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Investopedia

Homebuilders See Sunnier Outlook, Lower Mortgage Rates In 2025

It's hard to afford a house these days, but the nation's homebuilders are growing more hopeful that lower mortgage rates will drive down costs and bring priced-out buyers off the sidelines.An index measuring how homebuilders feel about the short-term prospects of the market rose to a four-month high in October, the National Association of Home Builders said Thursday. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, based on surveys of builders, remained in pessimistic territory at 43, up from 41 in September but still below the level of 50 that would indicate optimism.

However, builders saw better prospects for sales of new single-family homes in the next six months, according to a subindex that rose to 57 from 53 in September, reaching the highest since April.Builders expect more buyers to enter the market in the coming months as the Federal Reserve lowers its benchmark interest rate, which could put downward pressure on mortgage rates. In September, the Fed began to roll back interest rates as consumer price increases have fallen back toward pre-pandemic rates.

“Despite the beginning of the Fed’s easing cycle, many prospective home buyers remain on the sideline waiting for lower interest rates,” NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz said in a press release.

“We are forecasting uneven declines for mortgage interest rates in the coming quarters, which will improve housing demand but place stress on building lot supplies due to tight lending conditions for development and construction loans.”

The outlook for homebuilding could also be affected by the presidential election, with both candidates proposing policies that could shake up the housing market.

Kamala Harris has proposed using federal funds to encourage the construction of 3 million affordable homes and create a $25,000 tax credit for first-time buyers. Some economists have criticized the tax credit, predicting it would add fuel to already hot housing prices.

Trump has proposed deporting millions of illegal immigrants, which could reduce the demand for existing housing. However, homebuilders say this would decimate the homebuilding workforce and worsen the country’s longstanding housing shortage in the long run.

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Investopedia

Nvidia Stock Hits Another Record High As AI Chip Excitement Returns

Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) set a fresh record intraday high Thursday as a blowout earnings report from supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM) eased concerns that the semiconductor market was stalling.

TSMC posted a 54% year-over-year jump in profit and a 39% rise in revenue in the third quarter on artificial intelligence (AI) chip sales, and the company predicted demand would continue into the future. 

That offset news earlier this week from Dutch semiconductor maker ASML Holding (ASML), which warned that the recovery in non-AI chips was taking longer than anticipated.  

Adding to the positive feelings about Nvidia were comments from billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller about his sale of the company's shares. The Duquesne Family Office CEO said in an interview with that "it was a big mistake" to dump all his stake, adding, "I'm licking my wounds from a bad sale there."

Nvidia shares were recently up 2.7% to $139.39 after earlier Thursday touching a record $140.89. They have nearly tripled since the beginning of 2024.

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Investopedia

Top Stock Movers Now: TSMC, Nvidia, Blackstone, Elevance Health, And More

Major U.S. indexes were higher at midday Thursday, as a strong report on demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips boosted the tech sector. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all advanced.

Nvidia (NVDA) supplier TSMC (TSM) reported profit soared on demand for AI chips, sending its U.S.-listed shares to an all-time high. The news helped drive Nvidia shares to a record high as well.

Blackstone (BX) shares also surged to a fresh high after the asset manager said its profit jumped as it brought in more investments.

Elevance Health (ELV) was the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 after the insurer reported a weaker-than-expected profit and lowered its guidance as changes in Medicaid slashed membership rolls.

Shares of CSX (CSX) dropped as the freight shipper’s results missed estimates and it cut its outlook as Hurricanes Helene and Milton impacted operations.

Lucid Group (LCID) shares sank as the struggling luxury electric vehicle (EV) maker announced a $1.67 billion stock sale and warned it would have a larger quarterly loss than expected. 

Oil and gold futures rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note climbed. The U.S. dollar gained on the euro and yen, but lost ground to the pound. Prices for most major cryptocurrencies were lower.

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Healthwatch

Feel Like You Should Be Drinking Less? Start Here

When experts talk about the dangers of excessive drinking, we often assume those warnings apply mostly to people with alcohol use disorder, a health issue sometimes referred to as alcoholism.

But people who don't meet formal criteria for this disorder can still experience toxic effects and suffer other serious harms from alcohol, says Dr. John F. Kelly, professor of psychiatry in addiction medicine at Harvard Medical School. And as research turns up new evidence about alcohol, many people are considering the benefits of drinking less, even if they're not ready to stop imbibing entirely.

How does alcohol affect the body?

That depends on how much you drink. Drinking more than moderate amounts of alcohol (defined as one drink per day for women and two for men) increases your risk for developing

liver disease

several types of cancer including breast, liver, and colon cancer

cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation.

What if you're not drinking daily? "Even people who only drink on weekends can have serious accidents if they become intoxicated — for example, by falling or driving under the influence," says Dr. Kelly.

What's more, growing evidence suggests that even small amounts of alcohol may harm your health.

How could cutting down on alcohol help you?

If you're not ready to give up drinking entirely, cutting back can lower the likelihood of all of these harms. For example, cutting down on alcohol, or stopping entirely, is linked with lower cancer risks, according to a report from the American Association for Cancer Research.

You might also notice some immediate benefits, like sleeping more soundly, memory improvements, and generally feeling more mentally sharp. And because you'll be taking in fewer calories, you may also shed some weight.

Ready to try cutting back on alcohol? Start here

These five suggestions are a great way to start cutting back.

