Rates

Die Entscheidung, den Zinssatz nicht zu ändern, erfolgt trotz Anzeichen dafür, dass die Inflation infolge der Auswirkungen des Iran-Krieges auf die Kraftstoffpreise steigt. Die Bank of England hat die britischen Zinssätze unverändert bei 3,75 % belassen, obwohl es Anzeichen gibt, dass sich die Inflation aufgrund der Auswirkungen des Iran-Krieges zu beschleunigen beginnt. Der geldpolitische Ausschuss (MPC) der Bank stimmte am Donnerstagmittag nach seiner jüngsten Zinssitzung dafür, die Kreditkosten unverändert zu lassen. Weiterlesen...

• Die Federal Reserve stimmte am Mittwoch dafür, den Leitzins für Federal Funds unverändert bei 3,5 % bis 3,75 % zu belassen, und führte Bedenken hinsichtlich steigender Inflation angesichts des Krieges im Iran an. • Dies bedeutet die Fortsetzung der Pause der Fed bei den Zinsanpassungen nach drei aufeinanderfolgenden Senkungen um jeweils 25 Basispunkte im September, Oktober und Dezember 2025. • Fed-Vorsitzender Jerome Powell wird voraussichtlich um 14:30 Uhr ET eine Pressekonferenz abhalten, um die Entscheidung zu erläutern, was seine letzte Zinsbekanntgabe als Vorsitzender der Federal Reserve sein könnte.

• Fed-Beamte nennen die erhöhte Inflation, ein langsames Beschäftigungswachstum und die Unsicherheit im Nahen Osten als Gründe für das Beibehalten der Zinsen • Die US-Notenbank Federal Reserve ließ die Zinssätze nach ihrer jüngsten Vorstandssitzung unverändert und widersprach damit erneut Donald Trumps Forderung nach einer Senkung, während sich die Zentralbank auf einen Führungswechsel im nächsten Monat vorbereitet. • Am Mittwoch nannten Fed-Beamte weiterhin die erhöhte Inflation, ein langsames Beschäftigungswachstum und die Unsicherheit im Nahen Osten als Gründe, warum die Zinsen unangetastet blieben.

• Ein neuer Bericht von Harris County Public Health zeigt auf, dass Houston die höchsten Tuberkuloseraten in Texas aufweist, was die Übertragungsrisiken in städtischen Gebieten unterstreicht. • Die Daten belegen eine erhöhte Fallzahl, die mit der hohen Bevölkerungsdichte und sozioökonomischen Faktoren im Raum Houston zusammenhängt. • Die steigende TB-Inzidenz erfordert gezielte Screening-Maßnahmen und den Ausbau von Behandlungsangeboten, um die Ausbreitung in Hochrisikogemeinschaften einzudämmen.

The Arab oil producer has long expressed frustration with the quotas it has to follow as part of OPEC, the cartel of major state-owned oil producers.(Image credit: Joe Klamar)

• Florida's KidCare expansion remains stalled in legal limbo since February 2024, preventing coverage for more children. • Uninsured children in the state have risen to 400,000, one of the highest tallies nationwide. • Delay exacerbates access issues as federal funds await resolution, impacting low-income families significantly.

• Broadcom provided second-quarter guidance of $9.2 billion in revenues, exceeding analyst estimates by 6%, driven by surging demand for data center semiconductors and artificial intelligence accelerators from cloud computing providers. • CEO Hock Tan stated that AI-related semiconductor orders are tracking 40% above historical averages, with major customers committing to long-term capacity agreements through 2028, signaling sustained strong demand. • The robust guidance helped lift semiconductor index ETFs 2.1% during extended trading and sparked upgrades from multiple analysts who raised price targets on Broadcom by 8–12% based on improved visibility into AI infrastructure spending cycles.

Exclusive: Report shows cost of first appointment rose $20 in one year, with steeper rises in Western Australia, South Australia and TasmaniaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPatients are increasingly going without medically necessary dermatological care, the head of the Consumers Health Forum said, as new report reveals the rising cost of the specialty in Australia.Dermatology is expensive and getting pricier, with an average first visit now costing an adult patient without concessions $230 out-of-pocket, while follow-up appointments cost almost $190, the report from health directory Cleanbill found. Continue reading...

• President Trump issued an Executive Order directing the Department of Health and Human Services to expedite access to treatments for patients with serious mental illness. • The FDA is accelerating its review process for mental health therapies in response to the directive. • This policy shift aims to reduce barriers to treatment approval and expand therapeutic options for affected patients.

• A comprehensive analysis from the National Center for Atmospheric Research shows US carbon dioxide emissions fell 8.2% year-over-year in Q1 2026, driven primarily by renewable energy sources now supplying 34% of national electricity generation. • Solar and wind capacity additions reached record levels with 42 gigawatts of new renewable infrastructure installed in 2025, according to data released by the Department of Energy and independent research institutions. • Climate scientists attribute the acceleration partly to state-level climate policies and federal incentives from the 2024 Clean Energy Investment Act, though transportation and industrial sectors still require significant emission reductions.

