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Average US long-term mortgage rate ticks up to 6%, ending a three-week slide

Average US long-term mortgage rate ticks up to 6%, ending a three-week slide

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By ALEX VEIGA, AP Business Writer

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate came off its lowest level in three and a half years this week, as bond yields marched higher following a spike in oil prices due to the war with Iran.

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The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate ticked up to 6% from 5.98% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.63%.

The modest increase ends a three-week slide in the average rate, which has been hovering around 6% this year. Last week’s average rate marked the first time it dropped below 6% going back to September 2022.

Meanwhile, borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, fell this week. That average rate slipped to 5.43% from 5.44% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.79%, Freddie Mac said. read more

Theme parks perking up plantlife after freezes

Theme parks perking up plantlife after freezes

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The colder-than-usual winter for Florida has been a challenge to homeowner lawns and to horticulture teams at Central Florida’s theme parks.

At Walt Disney World, it meant covering up elaborate topiaries with frost cloths overnight. At Legoland Florida, heaters were set up around the base of the park’s famed banyan tree, a natural staple since the property’s Cypress Gardens days.

“We did do many things to help with our preparation, and we were able to save many things through covering with frost cloth to protect our tender bedding plants and some of our more precious plants,” said Michele Czerkies, a manager for Walt Disney World horticulture.

Disney maintains on-property greenhouses, where some topiaries were stowed along with its flower towers, decorative stacks of blooms.

The two rounds of extended freezing temperatures came as WDW prepared for the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which is now underway.

“You can’t cover all of Walt Disney World. So we just covered our critical points of service,” Czerkies said. read more

Best tax software of 2026

Best tax software of 2026

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By Bella Avila and Sabrina Parys, NerdWallet

Taxes are complicated enough without the added stress of figuring out which tax software will work best for you. While you should get the same refund or bill no matter which provider you choose, tax filing programs typically come at a cost — so there’s a crucial difference between paying for what you’ll use and paying extra for what you don’t need.

We did the research by testing and evaluating four well-known, widely used online tax providers: TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct and TaxSlayer. Our review process includes first-hand testing and information collection, focusing on factors that are important to filers: price, ease of use, transparency, tools, tax pro help and customer support.

Prices are updated monthly and are accurate as of Feb. 9, 2026. They are based on information gathered directly from the providers’ websites.

Best for ease of use: TurboTax

TurboTax stands out for its user-friendly features and tools, making it our top pick for ease of use. Working with the software feels like an interview with a tax preparer who knows just what to ask and how best to guide you. read more

US jobless claims filings unchanged from previous week at 213,000 as layoffs remain low

US jobless claims filings unchanged from previous week at 213,000 as layoffs remain low

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By MATT OTT, AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits last week was unchanged from the week before, a sign that layoffs remain at historically low levels.

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U.S. filings for jobless aid for the week ending Feb. 28 matched the previous week’s 213,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet forecast 215,000 new benefit applications.

Filings for unemployment benefits are viewed as a proxy for U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market. read more

US stocks sink after oil spikes to its highest price since the summer of 2024

US stocks sink after oil spikes to its highest price since the summer of 2024

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By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks sank on Wall Street Thursday after the price of oil spiked to its highest level since the summer of 2024 because of the war with Iran.

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The S&P 500 fell 0.6% and erased what had been a small gain for the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average briefly dropped more than 1,100 points before finishing with a loss of 784, or 1.6%. The Nasdaq composite slipped 0.3%.

The losses came as financial markets around the world keep following the cue of oil prices. Sharp increases there are raising worries that a long-term surge could grind down the global economy, exhaust households’ ability to spend and push interest rates higher. read more