said in a statement.
Chief Financial Officer Sam Molinaro said during a conference call with analysts that the company cut 1,400 jobs, or about 9 percent of its workforce during the quarter amid ongoing turmoil in the credit markets.
The firm incurred $100 million in severance costs as a result of the layoffs, but they will offset operating costs by more than $250 million, helping to boost profitability in 2008, Molinaro added.
Earlier this week, Bear Stearns cut another 150 jobs as it shut down its loan production operations in Irvine, CA.
The company is also being sued by Barclays, who claims Bear Stearns hid negative information about the performance of two subprime hedge funds the English bank had invested in.
Shares of Bear were down 16 cents, or 0.18%, to $90.44 in late morning trading on Wall Street, just narrowly above their 52-week low of $89.55.
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Barclays and Santander have announced cuts to their mortgage rates, adding to momentum for cheaper UK home loan deals after HSBC and Halifax reduced rates last week.
Santander led its announcement with a sub-4 per cent deal available to new and existing customers with a deposit of at least 40 per cent on a five-year fixed rate mortgage. It said its residential fixed rates would fall by up to 0.82 percentage points from Wednesday.
Barclays will from Wednesday offer a two-year fix at 4.17 per cent, down from 4.62 per cent, for borrowers with a 40 per cent deposit. Its rates will fall by up to 0.5 percentage points across its residential range, and it will offer those with a smaller 25 per cent deposit a two-year rate of 4.2 per cent, down from 4.7 per cent.
The Co-operative Bank slashed rates on Tuesday by more than one percentage point for some deals. Existing customers looking to remortgage can now access a two-year fix starting from 3.85 per cent, while five-year deals start at 3.74 per cent. For new customers the equivalent rates are 4.22 per cent and 3.84 per cent respectively.
The changes follow rate cuts announced last week by HSBC, Halifax and Leeds Building Society across their residential ranges.
Mortgage rates have been falling for several weeks as competition between lenders intensifies. The latest cuts follow a drop in market swap rates in December, after investors predicted a quickening pace of falls in inflation and Bank of England interest rates over the coming year. Lenders use swap rates to guide their pricing of fixed-rate mortgages.
Adrian Anderson, director at broker Anderson Harris, said: “The market is predicting that the base rate might come down quicker than the Bank of England is suggesting . . . Over the short term, I think we’re going to continue to see a reduction in fixed-term pricing from lenders.”
Two clients called him last week to discuss remortgaging temporarily to a variable rate deal in the expectation they could lock in to a lower fixed rate later. But on seeing the higher rates on variable deals, they demurred.
“A lot of people last year took variable trackers in the hope that fixed rates will start to come down and now they have,” Anderson said. “So I do think we’re at that point where it could be the time to switch from tracker margin to a fixed rate. The fix is so much cheaper than variables.”
Mortgage rates may have fallen in recent weeks, but they remain well above the levels on offer before the “mini” Budget of September 2022. Average two-year fixed rates are currently 5.81 per cent, down from a high of 6.86 per cent last summer, according to finance site Moneyfacts, but were at 4.7 per cent on the eve of the “mini” Budget.
Aaron Strutt, a director at broker Trinity Finance, said one factor behind the rate cuts was the falling cost of funding mortgages for banks and building societies, as indicated by swap rates. “The lenders know the only way to get the markets moving again and to boost some of the low lending figures they had last year is to issue cheaper rates,” he said.
The fall in swap rates since December — with two-year rates running at about 4.2 per cent — has opened up an unusual gap with the Bank of England base rate of 5.25 per cent. This is a sign of the extent to which investors expect base rates to fall over the coming years.
With swap rates so far out of kilter with the base rate, though, some brokers questioned how long swaps would continue to decline — and alongside them, mortgage interest rates. Anderson said: “The Bank of England is potentially not going to start reducing base rates until the spring.”
Chris Sykes, technical director at mortgage broker Private Finance, said a number of lenders had yet to reduce rates, so there were likely to be further cuts, though these were unlikely to be “dramatic”. He added that some rates offered in the latest round of cuts were below the relevant swap rate, a highly unusual position for lenders to be in. “This is very rare, so we don’t expect these rates to be around for long.”
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Federal Reserve left its key short-term interest rate unchanged again Wednesday, hinted that rate hikes are likely over and forecast three cuts next year amid falling inflation and a cooling economy.
That’s more rate cuts than many economists expected.
The decision leaves the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate at a 22-year high of 5.25% to 5.5% following a flurry of rate increases aimed at subduing the nation’s sharpest inflation spike in four decades. The central bank has now held its key rate steady for three straight meetings since July.
