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U.S. Steel shares plummet amid questions over the fate of its merger with Nippon Steel
U.S. Steel shares plunged on Wednesday as Wall Street questioned whether its $14.1 billion deal with Japan’s Nippon Steel is at risk of derailing.
Shares of U.S. Steel plunged as much as 25% in afternoon trading after the Washington Post reported President Joe Biden is preparing to formally block the proposed acquisition. As of 2:35 p.m., shares of U.S. Steel were down $7.12, or 20%, to $28.48.
At an afternoon briefing, a White House official downplayed the Washington Post report, which cited three people familiar with the president’s plans. In a statement, the White House cited a process of review by the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, or CFIUS, a panel chaired by the Treasury Secretary.
“CFIUS hasn’t transmitted a recommendation to the President, and that’s the next step in this process,” a White House official stated.
—This is a developing story and will be updated.
CBS News
Ripple CEO on why crypto super PAC Fairshake was started | 60 Minutes
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Crypto-backed super PAC Fairshake likely wouldn’t exist if not for SEC Chair Gensler’s actions, Ripple CEO says
Fairshake, the major crypto-funded super PAC in the 2024 election, likely wouldn’t have been started if not for the actions of Securities Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse told 60 Minutes in an interview scheduled to air this Sunday.
Gensler, who will step down from his post on Jan. 20, led the federal government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler’s SEC filed more than 120 lawsuits against crypto companies.
Garlinghouse said the SEC’s approach to crypto led Ripple and other crypto companies to launch Fairshake, the industry’s biggest super PAC, in 2023.
“People are like, “Why did these companies come together and organize and say, ‘This matters’?” Garlinghouse said. “And it’s a reaction to a war on crypto.”
“So if there had been a different SEC chair than Gary Gensler…” said “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan to Garlinghouse.
“I’m not sure Fairshake would exist,” Garlinghouse said.
Brennan replied, “Really?”
“I’m…absolutely,” Garlinghouse said.
The SEC sued Ripple in December of 2020 at the tail end of the Trump administration — before Gensler was chair — alleging that its sale of the cryptocurrency XRP represented the sale of an unregistered security. Garlinghouse said Ripple has spent more than $150 million fighting the SEC in court, arguing that the digital currency XRP shouldn’t be subject to the agency’s registration and disclosure requirements as if it were a stock offering.
In response to Garlinghouse’s comments to 60 Minutes, an SEC spokesman said, “Any amount spent by the crypto industry on legal defense or influence peddling pales in comparison to the savings lost by crypto investors to frauds and failures.”
The full story on cryptocurrency will air this Sunday on 60 Minutes at 7 p.m. ET on CBS stations.
CBS News
How to get a low home equity loan rate for 2025
No one wants to pay more than they should. Unfortunately, millions of Americans have done just that in recent years with inflation and elevated interest rates hiked to account for it. And while paying an elevated rate on your credit card or personal loan can be prohibitive, it becomes even more dangerous when borrowing from your home equity. If you fail to repay a home equity loan or home equity line of credit (HELOC) as agreed on, you could risk your homeownership as a result. That’s because the home functions as collateral in these unique borrowing exchanges.
Fortunately, right now, today’s home equity loan and HELOC interest rates are many percentage points lower than the popular alternatives. And in this changing interest rate climate, borrowers have a multitude of options for securing a below-average home equity loan rate. Below, we’ll detail three to know heading into 2025.
See how much equity you have to borrow online today.
How to get a low home equity loan rate for 2025
Here are three effective ways homeowners can obtain a low home equity loan interest for 2025:
Consider a different lender than your current one
Home equity is calculated by deducting your current mortgage balance from your home’s appraised value. And, right now, the average amount that many are calculating is around $320,000. So there’s a lot to potentially utilize. But that doesn’t mean you need to use your current mortgage lender to do so. You may be able to find a lower rate by shopping around with competitors instead. If you do, consider then returning to your current mortgage lender to see if they can match or even beat it. You may be surprised at how much lower a rate you can secure by simply shopping around and it’s easy to do so via online marketplaces now.
Start shopping for low-rate home equity loans here.
Opt for a shorter-term
Currently, the average home equity loan rate range for a 15-year term is between 8.08% to 10.17%, according to Bankrate. For a 10-year term, however, it falls in the range of 7.90% to 9.31%. While those differences may only seem minor on paper, they can add up to real savings over the coming years. So calculate your potential costs with both terms. Your payment will be higher on the 10-year loan but the rate will be lower, saving you significant sums of interest. If you can afford to go with the shorter term, it’ll save you both time and money.
Improve your credit profile
If you’re searching around for a home equity loan now, you may be able to delay your loan a bit into the first quarter of 2025. And if you can do that, you should consider using the time in between to boost your credit score as much as possible. The lowest rates and best terms will always be reserved for borrowers with the cleanest credit profiles. If you don’t have one, then, it may be more advantageous to work on this step, first. And that means avoiding holiday overspending if you want to position yourself for a better home equity loan rate in the new year.
The bottom line
By pursuing lenders other than your current mortgage lender, exploring different rates tied to different repayment terms and doing all you can to improve your credit standing, you’ll likely be able to secure a below-average home equity loan rate for 2025. Just make sure to only borrow an amount that you can easily afford to repay, even at that lower rate, to avoid risking your home in the process.
Learn more about your current home equity loan options now.