• U.S. 30-year fixed-rate conforming mortgage averaged 6.187% on April 21, 2026, down 4 basis points from prior day per Optimal Blue data. • 15-year fixed-rate fell to 5.486%, down 5 basis points, with week-over-week drops up to 31 basis points for some types. • Rates reflect FOMC holding federal funds at 3.50%-3.75% in March, with next meeting April 28-29 potentially influencing trends.

Former Wall Street banker faces questions at confirmation hearing – but his biggest backer is also his biggest liabilityOn the face of it, Kevin Warsh looks like an ideal candidate to chair the Federal Reserve, the world’s most important central bank. The 56-year-old Ivy League economist, former Wall Street banker and presidential adviser ticks all the boxes. Unfortunately for Warsh, as he faces what could be a fraught nomination hearing, his biggest backer is also his biggest liability.In his second term, Donald Trump has attacked the Fed in a manner both unprecedented and unseemly. He has called current chair Jerome Powell – whom he also appointed – a “jerk”, “a stubborn MORON”, and repeatedly threatened to fire him. Continue reading...

• The average 30-year fixed-rate conforming mortgage rate in the US dropped to 6.230%, down 2 basis points from the prior day and 5 basis points from a week ago. • 15-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.535%, declining 5 basis points daily and 2 basis points weekly, per Optimal Blue data reflecting loans locked as of April 16. • Jumbo 30-year rates fell to 6.528% (down 3 basis points weekly), FHA to 6.060% (down 1), VA to 5.833% (down 5), and USDA to 5.863% (down 10 basis points).

Zoological Society of London commissions poet laureate for animation to mark its 200th anniversaryOver its two centuries, acclaimed writers and artists have found inspiration at London zoo, from Edwin Landseer’s Trafalgar Square lions, to AA Milne’s naming “Winnie” after resident bear Winnipeg, and Sylvia Plath’s poem Zoo Keeper’s Wife.Plath’s husband, Ted Hughes, who would become poet laureate, worked at the zoo briefly as a dish washer, an experience said to have helped fuel his inspiration for The Thought-Fox. Continue reading...

• President issues executive order on April 18, 2026, to speed medical treatments for serious mental illness using psychedelic drugs including ibogaine compounds. • Order highlights clinical studies showing potential for patients with persistent conditions unresponsive to standard therapies. • Directs federal agencies to prioritize research, approvals, and access to innovative mental health interventions nationwide.

Bottlenecks in the system and parent’s suspicions mean doctors expect another serious outbreak soonBy 10am on a spring day, the corridor of the clinic in the Transylvanian town of Săcele was already crowded with parents and children. They were all waiting to see Dr Mirela Csabai, one of just seven general practitioners serving a population of more than 30,000.Most of the cases that morning were routine: colds, checkups, chronic conditions. The calm, however, is recent. In 2024, a measles epidemic tore through this community and left one unvaccinated toddler dead. Continue reading...

• Anthropic discovered its AI tool can outperform humans at certain hacking and cybersecurity tasks, marking a significant milestone in autonomous security capabilities. • The findings have prompted discussions among regulators and legislators regarding the implications of advanced AI systems in cybersecurity applications. • The development highlights growing concerns about balancing AI capabilities with security risks, particularly as AI systems demonstrate competency in traditionally human-dominated security roles.

• CDC reports rotavirus circulating at high levels nationwide, with 73.8% of US children vaccinated against the highly contagious virus causing severe diarrhea in infants. • Health experts attribute the late-season surge to vaccine hesitancy, noting the Trump administration's past efforts to remove rotavirus vaccine from childhood schedules. • Cases are life-threatening for kids, prompting warnings as emergency room visits remain elevated beyond typical seasonal peaks.

Researchers find increase in whale deaths in the Bay, largely because of collisions with vessels on busy shipping routeGray whales have historically been a rare sight in the San Francisco Bay. They trek from the warm lagoons of Mexico’s Baja California over 10,000 miles north to the Arctic region to feast on shrimp-like animals during the summers, seldom stopping in the busy shipping corridor for prolonged periods.But in recent years, that story has changed in a dire way. A new study, published this week in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, has found that gray whales in the Bay have been dying at alarming rates, largely due to collisions with vessels. Continue reading...

Former US Fed chair says lowering rates to reduce debt service cost can lead to inflation getting out of controlBusiness live – latest updatesThe former US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen has attacked Donald Trump’s push for lower interest rates, comparing it to the actions of a “banana republic”.The US president has repeatedly urged the central bank to slash interest rates, in the hope of cutting the government’s borrowing costs on its $39tn (£29tn) debt. Continue reading...

• Amazon posted stronger-than-expected Q1 2026 earnings Wednesday, with net income reaching $8.3 billion and revenue climbing 18% year-over-year to $147 billion, driven by robust AWS cloud services demand. • AWS revenue grew 22% annually to $28.4 billion, outpacing analyst expectations and demonstrating the resilience of enterprise cloud spending despite macroeconomic uncertainties. • Management raised full-year 2026 revenue guidance to $625 billion, representing 14% growth, citing continued momentum in cloud computing and advertising as key tailwinds for sustained profitability.