That provides another reprieve for consumers who have faced higher borrowing costs for credit cards, adjustable-rate mortgages and other loans as a result of the Fed’s moves. Yet Americans, especially seniors, are finally reaping healthy bank savings yields after years of paltry returns.
Best high-yield savings accounts of 2023
401(k) boon:Stocks surge, Dow Jones hits all-time high at close after Fed forecasts lower rates
Leaving savings behind:Many Americans are missing out on high-interest savings accounts. Don’t be one of them
Is a soft landing in sight? What the Fed funds rate and mortgage rates are hinting at
Will the Fed raise interest rates again?
The central bank didn’t rule out another rate increase as it downgraded its economic outlook for next year while lowering its inflation forecast. In a statement after a two-day meeting, it repeated that it would assess the economy and financial developments, among other factors, to determine “the extent of any additional (rate hikes) that may be appropriate to return inflation to 2% over time.”
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a news conference, noting the Fed’s key rate is “at or near its peak.”
while the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high after rising 1.4% following the Fed’s signals that it’s probably done lifting rates and is forecasting three cuts next year. The 10-year Treasury was down to about 4% from 4.21% on Tuesday.
Last month, Powell said high Treasury yields, if persistent, likely would constrain the economy and require fewer Fed rate increases,
In its statement Wednesday, however, the central bank didn’t acknowledge the recent decline in Treasury yields, suggesting yields are still relatively high and could spike again, crimping the economy.
“Tighter financial and credit conditions for households and businesses are likely to weigh on economic activity, hiring and inflation,” the Fed said, repeating the language of its previous statement.
Is inflation really slowing down?
The Fed’s middle-ground approach may have been cemented Tuesday by a mixed report on the consumer price index. The good news was that overall inflation barely budged in November amid falling gasoline prices, pushing down annual price gains to 3.1% from 3.2%, still well above the Fed’s 2% goal.
The Federal Reserve System is the U.S.’s central bank.
When does the Fed meet again?
The first Federal Reserve meeting of the new year will be from Jan. 30 through 31.
Federal reserve calendar
Jan. 30-31
March 19-20
April 30- May 1
June 11-12
July 30-31
Sept. 17-18
Nov. 6-7
Dec. 17-18
The U.S. economy was strong in the third quarter as consumers continued to spend despite high interest rates and inflation.
The value of all services and products generated in the U.S., or GDP, rose at a seasonally adjusted 4.9% for the year in the months spanning July to September, according to the Commerce Department. That was more than twice the 2.1% increase in the previous quarter and the most aggressive pace of growth since the end of 2021 when the economy surged back from a recession sparked by the pandemic.
a recession over the next year, down from the 61% odds forecast in May.
Barclays predicted a loss of roughly 375,000 jobs by the middle of next year. But consumer spending remains robust despite high inflation and interest rates that are making credit card use and consumer loans more expensive. And that may help stave off a recession, says Barclays economist Jonathan Millar.
What does FOMC stand for?
The FOMC is the Federal Open Market Committee, the voting body responsible for setting interest rates. The 12-member committee includes seven members of the Board of Governors and five of the 12 Reserve Bank presidents.
What causes inflation?
Inflation can have many roots. Typically, it’s caused by “a macroeconomic excess of spending over the economy’s relative ability to produce goods and services,” said Josh Bivens, the director of research at the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank based in Washington D.C.
That means more people are wanting items and services than there is adequate supply, leading producers to raise prices.
“If everyone in the economy, tomorrow, decided they weren’t going to save any money from their paychecks, and they’re just going to spend every last dollar out of the blue, they would all run to the stores and try to buy things,” Bivens said. “But, producers haven’t produced enough to accommodate that big surge of across-the-board spending. So, you would see prices bid up.”
Inflation can also happen when there are too few producers, or there aren’t enough employees to provide the coveted products and services, Bivens said.
Finally, economies also have some “built-in inflation” to help keep inflation in check. In the U.S., that target is 2%, meaning businesses can raise prices 2% annually year and that shouldn’t overburden consumers. That’s also the typical cost of living raise offered by employers.
Inflation meaning
Inflation is the term for a “generalized rise in prices,” according to Josh Bivens, head of research at the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank based in Washington D.C.
Everything from food to rent can become costlier due to inflation. But it is the overall impact that determines what the inflation rate actually is.
“Inflation, though, really is meant to only refer to all goods and services, together, rising in price by some common amount,” Bivens said. The Federal Reserve’s inflation goal is 2%, which means businesses can hike prices by 2% a year and that shouldn’t cause consumers financial distress. Cost of living increases to workers’ pay are also expected to meet that target to ensure consumers can adequately deal with the rising costs of goods and services.