Keep a drinking diary

Tracking how much alcohol you drink and when can help you target your efforts to drink less. It's also a good idea to put your reasons for cutting back in writing: for example, "I'd like to sleep better," "I feel sharper," "Better heart health is important to me." That practice can reinforce your resolve to follow through with your plan.

Try alcohol-free days — or even a month of not drinking

Taking a break from alcohol can be a good way to start, allowing your brain and body to recalibrate. Decide not to drink a day or two each week. You may want to abstain for a week or a month, to see how you feel physically and emotionally without alcohol in your life. Consider doing Sober October — a variation of Dry January.

Drink slowly and with food

Sip your drink. Alternate alcoholic drinks with nonalcoholic alternatives like sparkling water, soda, or juice. Don't drink on an empty stomach, because you'll feel intoxicated more quickly. That can lower your inhibitions and break your resolve to stick to lower amounts of alcohol, Dr. Kelly says. Drinking with a meal slows alcohol absorption and appears to minimize the drug's health risks.

Try low-alcohol or zero-alcohol substitutes

Alcohol-free beer, nonalcoholic distilled spirits, and similar products have become more widely available in recent years. It's a result of the alcohol industry's response to stay profitable, as health harms of small amounts of alcohol have been confirmed and the sober curious movement gains momentum.

If you drink beer, wine spritzers, hard seltzer, or similar products, check the alcohol content

While light beers have fewer calories, they don't necessarily have much less alcohol than regular beer. The average light beer is about 4.3% alcohol, versus 5.0% in regular beer.

Also, be aware that some craft or specialty beers contain far higher amounts of alcohol — up to 12% or 14% or even higher. Beverages that combine wine or hard liquor with seltzer or other mixers also vary widely in their alcohol content.

Cut down on temptation

Two more tips can help you meet success when changing drinking habits.

Don't keep alcohol in your house. Making your home an alcohol-free zone takes away the risk of immediate temptation.

Avoid temptation. Steer clear of people and places that make you want to drink. If you associate drinking with certain events, such as holidays or vacations, make a plan for managing these situations in advance. Check in with your feelings. When you're worried, lonely, or angry, you might be tempted to reach for a drink. "Think about other ways you might alleviate those feelings, such as going for a walk or calling a friend," Dr. Kelly suggests.

Finally, try this interactive tool from the CDC, which can help you make a personalized plan to drink less.

Source: Harvard Health Publishing

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Investopedia

CSX Stock Sinks As Hurricanes Hit Results, Outlook

CSX (CSX) shares tumbled Thursday after the freight shipper reported worse-than-expected results and warned about the current quarter because of the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

The company posted third-quarter earnings per share (EPS) of $0.46, with revenue rising 1.3% year-over-year to $3.62 billion. Both were short of consensus estimates of analysts polled by Visible Alpha.

The company said revenue growth was limited by a drop in coal revenue, lower fuel surcharges, and other revenue declines.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joe Hinrichs explained that over the past few weeks, "CSX, along with many of the communities in which we operate, was presented with significant challenges brought about by the recent hurricanes."

The company revised its outlook, noting that "external factors make Q4 more challenging." It predicted volume would grow "modestly," hurt by hurricane impacts, and it sees revenue down about $200 million because of falling fuel prices and softer coal markets.

CSX added that a drop in revenue and the storms' effects will likely reduce "sequential operating margin in Q4, limiting 2H margin expansion." In addition, it predicted capital expenditures (CapEx) of $2.5 billion, excluding costs to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the hurricanes.

The news sent shares of CSX down 5% Thursday and into negative territory for the year.

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Instablog9ja

Akwa Ibom Government Reportedly Allocates N14.7 Billion For Governor’s Lodge Renovation, SUVs For Lawmakers

The Akwa Ibom State government has reportedly allocated N14.7 billion for repairs and purchases, including renovations of the governor’s and deputy governor’s lodges, and the acquisition of Toyota Prado SUVs for State House of Assembly members.

According to a report by civic tech organization BudgIT, and seen on SaharaReporters, N1 billion was set aside for the refurbishment of the governor’s office annex exterior.

Additionally, N9.3 billion was earmarked for repairs to the governor’s and deputy governor’s lodges.

The budget also includes N1 billion for Toyota Prados for assembly members and N1.5 billion for medical equipment for the government house.

Another N1.95 billion was spent on “backup” vehicles for the assembly members.

#Instablog9jaNews #TrendingStory #Awareness #StayUpdated Akwa Ibom Government Reportedly Allocates N14.7 Billion for Governor’s Lodge Renovation, SUVs for Lawmakers

The Akwa Ibom State government has reportedly allocated N14.7 billion for repairs and purchases, including renovations of the governor’s and deputy governor’s lodges, and the acquisition of Toyota Prado SUVs for State House of Assembly members.

According to a report by civic tech organization BudgIT, and seen on SaharaReporters, N1 billion was set aside for the refurbishment of the governor’s office annex exterior.

Additionally, N9.3 billion was earmarked for repairs to the governor’s and deputy governor’s lodges.

The budget also includes N1 billion for Toyota Prados for assembly members and N1.5 billion for medical equipment for the government house.

Another N1.95 billion was spent on “backup” vehicles for the assembly members.

#Instablog9jaNews #TrendingStory #Awareness #StayUpdated

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