• The average interest rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate conforming mortgage declined to 6.289%, down 7 basis points from the previous day, according to Optimal Blue mortgage data. • The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.653%, down 5 basis points, while jumbo 30-year rates fell 10 basis points to 6.502% and VA loans dropped 11 basis points to 5.889%. • Mortgage applications declined 0.8% for the week ending April 3, with the Mortgage Bankers Association citing higher rates and economic uncertainty as headwinds.

Minister says change for plan 2 and 3 loans in England and Wales will ‘protect borrowers’ from impact of global conflictUK politics live – latest updatesThe interest rate on plan 2 and plan 3 student loans will be capped at 6%, the Department for Education has announced.Graduates with plan 2 loans currently pay interest rates based on the retail price index (RPI) measure of inflation, plus up to 3% based on their earnings. Current students on plan 2 and plan 3 loans attract an interest rate of RPI +3% while they are studying. Continue reading...

Ukrainian president says Russia unlikely to accept – ‘for them, nothing is sacred’; Australian police arrest army reservist for joining war. What we know on day 1,504Ukraine’s president has renewed his offer to Russia of a mutual ceasefire on strikes against energy infrastructure. “If Russia is ready to stop strikes on our energy infrastructure, we will respond in kind,” he said. “This proposal has been conveyed to the Russian side through the Americans.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered last week to observe a ceasefire for Easter, which Orthodox adherents mark on Sunday (13 April) in Russia and Ukraine.In his remarks on Monday, after an overnight attack on the Black Sea port of Odesa killed three people and injured at least 16, Zelenskyy said Russia appeared unwilling to agree to the ceasefire. “We have repeatedly proposed to Russia a ceasefire at least for Easter,” he said. “But for them, all times are the same. Nothing is sacred.”Ukrainian drones attacked the Caspian Pipeline Consortium’s oil shipping terminal in southern Russia early on Monday, damaging a mooring point and setting four oil tanks on fire, the Russian defence ministry claimed. The Ukrainian army said it had attacked a different terminal in the port of Novorossiysk – without mentioning the CPC, which did not immediately comment. The CPC pipeline handles about 1% of the world’s oil supplies, as well as about 80% of Kazakhstan’s oil exports.A reservist in the Australian army has been charged after allegedly working as a drone operator for Ukraine. The 25-year-old man from Felixstow, in the South Australian city of Adelaide, was charged by the Australian Federal Police with working for a foreign military without authorisation, the AAP news agency reported. It is the first time someone has been charged with the offence, with the man facing up to two decades in jail if found guilty. Australian laws limit the work defence personnel can perform with a foreign military, government or company without authorisation. The man allegedly travelled to Ukraine in May 2025 and returned to Australia in January 2026.A Russian ship carrying wheat believed to have sunk in the Sea of Azov after a drone attack has been found and towed to shore, Russia’s state news agency Tass said on Monday. The death toll has risen to three, it added. Crew abandoned the ship last Friday and made it to shore on Monday, according to Russian reports.Russia jailed on Monday a former governor of the Kursk border region, where Ukraine’s army broke through in 2024, for 14 years over alleged kickbacks for government contracts related to the construction of fortifications. Since August 2024, the Kremlin has gone after top regional and military officials for failing to stop the incursion – a massive embarrassment for Vladimir Putin. Alexei Smirnov, the former Kursk governor, was “sentenced to 14 years in prison and a fine of 400 million rubles [£3.8m/US$5m]”, a court statement said. Another former Kursk governor, Roman Starovoyt, who led the region until just before the Ukrainian breakthrough, died last year by alleged suicide – a fate that regularly befalls officials who run foul of the Russian president. Continue reading...

• CDC reports released in February 2026 show U.S. childhood and teen obesity rates have reached record levels, marking a significant public health concern for younger populations. • The same reports indicate adult obesity rates appear to be plateauing or slowing their growth trajectory, suggesting different demographic trends across age groups. • The findings underscore ongoing disparities in metabolic health across generations and highlight the need for targeted prevention and intervention strategies.

• The US measles caseload climbed to 1,671 infections with nearly 100 new cases reported in the past week, according to the CDC's weekly update, with the vast majority occurring in Utah. • Utah recorded 73 new measles cases this week and 142 new cases over the past three weeks, bringing the state's 2026 total to 362 cases compared with 197 for all of 2025. • The outbreak spans 32 states and New York City, with 94% of confirmed cases linked to one of 17 outbreaks; Arizona has 71 total cases, Florida has 129, and Texas has 175 cases.

• The US measles outbreak has accelerated in 2026 with cases now reported in more than half of the states, marking a resurgence 20 years after official eradication, driven primarily by declining vaccination rates. • Last year, the US reported over 2,000 measles cases (2,213 confirmed) and three pediatric deaths, with the mortality rate matching historical data of approximately one death per 1,000 infected children. • Oregon has diagnosed 13 measles cases so far in 2026 with hundreds of potential exposures in the past week; health experts note that official case counts likely underestimate true infection rates due to unreported cases and undetected transmission indicated by wastewater data.