What is CPI?
In November, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) ‒ a measure of the average shift in prices for different products and services ‒ was 3.1%, down slightly from the month before.
Annual inflation is down dramatically from the 9.1% in June 2022 that marked a 40-year high but remains above the 2% target the Fed sees as the level that signals the rate of price increases is under control.
Why is CPI important?
The Federal Reserve watches two key aspects of the economy, price stability and maximum employment, and those are the main factors it takes into account for its interest rate decisions. The CPI is a primary measure the Fed looks at to help determine if prices are “stable.’’
What is the difference between CPI and core CPI?
Core prices don’t count the volatile costs of food and energy items, giving a more accurate window into longer-term trends.
Are wages going up in 2024?
If you’re deemed a top performer at a company that is offering raises, you’ve got a pretty good chance of getting a pay boost next year.
About 3 out of four business leaders told ResumeBuilder.com they intended to give raises. But half of those company executives said only 50% or less of their staff members would see a pay hike, and 82% of the raises would hinge on performance. For those who do manage to get the salary boost, 79% of employers said the pay hikes would be greater than those given in recent years.
Are U.S. Treasury yields rising?
Not recently.
The 10-year Treasury yield was above 5% in November when the Fed kept rates steady for the second consecutive month the first time it had left the key rate unchanged two months in a row in almost two years.
That led to mortgage rates spiking to almost 8% and pushed up other borrowing costs for consumers and businesses. Stocks meanwhile sank close to a recent low, leading Fed Chair Jerome Powell to say such financial pressures could achieve the same cooling effect on the economy as additional rate hikes.
But in the following weeks, 10-year Treasury yields dipped to 4.2% and stocks rebounded. That might make the Fed resist rate cuts in case the economy heats up and causes the broader dip in prices “to stall at an uncomfortably elevated level,” Barclays says.
Barclays and Goldman Sachs forecast that rate cuts won’t happen until the spring, and that there will be only two, to a range of 4.75% to 5%, with more cuts implemented in the next two years.
When will inflation go back to normal?
It may take a little while.
Inflation’s decline likely “won’t show much progress in coming months,” Barclays wrote in a research note.
Overall price hikes have eased significantly since peaking at 9.1% in June 2022, a four-decade high. And in October, broader inflation as well as core prices experienced a dip, leading to a lower 10-year Treasury yield.
But core prices, which exclude the volatile costs of food and energy, will probably rise 0.3% each of the next three months, Goldman Sachs says. Used cars and furniture have been getting cheaper as the supply-chain shortages of the pandemic end. Meanwhile, health care, auto repairs, car insurance and rent continue to get more expensive, as employers pay higher wages to attract workers amid a labor shortage lingering from the global health crisis.
What is core inflation right now?
Core prices, which leave out the more volatile costs of food and energy, bumped up 0.3% in November, slightly more than the 0.2% uptick seen the previous month. That kept the yearly increase at 4%, the lowest rate since September 2021.
New inflation tax brackets
Inflation may also impact the amount of taxes you have to pay.
The Internal Revenue Service said in its annual inflation adjustments report that there will be a 5.4% bump in income thresholds to reach each new level in next year’s tax season.
In 2024, the lowest rate of 10% will apply to individuals with taxable income up to $11,600 and joint filers up to $23,200. The top rate of 37% will apply to individuals earning over $609,350, and married couples filing jointly who make at least $731,200 a year.
The IRS makes these adjustments annually, using a formula based on the consumer price index to account for inflation and stave off “bracket creep,” which happens when inflation shifts taxpayers into a higher bracket though they’re not seeing any real rise in pay or purchasing power.
The 2024/25 increase is less than last year’s 7% increase, but much more than recent years when inflation was below the current 3.1% inflation rate.
Will Social Security get a raise because of inflation?
Yes, but it will be a lot less than what recipients received in 2023.
The cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, to Social Security benefits will be 3.2% next year. That’s roughly one-third of the 8.7% increase given in 2023, which marked a forty-year high.
The 2024 COLA hike is above the average 2.6% raise recipients have received over the past two decades, but seniors remain concerned about being able to pay their expenses as well as the increasing possibility Social Security benefits will be reduced in coming years, according to a retirement survey of 2,258 people by The Senior Citizens League, a nonprofit seniors group.
How does raising rates lower inflation?
The federal funds rate is what banks pay each other to borrow overnight. If that rate increases, banks usually pass along that extra cost, meaning it becomes more expensive for businesses and consumers to borrow as rates rise on credit cards, adjustable rate mortgages and other loans. That’s why the funds rate is the key mechanism used by the Federal Reserve to calm inflation.
Simply put, companies and consumers don’t borrow as much when loans cost them more, and that means an overheated economy can cool and inflation may dip.
Will credit card interest rates continue to rise this holiday season?
The Fed’s string of rate hikes, aimed at easing the highest inflation in four decades, are a big reason credit card interest rates have reached record highs just in time for the holiday season.
Some retail credit cards now charge more than 33% interest, topping a 30% threshold that stores and banks were previously able to bypass but seldom did – until now.
“They can charge that much,” said Chi Chi Wu, a senior attorney at the nonprofit National Consumer Law Center. “Credit cards can actually charge whatever they want. It’s a little-known fact.”
The domino effect of a high benchmark rate and soaring credit card interest could put many Americans in financial straits this holiday season.
Though some consumers are paring back to deal with high prices, rising debt and shrinking savings, the average shopper expects to spend $1,652 this year on holiday purchases, according to the consultancy Deloitte, more than was typically spent in the last three years.
A lot of the buying will be done with credit cards. In an October poll of 1,036 shoppers by CardRates.com, nearly 4 in 10 respondents said they intend to have holiday credit card debt in the new year.
The nation’s collective credit card debt was $1.08 trillion, at the end of September, a record high. And the average interest rate was 21%, the highest ever documented by the Federal Reserve.
Savings account impact of high rates
The upside to the Fed’s string of rate hikes has been that consumers were able to earn good interest on their savings for the first time in years. Even when the Fed leaves interest rates unchanged, savers can do well.
Unfortunately, most account holders aren’t making the most of that potential opportunity.
Roughly one-fifth of Americans who have savings accounts don’t know how much interest they’re earning, according to a quarterly Paths to Prosperity study by Santander US, part of the global bank Santander. Among those who did know their account’s interest rate, most were earning less than 3%.
But consumers have time to make a change that could enable them to make more from their savings.
“We’re still a long way from (the Fed) beginning to cut rates,” said Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at financial services platform Bankrate. “This is great news for savers, who will continue to enjoy inflation-beating returns in the top-yielding, federally insured online savings accounts and certificates of deposit. For borrowers, interest rates staying higher for a longer period underscores the urgency to pay down and pay off costly credit card debt and home equity lines.”
The string of Fed rate hikes that began in March 2022 has made it costlier for consumers to borrow as interest rates on credit cards and other loans increased dramatically.
At the same time, inflation has made daily needs more expensive, pushing more Americans to lean on credit cards to get by. But lenders have become more reluctant to issue new cards, so in the midst of the holiday season, more shoppers are seeking higher credit limits, experts say.
In October, the application rate for higher limits rose to 17.8% from 11.2% in the same month the previous year, and from 12.0% in 2019, New York Fed data showed.
For some consumers, a higher limit on a card they already have is about their only option.
“After COVID, inflation and interest rates went out of control … people have less emergency funds for car repairs or buying presents,” said Brandon Robinson, president and founder of JBR Associates, which specializes in retirement strategies. “What they’re doing is using more credit card utilization – over 30% or well over 50% of their credit card allowance – and then can’t get approved for another card because their credit rating is down.”
Inflation is leading more Americans to work multiple jobs
The number of Americans working at least two jobs is at its highest peak since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to federal data, an uptick that may reflect the financial pressure people are feeling amid high inflation.
Almost 8.4 million people had multiple jobs in October, the Labor Department said, a figure that represents 5.2% of the laborforce, the highest percentage since January 2020.
“Paying for necessities has become more of a challenge, and affording luxuries and discretionary items has become more difficult, if not impossible for some, particularly those at the lower ends of the income and wealth spectrums,” Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate, told USA TODAY in an email.
People may also be moonlighting to sock away cash in case they’re laid off since job cuts typically peak at the start of a new year.
What is the Federal Reserve’s 2024 meeting schedule? Here is when the Fed will meet again.
What is the mortgage interest rate today?
Mortgage rates are falling, so is it time to buy?
It depends.
First of all, the Fed doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its actions have an impact. For instance, when the central bank was steadily boosting its key rate, the yield on the 10-year treasury bond went up as well. Because those bonds are a gauge for the interest applied to an average 30-year loan, mortgage rates increased.
But over the past six weeks, mortgage rates have been declining, averaging 7% for a 30-year fixed mortgage. That’s down from almost 7.8% at the end of October, according to data released by Freddie Mac on Dec. 7.
That may be giving some wannabe homeowners the confidence to start house hunting. For the week ending Dec. 1, mortgage applications rose 2.8% from the prior week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
“However, in the big picture, mortgage rates remain pretty high,” says Danielle Hale, senior economist for Realtor.com. “The typical mortgage rate according to Freddie Mac data is roughly in line with what we saw in August and early to mid-September, which were then 20 plus year highs.”
So, many potential buyers may still need to sit on the sidelines, waiting for rates to drop further, says Sam Khater, chief economist for Freddie Mac. Hale and many other experts believe mortgage rates will dip next year.
Interest rate projection 2024
The Fed is expected to cut interest rates next year, though markets and economists disagree about how many rate cuts there will be.
Futures markets forecast there will be four or five rate cuts in 2024, amounting to a quarter of a percentage point each. The cuts, they predict, should start by spring, and ultimately drop interest rates as low as 4% to 4.25%.
But core prices, which leave out the volatile costs of food and energy and are the metric followed more closely by the Fed, ticked up 0.3% in November, higher than the 0.2% increase the month before. That might make the Fed more hesitant to nip rates in the immediate future.
Goldman Sachs and Barclays expect there to be only two rate decreases in 2024. And Fed Chair Jerome Powell has cautioned in recent public remarks that it was “premature” to talk about rate cuts.
November inflation report
Inflation dipped slightly last month, with falling gas prices mitigating the impact of rising rents.
Consumer prices overall increased 3.1% from a year earlier, slightly below the 3.2% rise in October, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index. That slower pace moves the inflation rate nearer to the level, reached in June, that was the lowest in over two years. Month over month, prices increased a slight 0.1%.
Core prices, however, which leave out the more erratic costs of food and energy and which are more closely monitored by the Fed, increased 0.3% in November after rising 0.2% the previous month. That means core inflation’s yearly increase remained at 4%, though it’s the lowest level since September 2021.
CD rates have been slowly dropping for several weeks, and last week was no different. Bread Savings, MYSB Direct and Rising Bank all lowered the annual percentage yield on some of their CD accounts. But while past weeks have seen rate drops largely limited to long-term CDs, last week’s drops were across a range of common terms, from six-month to five-year CDs.
What does this mean for savers?
If you’ve been considering opening a CD, now is the time to do it. Whatever your savings timeline, rates remain high overall — but they’re slipping. So the longer you wait, the lower your earning potential could be.
Experts recommend comparing rates before opening a CD account to get the best APY possible. Enter your information below to get CNET’s partners’ best rate for your area.
Today’s best CD rates
Here are some of the top CD rates available right now and how much you could earn if you deposited $5,000 today.
CD rate trends — where are APYs heading?
CD rates have steadily increased since March 2022 as the Federal Reserve regularly raised the federal funds rate to combat inflation. This rate affects how much it costs banks to borrow and lend money, so the higher it is, the higher banks raise their CD rates to attract new customers (and their money).
But with inflation finally cooling, the Fed has opted to pause rate hikes at its last two meetings. As a result, banks have begun easing their rates. Here’s where rates stand compared to last week:
Term
CNET Average APY*
Weekly Change**
Average FDIC rate
6 months
4.93%
No change
1.43%
1 year
5.26%
No change
1.85%
3 years
4.35%
No change
1.39%
5 years
4.10%
-0.24%
1.39%
*APYs as of Dec. 4, 2023. Based on the banks we track at CNET. **Percentage increase/decrease from Nov. 27, 2023, to Dec. 4, 2023.
From Nov. 27 to Dec. 4, rates have remained largely unchanged, with only a 0.24% decrease in average five-year CD terms. However, this is looking at overall averages. On a more micro level, several banks have lowered their CD rates recently, and experts expect rates will continue to decline over the next several months.
“Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers for October showed below-expectation inflation for both headline CPI (3.7% to 3.2%) and core CPI (4.1% to 4.0%),” said Jesse Carlucci, Ph.D., CFP, chief investment officer at Arrow Investment Management. “Together with comments recently from the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, this has led to the expectation that we have reached the peak of the interest rate cycle.”
Why you should open a CD now
CD rates aren’t likely to drop dramatically in the near future, but even the gradual erosion we’ve seen lately makes a difference in your bottom line. When you open a CD, you lock in the current rate in exchange for agreeing to keep your funds in the account until the term is up. That means your earnings are guaranteed even if rates go down in the future. High-yield savings accounts, by comparison, have variable rates that rise and fall in response to federal funds rate changes.
“[CDs] are a good place to keep short-term savings, like saving for a baby or to buy a home,” said Bola Sokunbi, founder of Clever Girl Finance and CNET Financial Review Board member. “Although CDs might have penalties for early withdrawal, you could look at those penalties as an incentive to leave your savings alone if you don’t really need to touch it.”
In addition, CD accounts with FDIC-insured banks or NCUA-insured credit unions are protected up to $250,000 per person, per institution if the bank fails. This makes them a low-risk way to grow your savings and enjoy peace of mind.
Factors to consider when selecting a CD
APY is an important factor when comparing CD accounts, but it’s not the only one.
“I wouldn’t stress too much about the difference in a few tenths of a percentage,” said Bernadette Joy, a personal finance coach and CNET Financial Review Board member. “But I do think it’s important to make sure the CD is at least earning more than comparable high-yield savings accounts. HYSAs are more liquid, and if you’re going to lock up your money for several months, you should get paid more to do so than an HYSA.”
In addition to comparing APYs, you should also weigh the following when choosing a CD:
How soon you’ll need the funds: Most banks charge a penalty if you withdraw money before the CD matures. This can eat into your interest earnings. So, be sure to choose a term that fits your savings needs.
Minimum deposit: Some CDs require a certain amount to open an account — typically, $500 to $1,000 — while others have no minimum deposit requirement. This can narrow down your choices.
Monthly fees: Fees can erode your balance. Many online banks don’t charge maintenance fees. They have lower overhead costs than banks with physical branches, and they pass these savings down to consumers through higher rates and fewer fees. Still, be sure to read the fine print for any account you’re considering.
Federal deposit insurance: Confirm that any institution you’re considering is an FDIC or NCUA member to ensure your money is protected in the event of a bank failure.
Customer service: Read customer reviews and ratings on sites like Trustpilot to make sure the bank is responsive, professional and easy to work with.
Methodology
CNET reviews CD rates based on the latest APY information from issuer websites. We evaluated CD rates from more than 50 banks, credit unions and financial companies. We evaluate CDs based on APYs, product offerings, accessibility and customer service.
The current banks included in CNET’s weekly CD averages are: Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, American Express National Bank, Barclays, Bask Bank, Bread Savings, Capital One, CFG Bank, CIT, Fulbright, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, MYSB Direct, Quontic, Rising Bank, Synchrony, EverBank, Popular Bank, First Internet Bank of Indiana, America First Federal Credit Union, CommunityWide Federal Credit Union, Discover, Bethpage, BMO Alto, Limelight Bank, First National Bank of America, Connexus Credit Union.
The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card is best known for its unique standout feature: the ability to earn rewards with no transaction fee when paying rent. Indeed, the Bilt credit card is a game-changer for renters. Beyond rent, though, how does Bilt compare with a more traditional general-purpose credit card like the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card?
Both cards carry no annual fee. They both earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining, offer cell phone protection and certain travel protections, plus charge no foreign transaction fees. But in most other respects, the benefits of these two cards couldn’t be more different.
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers a compelling sign-up bonus and introductory APR, while the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card offers neither. But the Bilt credit card, along with its most obvious benefit for renters, earns points that can be transferred to various hotel and airline travel partners, giving the potential for outsize value. Currently, the Autograph offers no such transfers.
Let’s dig into the specifics of each card so you can make the right pick for your lifestyle.
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How the cards compare
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Annual fee
Sign-up bonus
Limited Time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $300 cash redemption value.
Rewards
3 points per $1 spent on dining.
2 points per $1 spent on travel.
1 point per $1 spent on rent (up to 100,000 points annually).
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
3 points per $1 spent on restaurants.
3 points per $1 spent on travel, transit, gas stations and EV charging stations.
3 points per $1 spent on popular streaming services and select phone plans.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
APR
See Terms.
0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months from account opening, and then the ongoing APR of 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR .
Foreign transaction fee
Still not sure?
Why the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card is better for renters and travelers
Pay rent with a credit card
The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card‘s standout feature is its ability to earn rewards on rent payments without any transaction fees. That’s a unicorn in the credit card world, as most cards can’t be used directly toward rent payments without such fees. Previously, renters looking to pile up credit card rewards relied on intermediary services like Plastiq, whose high fees cut into any rewards earned.
Though the benefit caps out at 100,000 points per year, this still makes the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card the obvious choice for renters looking to get more out of their biggest monthly expense. Even if you don’t live in a property that’s part of the Bilt network, you can still charge rent on the card (with no transaction fees) and they’ll mail a check to your landlord.
Transfer to travel partners
Both cards earn points, but only points earned from the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card have the potential for higher value toward travel. Points earned from the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card are worth 1 cent each and can be redeemed for travel, gift cards or statement credits — or when checking out online with PayPal.
Bilt Points are also versatile and can be used toward rent, fitness classes, home decor and even a home downpayment, for varying value. But as a card with no annual fee, the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card stands out for its ability to transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to a wide range of travel partners. Travelers often find greater value than 1 cent each for their points when they transfer this way.
This is a rare perk among no-fee cards, most of which require pairing with a higher-fee card to transfer points. For example, Chase Freedom Flex℠ cardholders can transfer points to travel partners only if they also carry a higher fee card like the $95-annual-fee Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Plus, Bilt’s list of travel partners is excellent, including American Airlines, United, Hyatt and IHG. In fact, despite American Airlines issuing co-branded credit cards with both Citibank and Barclays, neither issuer allows transfers of its points to the airline. Here’s a look at the full list of available transfers:
Full list of Bilt transfer partners
Aer Lingus (1:1 ratio).
Air Canada (1:1 ratio).
Air France (1:1 ratio).
American Airlines (1:1 ratio).
British Airways (1:1 ratio).
Cathay Pacific (1:1 ratio).
Emirates (1:1 ratio).
Hawaiian Airlines (1:1 ratio).
Hyatt (1:1 ratio).
Iberia Airlines (1:1 ratio).
IHG (1:1 ratio).
Marriott (1:1 ratio).
Turkish Airlines (1:1 ratio).
United (1:1 ratio).
Virgin Atlantic (1:1 ratio).
Bonus points in several categories, with an extra boost on “Rent Day”
Beyond rent payments, the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card earns solid rewards on a variety of everyday expenses. That includes 5x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel and 1x on all other purchases.
But Bilt’s biggest benefit to cardholders comes on the first day of each month, when point values double for all nonrent categories, up to a cap of 10,000 bonus points per month. On that day, Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card holders earn 6x points on dining, 4x on travel purchases and 2x on everything else.
Why you may prefer the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Snag a sign-up bonus
Like many more traditional rewards credit cards, the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card greets new users with an attractive new cardholder bonus: Limited Time Offer: Earn 30,000 bonus points when you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $300 cash redemption value.
The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card, on the other hand, offers no bonus for new cardholders, meaning it will take longer to rack up the same level of rewards.
Pay over time with 0% introductory APR
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is also the better pick for cardholders who need to finance purchases over time. Currently, new cardholders will get 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months from account opening, and then the ongoing APR of 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR .
Since the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card doesn’t offer an introductory interest rate, it’s a less attractive choice for cardholders who need some breathing room on interest.
Earn higher rewards on travel, gas stations and streaming services
Both cards earn 3x points at restaurants, but the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card wins by a nose on travel purchases, earning 3x points per $1 spent compared with 2x with Bilt.
The Autograph also earns 3x points on certain popular streaming services and phone plans. Bilt’s baseline earnings rate for these categories is just 1 point per $1 spent — but you can bump that up to 2x points per dollar by setting these recurring bills to be charged on the first of every month.
When it comes to fueling your vehicle, though, the Autograph really races ahead on rewards, earning 3x points at gas stations and EV charging stations. For comparison, the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card earns a modest 1 point per dollar spent in these categories.
Potential tie-breakers
Still can’t decide which card is right for you? Here are a few minor points of distinction to consider.
Simplicity of earning rewards
A major downside of the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card is its transaction requirement. According to the card’s terms, you must complete five transactions per billing period to earn any rewards. That means if you only make four transactions on the card one month, you won’t earn rewards on any of those purchases. There’s no minimum spend per transaction, but this does present an extra hoop to make sure you maximize your rewards.
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card won’t earn you rewards on rent, but it also doesn’t include any such complicated requirements.
Metal vs. plastic
If you have strong preferences about the feel of the card, it’s worth noting that the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card comes in a sleek metal design, adding some sophistication to your wallet. The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card is plastic, making it a lighter weight to carry.
Which card should you get?
The distinction here is pretty clear. If you’re a renter, the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card is the obvious choice. No other card offers comparable rewards on rent payments, and the card’s additional rewards plus travel partners make it a good value on everyday spending as well.
Not a renter? The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card will provide more overall value on everyday spending.
Then again, given that both cards carry no annual fee, renters with good credit may choose to pick up one of each. Use the Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card for rent, Lyft rides and to pick up extra rewards on the first day of each month. For the rest of the month, the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card will earn you higher rewards in most categories, along with a strong intro APR and sign-up bonus.
Update 10/30/23: Increased to 60,000/70,000 points.
Barclays has increased the sign up bonuses on the Barclays Emirates cards to 50,000 and 60,000 points.
Contents
Emirates Skywards Premium World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee of $499
Sign up bonus of 60,000 miles after $3,000 in spend within the first 90 days
Emirates Skywards Gold Status (you get this instantly in your first year and then need to spend $40,000 per cardmember year to keep it)
10,000 anniversary miles when you spend $30,000 each cardmember year
Priority Pass Select membership
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck (once every 5 years up to $100 )
Card earns at the following rates:
3x miles per $1 spent on emirates.com or at the Emirates Sales office
2x miles per $1 spent on airfares, hotel stays and car rentals
1x miles per $1 spent on all other purchases
25% savings when you purchase or gift miles
Emirates Skywards Rewards World Elite Mastercard
Annual fee of $99
Sign up bonus of 50,000 miles after $3,000 in spend within the first 90 days
Emirates Skywards Silver Status (you get this instantly in your first year and then need to spend $20,000 per cardmember year to keep it)
Card earns at the following rates:
3x miles per $1 spent on emirates.com or at the Emirates Sales office
2x miles per $1 spent on airfares, hotel stays and car rentals
1x miles per $1 spent on all other purchases
25% savings when you purchase or gift miles
Our Verdict
When these cards launched the bonuses were 30,000 and 50,000 miles respectively so this is a nice increase for the Silver card. Might be worth considering that card now if you have a use for Emirates miles. We will add that card to the best credit card bonus page. As always before applying for any Barclays card, make sure to read these things everybody should know about Barclays.
Perks like airline seat upgrades or free food are certainly welcome when it comes to loyalty programs, but travelers want more. For the majority of U.S. travelers, their top loyalty program priority is lower fees. That’s according to the Barclays US Consumer Bank’s 2023 Travel Rewards and Loyalty Report, which surveyed 1,000 U.S. adult travelers online in May.
In fact, perks ranked No. 4 in the survey. When asked to choose from seven travel loyalty program priorities, 52% said lower fees were a priority. Meanwhile, 42% of respondents preferred perks, which might entail free hotel night certificates, room or seat upgrades or free breakfast (respondents could select multiple answers).
Here’s what travelers prioritized, from most to least important:
Lower fees (52%).
Flexibility in redeeming miles or points (47%).
Ability to earn more miles or points (46%).
Perks I receive (42%).
Ability to make last-minute changes (37%).
More choice in airlines or hotels (32%).
Personalized support (27%).
Hidden fees for travel keep emerging
Of the survey respondents who said lower fees were a priority, 72% of them said the importance of lower fees has increased from five years ago. Perhaps that’s due to the onslaught of fees that travelers have been hit with lately.
In air travel, fees easily manifest via basic economy airfares, which have grown in popularity over the past decade and in 2018 were dubbed “a permanent fixture in the U.S. marketplace” by the CAPA Centre for Aviation, which is a company that conducts air travel analysis and research.
Sure, basic economy airfares have been credited as a major driver for declining airfares. For example, August 2023 airfares were 19% lower than what they were in the same month in 2013, according to consumer price index data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But lower airfares have been accompanied by a la carte pricing for items that used to be included in standard airfares, such as the ability to check bags or to select your seat upon booking a flight.
Such fees aren’t limited to air travel only, either. In the hotel industry, the most hated fees include resort fees, which promise to cover the cost of resort-style amenities such as the pool, and even mundane benefits like Wi-Fi.
The first known resort fees sprang up in the late 1990s, according to the Federal Trade Commission, but they’ve become a special source of ire. Just look to the Junk Fee Prevention Act, which is proposed legislation that would limit hidden fees and surcharges across a range of industries, including resort fees. NerdWallet analyzed more than 100 U.S. hotels with December 2023 check-in dates and found that — among the hotels that charge them — the average resort fee was $38.82 per night.
Some frequent traveler rewards offer ways to save on those fees. For example, both the Hilton Honors and World of Hyatt loyalty programs waive resort fees for stays booked on points.
And in a similar vein are cleaning fees, which are often charged by hosts who use vacation rental companies such as Vrbo and Airbnb. A NerdWallet analysis of 1,000 U.S. Airbnb reservations with check-in dates in 2022 or 2023 found that the median cleaning fee per listing for a one-night stay was $75.
This year, Airbnb launched a toggle that allows customers to display listings based on total price, rather than simply seeing the base price without fees until the checkout page. Since the launch of the tool, more than 8 million guests have booked travel on Airbnb using the total price display, and more than 260,000 listings lowered or removed cleaning fees, according to the company’s fall 2023 update.
Other loyalty program priorities beyond fees
While lower fees are critical, travelers also say they seek flexibility in earning and redeeming miles or points. That’s likely because many travelers rely on redemptions to make their trips possible.
Miles and points are typically accrued not just through frequent travels with that company, but through spending on travel credit cards. According to that same Barclays survey, 76% of travelers who participate in loyalty programs said they couldn’t imagine taking the kinds of trips they want without the benefits of such a program.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for: