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The best illustrations and photos from Business Insider in 2024.

20 December 2024 at 08:23
The Best of Visuals 2024.

Mat Voyce for BI

Business Insider's creative team covered an array of projects this year. We brought our stories to life by incorporating animations, crafting bespoke multimedia experiences for our biggest stories, producing and commissioning hundreds of illustrations, and working with photographers around the globe.

Our visuals captured a wide range of topics, from looking into illegal lockouts in major US cities to Ozempic Scams.

We hired nearly 250 talented freelancers who helped bring our most compelling stories to life, producing over 1,500 pieces of custom art that enhanced our storytelling.

Here are some of our favorite visual creations from 2024.


For God, for country, for rain

Photos by Jett Lara

Augustus Doricko walks over fire in a beach bonfire.

Jett Lara for BI

Why we don't exercise

Illustration by Timo Lenzen

Illustration of sneakers hanging on a tree with a butterfly.

Timo Lenzen for BI

Locked out

Illustration by Andrei Cojocaru, Design and Development by Rebecca Zisser, Isabel Fernandez-Pujol, Randy Yeip, and Annie Fu, Photos by Bridget Bennett, Callaghan O'Hare, Alyssa Pointer, Abel Uribe

Collage of a house and a family.

Andrei Cojocaru for BI

The risky allure of WiFi Money

Illustrations by Brandon Celi

A man whose face is swirling into a black hole. There's a car and a plane in the background and money flying everywhere.

Brandon Celi for BI

Lunar New Year traditions through the lens of three photographers

Photos by Caroline Xia, Ramona Jingru Wang, and Sam Lee

Friends gathered around dinner table enjoying Chinese New Year meal

Caroline Xia

The plight of big sisters

Illustration by Gracia Lam

Illustration of sisters under an umbrella.

Gracia Lam for Business Insider

Albums are too damn long

Illustration by Tyler Le

Two record players with drastically different sized vinyls

Tyler Le/BI

Want to make money as a pop star? Dream on.

Illustrations by Chris Burnett

Rachel Chinouriri; Raye; Tinashe; Two Door Cinema Club

Lauren Harris; KAPFHAMMER; Matt Jelonek/Getty Images; Katy Cummings; Chris Burnett for BI

The American dream is shrinking

Illustration by Javier JaΓ©n

A family in a snow globe.

Javier JaΓ©n for BI

America is facing a 'fringe friend' crisis

Illustration by Seba Cestaro

Man surrounded by fragmented and cracked geometric shapes, each containing people inside

Seba Cestaro for BI

'Civilizations rise and fall'

Illustration by Hokyoung Kim

A group of people watching a building being constructed

Hokyoung Kim for BI

Gen Z's new status symbol

Illustration by Pablo Declan

Illustration of a 3d Bust and hand holding a phone.

Pablo Declan for BI

Joseph Stiglitz on why America's appetite for Trump endures

Photos by Dina Litovsky

Portrait of Joseph Stiglitz

Dina Litovsky for BI

The Big Dumb Economic Lie of 2024

Illustration by Alyssa Powell

Photo collage featuring Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell, the Capitol building, red dots with the Eye of Providence Double Exposure, and a downward-trending line

Getty Images; Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI

Scared your partner is cheating? Strangers on the internet are here to help β€” for a fee

Illustration by Natalie Ammari

photo of couple kissing with sad face stickers over their faces

Getty Images; iStock; Natalie Ammari/BI

Iran will pay for gender-transition surgery, but it comes at a cost β€” your dignity

Illustration by Ibrahim Rayintakath

Illustration of shadow figures lurking in a synagogue.

Ibrahim Rayintakath for BI

New York City's new Gilded Age

Illustration by Carl Godfrey

Lobster on a bed of Diamonds.

Carl Godfrey for BI

The pot farm massacre

Photos by Mike Simmons

Portrait of Jeremy Grable at plant growing facility.

Mike Simons for BI

From ALICEs to DINKs

Illustrations by Jimmy Simpson

Toy versions of Geriatric Millenials, Peak Boomers, and FIRE

Jimmy Simpson for BI

The best albums of 2024

Illustration by Natalie Ammari

Artists of the best albums of 2024
Clockwise from bottom left: Halsey, Taylor Swift, BeyoncΓ©, Tyla, Sabrina Carpenter, and Billie Eilish.

Danica Robinson; Blair Caldwell/Parkwood; Brent McKeever; Shirlaine Forrest/Nina Westervelt/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images; iStock; Natalie Ammari/BI

A founding father of Utah's VC industry is stepping back as accusations of sexual harassment surface

Illustration by Deena So'Oteh

Illustration of Greg Warnock

Deena So'Oteh for BI

The death of the nuclear family

Illustration by Mark Harris

Illustration of a family with houses in the back.

Mark Harris for BI

The online minefield of Ozempic knock-offs

Illustration by Jenny Chang-Rodriguez

Shattered photo of Ozempic.

Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI

To the manor shorn

Photos by Astrid Landon

Chateau Avensac
Chateau Avensac

Astrid Landon/BI

Through the roof

Illustration by Alex Castro

A drone abducts a man from his house, against a starry black night.

Alex Castro for BI

The mismeasure of America

Illustration by Chris Gash

A stock line as the neck of an ostrich in the ground

Chris Gash for BI

The rise of the job-search bots

Illustrations by Hugo Herrera

Robots filling out stacks of resumes.

Hugo Herrera for BI

The world's meanest app

Illustration by Alvaro Dominguez

Illustration of the Duolino bird with hand tattoos.

Alvaro Dominguez for BI

It's gearing up to be a hot travel debt summer for Gen Z and millennials

Illustration by Rebecca Zisser

A woman laying on a $100 bill

iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BI

Hot girls love book clubs

Illustration by Natalia Agatte

Illustration of hands holding books.

Natalia Agatte for BI

What an extra $500 to $1,000 a month did for 8 families

Design and Development by Kim Nguyen, Rebecca Zisser, Isabel Fernandez-Pujol, Photos by Jovelle Tamayo, Tim Evans, Helynn Ospina, Andre Chung, Brittany Greeson, Libby March

A selection of photos of UBI participants

Tim Evans for BI, Brittany Greeson for BI, Helynn Ospina for BI, Andre Chung for BI, Libby March for BI; Rebecca Zisser/BI

'No CCP in USA!'

Illustrations by Matt Harrison Clough

Three farm water pump windmills. One of the windmills resembles a Communist hammer and sickle symbol.

Matt Harrison Clough for BI

Drake Bell knows life is not a Disney movie

Photos by Ana Topoleanu

Drake Bell

Ana Topoleanu for BI

AI Power List 2024

Illustration by Karan Singh

Colorful shapes

Karan Singh for BI

Soup to nuts

Illustrations by Tyler Le

A bowl of Chicken soup overflowing into smaller bowls

Tyler Le/BI

The professors turned porn stars

Photos by Simone Lueck

Jow Gow and wife

Simone Lueck for BI

Inside the Billionaire Bunker

Illustration by Saratta Chuengsatiansup

Cameras and boats surrounding a residential island

Saratta Chuengsatiansup for BI

The poisoned chalice of restaurant popularity

Illustration by Valentin Tkach

Server holding tray of food being knocked off by Michelin star

Valentin Tkach for Business Insider

Gen Z's fading dream

Illustration by Abanti Chowdhury

Genz's fading dreams of fame because of AI
Gen Zers want to be influencers. But the industry is getting more competitive β€” and flooded with AI.

Abanti Chowdhury/BI

China's massive stimulus misfire

Illustration by Alyssa Powell

Xi Jinping holding a sparkler, preparing to launch a large cannon-fired Chinese Yuan Currency cash ball

iStock; Andres Martinez Casares/Getty Images; Alyssa Powell/BI

Rob McElhenney is betting on himself

Photos by Sheryl Nields

Rob McElhenney

Sheryl Nields for BI

The hidden costs of traveling while gay

Illustration by Derek Abella

Illustration of a couple looking out to a sunset with cocktails.

Derek Abella for BI

The cursed inheritance

Illustrations by Nate Sweitzer

An illustration of The Duchess and her children

Nate Sweitzer for BI


Steam loops vs. doom loops

Illustration by Sam Green

A skyscraper surrounded by pipe work

Same Green for BI

This Ramadan, queer and transgender Muslims made their own community

Photos by Ramie Ahmed

Trans/queer Muslim social media influencer portrait.

Ramie Ahmed for BI

The fitness fad graveyard

Illustration by Jenny Chang-Rodriguez

Photo illustration of a tombstone with a Peloton bike.

Tingting Ji/Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI

Inside Microsoft's struggles with Copilot

Illustration by Chelsea Jia Feng

Microsoft logo glitching

Microsoft; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI

In celebration of Black History Month

Illustration by Loveis Wise

Black History Month Illustration depicting four figures converging in unity, surrounded by an atmosphere of joy and magic

Loveis Wise for BI

Why so many Americans hate their jobs

Illustration by Ricardo TomΓ‘s

Image of a statue thinking and a briefcase.

Ricardo TomΓ‘s for BI

The new rule of homebuying

Illustration by Sebastian KΓΆnig

A person handing themselves a house and keys

Sebastian KΓΆnig for BI

Behind the data center boom

Illustration by Arif Qazi

A three-headed dog guarding a data center

Arif Qazi for BI

MDMA therapy could be legal by summer. Why are so many advocates sounding the alarm?

Illustration by Richard A. Chance

Rick Doblin

Richard A. Chance for BI

Lunden and Olivia Stallings are TikTok's lesbian power couple. Straight people love them; queer people aren't so sure.

Photos by Kendrick Brinson

Lunden & Olivia laying on a bed together

Kendrick Brinson for BI

Young Chinese are looking for dupes and cheaper substitutes for everything from Hermès to travel

Illustration by Chelsea Jia Feng

Hermes and education books being duplicated over and over again.

Hermes; Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI

The plight of the girlboss

Illustrations by Kiersten Essenpreis

A woman balancing on top of a stack of briefcases

Kiersten Essenpreis for BI

America's absurd war on 'organized retail crime'

Illustration by Tara Anand

A man walks out of a store with a cart full of items, greeted by police officers outside.

Tara Anand for BI

The war within Gen Z

Illustration by Tommy Parker

Two Gen Z individuals walking away from one another

Tommy Parker for BI

Priced out of America

Illustration by Juanjo Gasull

Photo illustration of of a passport and a butterfly made of money.

Juanjo Gasull for BI

S'more! S'more!

Illustrations by Liam Eisenberg

A factory making square shaped marshmallows

Liam Eisenberg for BI

My brain on Ozempic

Photos by David Vades Joseph

Photo of Albert Fox Cahn at home.

David Vades Joseph for BI

Elon Musk is fighting wars on a lot of fronts right now

Illustration by Rebecca Zisser

Elon Musk

Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images; Rebecca Zisser/BI

A trainer-heiress power couple created the fitness juggernaut Pvolve. Then came a divorce, an arrest, and Jennifer Aniston.

Illustration by Christian Northeast

Pvolve founders facing off in a studio

Getty Images; Christian Northeast for BI

The United States of Automobiles

Illustrations by Pete Ryan, Design & Development by Kim Nguyen and Randy Yeip

Illustration of Cars moving, making the American Flag.

Pete Ryan for BI

'Trump is going to win'

Photos by Jordan Vonderhaar

A collection of Republican party imagery

Jordan Vonderhaar for BI

For Gen Alpha, learning to read is becoming a privilege

Illustration by Keith Negley, Photos by Momo Takahashi and Alex Welsh

Child walking up books.

Keith Negley for BI

My breakup with ambition

Illustration by Sophi Gullbrants

Illustration of a person being overwhelmed by the phones.

Sophi Gullbrants for BI

The gutting of the Eighth Amendment

Illustration by Matt Rota, Design & Development by Randy Yeip, Kim Nguyen, Dan DeLorenzo, Rebecca Zisser, and Isabel Fernandez-Pujol

An illustration of a prison

Matt Rota for BI

Read the original article on Business Insider

Savings, CD and Checking Account Interest Rates Today: Earn Over 4% APY

18 December 2024 at 03:34

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

All eyes are watching to see whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for the third time in a row this week, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates on deposits that we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Wednesday, December 18.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Start Earning More Interest

17 December 2024 at 03:29

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

All eyes are watching to see whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates for the third time in a row this week, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits that we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Tuesday, December 17.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

10 business leaders who spearheaded industry-transforming change in 2024

16 December 2024 at 11:48
List thumbnail featuring headshot photos of: Cathy Engelbert, Leon Sinclair, Jensen Huang, Fei Fei Li, and Arthur Sadoun
From Left: Cathy Engelbert, Leon Sinclair, Jensen Huang, Fei Fei Li, and Arthur Sadoun

Tom Williams/Getty Images; Greg Sandoval; Alyssa Powell/BI

Innovation and business go hand in hand β€” and that's constantly on enterprise leaders' minds, regardless of their industry.

Executives must understand how technological advancements, systemic barriers, and generational shifts are affecting their growth, then strategize accordingly.

Business Insider's annual list of people transforming business highlights these leaders who work in media, finance, technology, transportation, and labor.

The WNBA's first female commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, is spearheading a transformation in the sports sector with her focus on fan engagement and equity among players. In finance, Leon Sinclair is leveraging data and analytics to reshape the world of alternative investments at Preqin, where he's an executive vice president. Mike Hopkins, the head of Amazon's Prime Video and MGM Studios, is forging an ad-focused entertainment-business strategy that could redefine how content is made and consumed in the digital age.

Below, in alphabetical order by first name, are the 10 business leaders our reporters and editors credit with shaking up and remolding their industries.

Anna-Lisa Miller, executive director of the KKR-cofounded nonprofit Ownership Works

Headshot of Anna-Lisa Miller, executive director of the KKR-cofounded nonprofit Ownership Works on Transforming Business Series gradient

Ownership Works

Employers often say they prefer to hire employees who act like owners. As the executive director of the nonprofit Ownership Works, Miller aims to get employers to act on that ethos.

"It's not credible to ask employees to feel, think, and act like owners if you don't give them a financial ownership stake," Miller said.

Since its founding in 2021, Ownership Works and its corporate partners have shared $570 million in wealth across six companies and worked with more than 160,000 workers at 113 companies.

One way Miller seeks to convince business owners of the merits of employee shareholding is by showing them how it can improve the bottom line. She pointed to a time an employee in an Ownership Works company helped their employer save money by replacing a component costing $100 with a 3D printed part that cost just a few dollars.

"They often know where the company is losing money or making a mistake or where things could be better," Miller said. "And they often have ideas for how to fix the problem. It's just nobody ever asked them to."

Miller's career in employee ownership grew out of an interest in community development. Early in her career she helped a nonprofit in Hawaii create farming cooperatives, and she worked with another nonprofit to convert small businesses into worker cooperatives.

Miller said she wanted to find scale, so she approached Pete Stavros, KKR's cohead of private equity. Stavros first experimented with employee ownership at a garage-door manufacturer in 2015, leading to some of KKR's best results. He was looking to spread that model further.

After announcing the creation of Ownership Works with a $10 million donation, Stavros hired Miller as his first employee. Now it's her job to help the company's 25 private-equity partners, including KKR and Apollo, institute plans in their portfolios.

She does this in part by partnering with accountants, lawyers, and professional-services firms to make it easier to create these plans, acting as an employee-ownership consultancy. The organization also collects and shares metrics of success, such as hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to employees and decreasing turnover and higher profits at companies with employee ownership.


Transformers Tip #1

She's helping the nonprofit expand beyond private equity. Ownership Works recently worked with the cold-storage company Lineage to give $100 million in IPO proceeds to its employees and create a stock-ownership plan.

Miller believes that expanding employee ownership could significantly narrow the wealth gap and reduce financial insecurity.

Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe

Headshot of Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe on Transforming Business Series gradient

Publicis Groupe

Sadoun said he mostly received pushback when, in 2017, he told creative agencies that the future of creativity was commerce and AI.

"It's funny when you look at what happened now," Sadoun, the chief executive of the French advertising giant Publicis Groupe, told BI.

Back then, Sadoun faced a daunting task. He had just taken over as the third-ever leader of the 91-year-old company, home to the storied agencies Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Publicis Conseil, which had created iconic advertising like the Marlboro Man, Tony the Tiger, and "Labour Isn't Working."

But Publicis was languishing behind its competitors having lost key clients like McDonald's. Financial growth was anemic.

Sadoun embarked on a plan to turn Publicis from a communications partner to a company that could help clients transform their businesses. He sought to break down silos between Publicis' various agencies and help them retool around a bet on "personalization at scale," advanced by the biggest acquisition in its history: the 2019 purchase of the data marketing firm Epsilon for $4.4 billion.

"The financial market did not like that," Sadoun said.

Neither did many of Publicis' own employees, particularly the Don Draper-esque creatives who were maddened that an outsize focus on data and programmatic ads meant the Parisian company would lose its je ne sais quoi. Competitors mocked Publicis' multimillion-dollar investment in creating an AI platform.

Sadoun and Publicis are having the last laugh.

At about $27 billion, Publicis' market capitalization is the largest of any individual advertising-agency holding company. It's forecast to end the year with the largest annual revenue, too, with the combination of its data and media offerings representing about half of its sales. While 2024 was a cause for celebration, it faces challenges ahead: This month, its rival Omnicom announced a deal to acquire Interpublic Group that would create the largest ad-agency network.

Sadoun described Publicis' award-winning campaign for the French telco Orange as a good outward representation of its modernized offering to marketers. The commercial begins with stars from the French men's national football team flaunting their skills. The reveal β€” using VFX and deepfake technology β€” is that the stars of the ad were in fact from Les Bleues, the women's national team.

Sadoun credits his leadership team and employees for Publicis' turnaround. He has a more personal hope for his own legacy.

In 2022, Sadoun had an operation to remove a tumor in his neck that turned out to be cancerous. Unusually for the CEO of a public company, he disclosed his diagnosis before he underwent treatment: grueling rounds of chemo and radiotherapy that would affect the jet-setting executive's ability to travel. He was flooded with messages revealing that many people were hiding their chronic illnesses from their employers and colleagues.

The following year, Sadoun helped launch the Working with Cancer Pledge, which encourages companies to commit to offering more recovery-focused working environments. More than 600 companies have signed up, and the initiative was promoted with a splashy Super Bowl ad bought and created by Publicis last year.

"My one mission in life now, apart from my family, is to erase the stigma of cancer in the workplace," Sadoun said.

Cathy Engelbert, commissioner of the WNBA

Headshot of Cathy Engelbert, commissioner of the WNBA on Transforming Business Series gradient

WNBA

2024 was a transformative year for the WNBA. It said that attendance increased by nearly 50% year over year and that ratings on ESPN were up by 170% from last season, fueled in part by its rookie stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Sponsorship deals have boomed, bringing in advertisers newer to the sports world like Bumble and Skims.

Presiding over its astronomical growth is Engelbert, a former Deloitte CEO who became the league's commissioner in 2019.

The league has been planting the seeds of its growth for a while. It gained attention by playing during the pandemic in a bubble. It raised $75 million from investors, allowing it to invest in marketing and fan engagement. And it landed sponsorships on its own, separate from the NBA. External factors like the rise of "name, image, and likeness" deals and social media also helped draw attention to the sport.

"The thing that was overlooked is that Rome wasn't built in a day," Engelbert told BI. "We didn't do this overnight." One emphasis was on improving the fan experience by meeting spectators where they were, such as updating the app to look more like TikTok, Engelbert said.

The WBNA is a big brand now, and with its growth has come scrutiny. Engelbert took heat when she didn't directly condemn threatening comments on social media toward players but likened the situation to a rivalry between male players in the 1970s. She later apologized, promising to do better.

"We've been debriefing around a lot of things that happened this year," Engelbert told BI, adding that the league was looking at beefing up security and mental-health resources. "The vitriol our players, me, we all get, we're going to try to tackle that multidimensionally."


Transformers Tip #2

Engelbert also wants to talk about the flip side.

"There's a huge negative to all the vitriol, but there's also people caring about the league like they haven't before," she said. "Apathy's the death of a brand, and there's no more apathy."

The WNBA, which is majority-owned by the NBA, remains unprofitable; several outlets described sources as saying it was on track to lose $40 million or more this season. The WNBA declined to comment.

Increased sponsorship and media rights will be crucial to keeping up the W's momentum and getting in the black. In a big start, the women's league recently struck an 11-year, $200 million media-rights deal, up from its current deal of $60 million a year. Engelbert also has her sights set on global expansion, starting with the WNBA getting its first Canadian franchise next year. Corporate sponsorships are catching up to the rise of women's sports. Engelbert is ready to capitalize, with stats to appeal to the bottom line.

"There's a little scratching and clawing to make sure the old view of the WNBA is not the current view," she said. "Our fans are actually likely to buy from you. So we say this is a good business decision for you."

Fei-Fei Li, cofounder and CEO of World Labs

Headshot of Fei-Fei Li, cofounder and CEO of World Labs on Transforming Business Series gradient

Greg Sandoval/Business Insider

Almost 20 years ago, while she taught at Princeton, Li, known as the "godmother of AI," tested the hypothesis that everything humans could see could be categorized and labeled.

This idea built off her graduate research focused on object recognition. Li harnessed the power of crowdsourcing to pioneer ImageNet, a database of 15 million images that became the foundation of computer-vision and deep-learning research.

Li has continued advancing this research. This year, she and the leading AI researchers Justin Johnson, Christoph Lassner, and Ben Mildenhall launched World Labs, a startup that aims to take AI beyond large language models. It's valued at $1 billion.

With $230 million in funding from investors like Andreessen Horowitz, AMD Ventures, and Nvidia's NVentures, World Labs is seeking to explore AI applications in the two-dimensional plane of pixels and in 3D worlds with spatial intelligence. In December, World Labs dropped its first AI project: a tool designed to turn any image into a 3D model.

Since her initial research breakthroughs, Li has testified before Congress about applying responsible ethics to AI and has advocated the inclusion of more women and people of color in the field.

"Language is important but, as humans, much of our ability to understand and interact with the world is based on what we see," Li wrote in an op-ed article in The Economist in November.

She believes spatial intelligence β€” which can help with developing robots that look after older adults, or extra hands for a surgeon β€”Β is what truly human-centered AI will look like.

She's now a codirector of Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered AI and serves as the Sequoia Capital professor of computer science at Stanford. Li has also worked as a vice president and chief scientist of AI and machine learning at Google Cloud.

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia

Headshot of Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia on Transforming Business Series gradient

Tom Williams/Getty Images; BI

Huang is becoming the stuff of legend.

He has a reputation as a genius, a visionary, and a workaholic. Bosses everywhere want to know his every theory of management to replicate even a fraction of his success. That's because Nvidia has gone from a niche tech firm to one of the most valuable companies in the world in a little more than two years.

After decades of toiling out of the limelight, providing the video-gaming industry with graphics chips to render complex, ever-changing imagery but not gaining much name recognition beyond it, Nvidia burst into broader consciousness in 2022, after ChatGPT came to the market. Word quickly spread that the company had for years been buying thousands of Nvidia graphics processing unitsΒ β€” it turned out that the kind of computing they're best at is similar to the demands of artificial intelligence.

Huang actually donated OpenAI's first eight GPUs, delivering them himself. But Huang anticipated the connection between his chips and AI long before then β€” he just didn't know how it would materialize.

Huang, 61, was born in southwestern Taiwan. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Oregon and Stanford. He had a few jobs in the semiconductor industry, including at Nvidia's major competitor AMD, until he founded Nvidia at 30 with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem.

Despite the recent spotlight on him now, Huang has staying power. He's one the longest-serving tech CEOs, with more than 30 years at the helm. In a recently published memoir, Morris Chang, the founder of Nvidia's most important supplier, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, described offering Huang the CEO job at TSMC.

Even now that Nvidia has a market capitalization of more than $3 trillion, Huang sees his work as far from finished.

"I watched Jensen make these kinds of bets that are far-reaching, where there's a lot of ambiguity as to when it's going to happen or not," Rev Lebaredian, a vice president of omniverse and simulation technology at Nvidia, told Business Insider this year. Huang is usually right. The journey to enter 2025 with hundreds of foundation models chasing ChatGPT started for Nvidia in about 2006.

The next big journey may be self-driving cars and robots, or something else entirely.

Some investors still worry that when it comes to Nvidia, what goes up must come down. But investors also believe that if anyone can see or make the future, it's Huang.

Leon Sinclair, executive vice president of Preqin

Headshot of Leon Sinclair, executive vice president of Preqin on Transforming Business Series gradient

Preqin

Sinclair, who grew up in the market town of Rugby in the middle of England, didn't picture a career in finance.

"We never really spoke about money around the dinner table or anything like that because there was never any of it," the 42-year-old told Business Insider in an interview.

Now Sinclair is helping demystify private markets and powering its growth through data.

With civil service in mind, he studied political science at Loughborough University and joined England's Department of Health shortly after graduating in 2004. But Sinclair, a competitive basketball and track athlete, quickly tired of the bureaucracy and craved a faster-paced work culture.

After six months, he left for a research-analyst position at Intercontinental Exchange, the operator of major stock exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange and clearinghouses. The finance novice was eager to catch up and learn as much as he could about debt products and subprime markets. He left in 2010 for the data provider Markit, well before the firm merged with IHS and was acquired by S&P Global.

Throughout his two-decade career he has maintained a sense of intellectual curiosity, describing himself as one of the most avid readers of industry news among his peers. Drawn to the complexity of private markets, he pivoted away from credit to build IHS Markit's private-equity and debt division. In 2023, he joined the private-markets-data powerhouse Preqin.

"You see some of the most innovative companies in the world, and you work with some of the most innovative funds in the world who are deploying capital into just really interesting spaces," he said.


Transformers Tip #3

Sinclair oversees how Preqin addresses the needs of fund managers, investment banks, and placement agents, representing some 3,000 front-office teams, trying to navigate the opaque industry of private markets. Preqin says the asset class has more than doubled to $16.8 trillion in assets under management over the past five years. Preqin's data can be used, for instance, to target limited partners for fundraising or create customized benchmarks to better convey performance to investors.

Private markets are becoming more transparent as providers like Preqin find ways to combine publicly available and proprietary data, Sinclair said. In June, his division launched a data tool to analyze deals across 6,500 funds. This aggregated data can be used to back up valuations in negotiations or identify which financial factors, such as revenue growth or debt pay-down, contributed the most value to a successful deal. The firm's insights are set to become more widely available, as BlackRock is set to acquire Preqin for $3.2 billion.

Sinclair said it's easier for individual investors to participate in private markets than ever before, pointing to the growth of data products and favorable regulatory developments. But he added that having options isn't the same as understanding them.

"There's a massive amount of education to do. Alternatives have a totally different vocabulary, a different way of thinking about performance, a different way of thinking about risks to the types of products," he said.

"I think there's also an obligation of the industry to build the right analytical tools, the right educational tools, datasets to bring the mass affluent along on that journey."

Marin Gjaja, CEO of Ford Model e

Headshot of Marin Gjaja, CEO of Ford Model on Transforming Business Series gradient

Ford Model e

The electric-vehicle market has experienced tremendous upheaval in the past year, and car companies are scrambling to understand today's EV buyers.

At Ford, Gjaja, the chief operating officer of the Model e electric division, is tasked with navigating the money-losing division through huge changes in demand and customer profiles.

After years of growth in the EV segment driven by wealthy early adopters, car companies face the challenge of selling these expensive and complex vehicles to more-regular customers.

Ford split its gas and electric divisions in 2022 in a bid to speed up EV development. The company's EV strategy has changed a few times since then, but Ford still breaks out its financial performance: So far in 2024, the Model e division has lost $3.6 billion.

In his operations role, Gjaja is trying to reverse those losses by working with Ford's dealers to improve customer experiences and perceptions. Before joining Ford in 2022, Gjaja was a senior partner at Boston Consulting Group, where he worked with clients in retail, technology, and automotive, among other industries.

He's putting those years of consulting experience to work as Ford tries to bridge the gap between the wealthy early adopters behind the initial success of vehicles like the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150 Lighting and the more-practical customers who more often leave the lot with a hybrid.

While higher prices have turned off some of these new EV shoppers, Gjaja said at an automotive conference in September that this cohort was considering a lot more than sticker price β€” including their distance from the nearest charger, the cost of charging, battery life, and resale values.

Gjaja argued that simply discounting electric cars wouldn't be enough to convince shoppers and certainly wouldn't solve Ford's profitability problem in its Model e division.

Instead of focusing on "functional economics," Gjaja said, he examines the "behavioral economics" of EV adoption. He said the journey from what he called an EV denier to a long-term convert could take up to three years.

"My job is to figure out how to sell and market a vehicle that people don't appreciate its value until they own it for three years," Gjaja said.

Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon's Prime Video and MGM Studios

Headshot of Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon's Prime Video and MGM Studios on Transforming Business Series gradient

Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios

Amazon is a retail and cloud powerhouse, and thanks to Hopkins, it's become a media powerhouse, too.

Under Hopkins, Amazon now offers not just a wide variety of TV and films but some of the biggest sports franchises like the NFL and the NBA, and even news. Amazon spent $18.9 billion on video and music in 2023, up by 14% from 2022. According to the data firm Ampere Analysis, sports is a growing part of Amazon's entertainment outlay, accounting for 14.3% in 2024, up from virtually nothing five years ago.

Amazon's entertainment offerings help keep people subscribing to Prime, the free-delivery service that includes Prime Video and other benefits. But it's also becoming a moneymaker in its own right.

In January, Amazon shook up the streaming-ads market when it turned on ads in Prime Video, driving down ad prices for competitors like Netflix while giving Amazon a big shot at the $28.8 billion pie that EMARKETER has forecast will be spent on streaming-TV ads this year.

Morgan Stanley has estimated the move could bring in $3.3 billion in revenue this year, on top of Amazon's existing ad business, worth $47 billion in 2023. And with NFL and other streaming rights, Amazon is muscling in on traditional TV networks' turf and training viewers that it's the place to go for live sports. It's even dipped a toe in news, the last stronghold of traditional TV, with a Brian Williams-hosted election-night special.


Transformers Tip #4

Hopkins' hire in 2020, along with the NBC entertainment vet Jennifer Salke's two years earlier, was a big signal that Amazon was serious about establishing itself as a key player in entertainment.

Hopkins is a product of legacy and digital entertainment, having been the chairman of Sony Pictures Television and the CEO of Hulu. At Amazon, he oversaw the $8.5 billion acquisition of the film studio MGM and pushed the company's entertainment studio to expand into broader fare. Prime Video also makes money by fulfilling its promise of being a one-stop shop for viewers by selling subscriptions to other companies' apps like Max, Starz, and, in its most recent flex, Apple TV+.

"What we're trying to build is a next-generation entertainment service," Hopkins recently told Bloomberg.

Prime Video captured just 3.7% of TV viewing in November, well behind Netflix (7.7%) and YouTube (10.8%), per Nielsen. Despite some wins, like the popular show "The Boys" and the buzzy film "Saltburn," it has a way to go in becoming a consistent hit factory. Still, since most people don't pay for Prime Video as a stand-alone service, it doesn't have the churn problem that dogs other streamers.

As part of Amazon, Prime Video is also insulated from some of the financial pressures affecting other entertainment companies. Hopkins is still bringing financial discipline to bear, however.

Amazon cut hundreds of jobs across Prime Video and MGM Studios teams early in 2024. Hopkins recently told Bloomberg that the advertising ramp-up was a factor in pursuing NBA rights and that he expected Prime Video to be profitable "very soon."

Prathibha Varkey, president of Mayo Clinic Health System

Headshot of Prathibha Varkey, president of Mayo Clinic Health System on Transforming Business Series gradient

Mayo Clinic Health System

Since 2021, Varkey has been the president of the Mayo Clinic Health System, a network of 16 community hospitals and 45 multispecialty clinics across more than three dozen communities in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The facilities serve rural areas where care can otherwise be difficult to access.

Varkey, who comes from a family of physicians, said her work focused on reaching patients without ready access to the sprawling Mayo Clinic campus in Rochester, Minnesota, and its world-renowned medical expertise.

Varkey told Business Insider that part of her focus was finding new ways to incorporate technology so that more people can obtain care and administrative burdens can be reduced. That includes using artificial intelligence to help with diagnosing conditions and using technology so that clinicians can manage complex chronic conditions virtually.

The efforts also include introducing a mobile clinic that can go where routine and preventive care is needed and even provide wireless internet access so patients can confer with specialists. The clinic, which travels across southern Minnesota, offers virtual or in-person appointments. It has two exam rooms and a laboratory.

"So now you have preventive exams, specialist visits that are occurring in very remote areas," she said.

Varkey said Mayo Clinic Health System was also trying to bring medical expertise to rural residents through programs that connect small local clinics with specialists from hub sites or from Mayo's Rochester campus. Small clinics, she said, might have only a single nurse practitioner β€” nothing like the variety of disciplines a larger facility would have.

"It's been very exciting to watch, and patients have really appreciated it as well," Varkey said.

Another effort to meet patients where they are is the organization's hospital-at-home program. Varkey said remote monitoring technology helped these patients remain with family and be more comfortable than they'd be in a medical facility.

"You get the same Mayo care," she said, adding that the approach had been popular with patients.

Varkey, who also holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota, returned to Mayo in 2021 after serving as the president and CEO of Yale New Haven Health Northeast Medical Group.

From 2001 to 2013, Varkey held leadership positions at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, including associate chair of the Department of Medicine, medical director of Ask Mayo Clinic, and program director of the Preventive Medicine Fellowship.

Varkey said the expanding capabilities of AI and discoveries in genomics and molecular medicine were "taking healthcare to the next level β€” and very fast."

While those developments are exciting, Varkey said, they shouldn't distract from the primary goal of patient-centered care.

Ranjit Kapila, chief operating officer and copresident of Parametric

Headshot of Ranjit Kapila, chief operating officer and copresident of Parametric on Transforming Business Series gradient

Parametric

Kapila likes to stay ahead of the game.

During the first 10 years of his career, the computer-science graduate completed four certifications each year while working as a tech consultant for firms like Nasdaq and Sallie Mae. While working at the hedge fund Citadel in the mid-2000s, he took MBA classes at night at Northwestern University.

"Everything in this field changes so quickly," he said. "Things change in finance and things change in tech at an ever increasing pace."

Now Kapila is a copresident and chief operating officer of Parametric, a pioneer of direct indexing with $570 billion in assets under management. He joined Parametric in 2019 after rising up the ranks at BlackRock, overseeing portfolio construction management for its widely used Aladdin platform. Kapila moved to a much smaller firm to have a bigger impact.

"It was an opportunity to kind of look at what Parametric has done well, think about how to build on the success, but then also take advantage of what's happening in the technology space and rethink how Parametric could operate, let's say, five years from that point," he said.

His move was well timed. There has been a boom in direct indexing, a tax-savvy investing strategy of buying individual securities modeled off an index like the S&P 500. Two years after Kapila joined Parametric, Morgan Stanley acquired Parametric's parent company, Eaton Vance. Thanks to a wave of similar acquisitions, Parametric faces well-capitalized competitors such as BlackRock's Aperio and Franklin Templeton's Canvas. Industry stalwarts like Fidelity and upstarts like Envestnet also want a piece of the action.

Kapila said Parametric, founded in 1987, has experience and scale on its side.

"I will say that given the technology trends, sometimes it's easy to come in and have a solution. It's much, much harder to have a scalable solution that will serve clients when the demand spikes," he said. "We're managing over 200,000 accounts for our clients. The level of scale, I think, often is a breaking point for some of the newer entrants."

To stay ahead of the competition, Kapila is pushing Parametric to develop more automated products, such as Radius, which launched this year. Radius constructs fixed-income and equity portfolios and runs simulations to identify the best selections for portfolio managers. Kapila described it as a "turning point" for Parametric.

"This is the first time we've had a product that's really end-to-end running in that automated platform manner with a person reviewing and approving and intervening as necessary," he said.

He plans to launch more cloud-native tools, which are easier to scale and manage, for other asset classes in 2025 and 2026.

Parametric is also bringing its tax-savvy strategies to active management, launching Custom Active this summer. Rather than modeling portfolios off indexes, clients can pick equities off strategies from its asset-management partner Lazard or sports-league sponsors.

"Those are examples where we can provide a tax overlay and help people get the advantages of direct indexing while managing to an active model," Kapila said.

"There's a demand for that, and it's early days," he added, "but I think that's really what's playing out."

Credits

Series Editor: Julia Naftulin
Reporters: Lara O'Reilly, Lucia Moses, Nora Naughton, Alex Nicoll, Tim Paradis, Brittany Chang, Helen Li, Hayley Cuccinello, Emma Cosgrove
Editors: Nathan McAlone, Graham Rapier, Julia Naftulin, Michelle Abrego, Kaja Whitehouse, Rosalie Chan, Monica Melton, Clementine Fletcher
Art Direction and Photo Editing: Alyssa Powell, Isabel Fernandez-Pujol
Copyeditors: Emma LeGault, Nick Siwek
Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Secure Top Rates

16 December 2024 at 03:32

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Monday, December 16.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Grow Your Savings

15 December 2024 at 03:31

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Sunday, December 15.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Explore Today's Best Rates

14 December 2024 at 03:29

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Saturday, December 14.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Maximize Your Returns

13 December 2024 at 03:32

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you know that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Friday, December 13.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Savings, CD and Checking Account Interest Rates Today: Earn Over 4% APY

11 December 2024 at 03:36

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

In its last two meetings, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in four years, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates on deposits that we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Wednesday, December 11.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Start Earning More Interest

10 December 2024 at 03:35

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

In its last two meetings, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in four years, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits that we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Tuesday, December 10.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Secure Top Rates

9 December 2024 at 03:25

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Monday, December 9.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

How to get hired at top hedge funds like Citadel, D.E. Shaw, and Point72

8 December 2024 at 06:49
Four D. E. Shaw interns gathered around a computer.
D.E. Shaw interns.

D. E. Shaw

  • The biggest hedge funds are battling it out to attract and retain top talent and outperform peers.
  • Business Insider has talked to elite hedge funds to get a peek into their recruiting processes.
  • From internships to how they hire for tech, here's what we know about getting a job at a hedge fund.

The war for the best hedge fund talent cuts across all levels and positions. Firms like Citadel, Point72, D.E. Shaw, and Bridgewater are in constant competition for the best and brightest to help them gain an edge in the cutthroat industry.Β 

These behemoth funds are now putting serious time and resources into recruiting for internship and training programs to create a steady employee pipeline.

Eye-popping pay, prestige, challenging work environments, and the promise of working with some of the best investors in the industry means there's a lot of competition for a spot at one of these firms.Β 

The money is top-shelf, even for financial services jobs.

These funds, which have grown into behemoths, are now contributing serious time and resources to recruit for internship and training programs that could better guarantee them a steady employee pipeline.

Eye-popping pay, prestige, challenging work environments, and the promise of working with some of the best investors in the industry means they have a pretty attractive proposition to offer.

Internships at quant fund D.E. Shaw can pay up to $22,000. Entry-level analysts and software engineers get paid above 6 figures a year. Portfolio managers with winning strategies can take home millions.Β 

Business Insider has talked to some of the biggest hedge fund managers about how they attract talent, as well as ways to join their ranks and be successful at their firms. Here's everything we know.Β 

Internships and fellowships

The opaque and secretive world of hedge funds might not necessarily be an obvious choice for many college graduates. Massive money managers are launching new programs to change that and attract young, diverse wunderkinder at earlier stages than before.Β 

Citadel intern Justin Lou and Johnna Shields.
Citadel’s Johnna Shields with Justin Luo of the Citadel Associate Program.

Citadel

Internships have also become huge talent pipelines for some of the biggest multi-strategy hedge funds in the industry, which employ armies of traders and engineers. Programs are uber-competitive and harder to get into than many top Ivy League schools.

Analyst and investment training programs

Typically, hedge funds acquire their investment talent after a few years of working at an investment bank. Increasingly though, the industry's top players are paying graduates to train through intensive programs that can lead to joining investment teams straight after college.Β 

Even the way up-and-coming portfolio managers cut their teeth has evolved.

Tech jobs and training programs

Hedge funds have long been competing with the finance industry and top tech companies for top technologists. Engineers and algorithm developers are key to helping researchers, data scientists, and traders develop cutting-edge investment strategies and platforms. Quant shop D.E. Shaw also has a unique approach to finding talent.

Other resources, including recruiter insight and how to dominate a 5-hour interview

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Grow Your Savings

8 December 2024 at 03:24

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Sunday, December 8.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

19 unforgettable images from the Pearl Harbor attack 83 years ago

7 December 2024 at 06:37
USS West Virginia pearl harbor
The USS West Virginia burns in Pearl Harbor.

US Navy

  • The Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor began at 7:48 a.m. on December 7, 1941.
  • The attack killed some 2,400 Americans and wounded many others, while sinking four battleships.
  • Photographs show the immediate aftermath of the attack that drew America into World War II.

December 7, 1941, began as a perfect Sunday morning for the troops serving the US fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Under a early morning South Pacific sun, softball teams were lining up on the beach. Pitchers warmed up their arms, while batting rosters were finalized and the wives and kids came over from seaside church services.

They did not know that for hours the Japanese naval fleet and air forces had been speeding across the ocean toward America's Pacific base. There, like a string of pearls draped across the docks and waterfront, was the majority of America's naval might.

The devastating Japanese onslaught began at 7:48 a.m., eventually killing 2,402 Americans and wounding many others, sinking four battleships and damaging many more.

The US promised never to forget this day of infamy. The attack spurred America into World War II, leading ultimately to Allied victory over the Japanese in the East and Nazis and other Axis powers in the West.

Here are photographs from the attack on Pearl Harbor and its immediate aftermath.

Amanda Macias and Kamelia Angelova contributed to an earlier version of this story.

On the morning of December 7, 1941, an attack planned by Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto to demobilize the US Navy was carried out.
torpedo plane takes off from shokaku to attack pearl harbor
One of more than 180 planes used in the attack.

AP

Around 7 a.m., an Army radar operator spotted the first wave of the Japanese planes. The officers who received these reports did not consider them significant enough to take action.
aerial view of battleship row in the opening moments of the japanese attack on pearl harbor
An aerial view of Battleship Row in the opening moments of the raid.

US Navy

The Japanese hit most of the US ships in Oahu before 9 a.m.
pearl harbor
A Japanese plane flying over Pearl Harbor as black smoke rises from the area.

AP

The Japanese also took the opportunity to attack military airfields while bombing the fleet in Pearl Harbor. The purpose of these simultaneous attacks was to destroy American planes before they could respond.
pearl harbor, december 7. 1941, naval air station airfield
A naval air station airfield.

US Navy

More than 90 ships were anchored at Pearl Harbor. The primary targets were the eight battleships in Battleship Row.
pearl harbor, december 7, 1941, battleships on fire
Battleship Row during the attack.

US Navy

The USS West Virginia, left, was one of the battleships to sink during the attack. The Japanese successfully damaged all eight.
battleships pearl harbor
The West Virginia and the USS Tennessee.

US Navy

At about 8:10 a.m., the USS Arizona exploded as a bomb ignited its forward ammunition magazine. About half of the total number of Americans killed that day were on this ship.
pearl harbor
Explosions during the attack.

US Navy

Here's another picture of the USS Arizona sinking.
pearl harbor
The USS Arizona sinking.

AP

The USS Shaw, a destroyer, also exploded during the two-hour attack by Japan.
pearl harbor, december 7, 1941, destroyer shaw
The USS Shaw was also hit.

US Navy

The damaged USS Nevada tried to escape to open sea but became a target during the second wave of 170 Japanese planes, hoping to sink it and block the narrow entrance to Pearl Harbor. The ship was grounded with 60 killed on board.
uss nevada
USS Nevada.

National Archives and Records Administration

A Japanese plane hit by American naval antiaircraft fire was engulfed in flames. Fewer than 30 Japanese planes were lost in the attack.
pearl harbor
A Japanese plane on fire.

AP

About 190 US planes were destroyed, and another 159 were damaged.
pearl harbor damage
Hickam Field near Pearl Harbor.

AP

Sailors at the Naval Air Station in Kaneohe, Hawaii, attempted to salvage a burning PBY Catalina in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
pearl harbor, december 7, 1941, sailors at naval air station
PBY Catalina, an amphibious aircraft.

US Navy

People in New York's Times Square bought newspapers with headlines like this one, "Japs Attack US." The US entered World War II after the surprise attack.
pearl harbor, december 7, 1941, headlines, new york
News soon reached the East Coast.

AP

Salvage work soon began on the destroyers USS Cassin and USS Downes. The Japanese failed to damage any US aircraft carriers, which weren't in the harbor.
pearl harbor damage
Damage from the attack.

US Navy

About 10% of Japanese planes were lost on December 7, 1941.
pearl harbor damage
A Japanese torpedo plane was hoisted from the bottom of the sea.

AP

The USS Oklahoma was considered too old to be worth repairing.
pearl harbor, december 7, 1941, battleship oklahoma
One of the Oklahoma's propellers peeking out from the water.

US Navy

Here, a Marine holds a piece of shrapnel removed from his arm after the attack.
pearl harbor marines
More than 1,100 service members were wounded.

US Marine Corps

Sailors participated in a memorial service for the more than 2,400 Americans killed in the attack.
pearl harbor
The attack killed some 2,400 Americans and wounded many others.

Library of Congress

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Explore Today's Best Rates

7 December 2024 at 03:35

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Saturday, December 7.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Maximize Your Returns

6 December 2024 at 03:37

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you know that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Friday, December 6.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Supercharge Your Savings

5 December 2024 at 03:36

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you feel confident that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Thursday, December 5.

Savings Account Bonus

Alliant High-Rate Savings Account

Earn a $100 bonus when you deposit at least $100 a month for 12 consecutive months and have a balance of $1,200 or more at the end of the 12-calendar-month period (offer expires December 31, 2024).

See more savings account bonuses Β»

Leading Checking & Savings Combo Account Bonus

SoFi Checking and Savings (Member FDIC)

Earn up to $300 with qualifying direct deposit for eligible customers (offer expires 01/31/26, terms apply). Earn up to 4.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) with direct deposit.

See more savings account bonuses Β»

Leading Checking & Savings Combo Account Bonus

SoFi Checking and Savings (Member FDIC)

Earn up to $300 with qualifying direct deposit for eligible customers (offer expires 01/31/26, terms apply). Earn up to 4.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) with direct deposit.

See more bank account bonuses Β»

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Savings, CD and Checking Account Interest Rates Today: Earn Over 4% APY

4 December 2024 at 03:25

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

In its last two meetings, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates for the first time in four years, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates on deposits that we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Wednesday, December 4.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Secure Top Rates

2 December 2024 at 03:37

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate banking products to write unbiased product reviews.

The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Monday, December 2.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CD, Checking, and Savings Rates Today: Grow Your Savings

1 December 2024 at 03:34

The offers and details on this page may have updated or changed since the time of publication. See our article on Business Insider for current information.

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The Federal Reserve cut rates in its last two meetings, meaning the clock is ticking on the high interest rates for deposits we've come to expect. With rates rapidly changing, how can you be sure that you're getting the best interest rate?

We monitor rates from banks and credit unions daily to help you feel confident before you open a new account β€” and now could be a great time to lock in a high rate before APYs go off a cliff. Here are the top rates for popular banks on Sunday, December 1.

About High-Yield Accounts

High-yield savings accounts aren't the only accounts paying favorable rates right now. You'll typically see the highest rates at online or lower-profile institutions rather than national brands with a significant brick-and-mortar presence. This is normal; online banks have lower overhead costs and are willing to pay high rates to attract new customers.

High-Yield Savings Accounts

The best high-yield savings accounts provide the security of a savings account with the added bonus of a high APY. Savings accounts are held at a bank or credit union β€” not invested through a brokerage account β€” and are best for saving cash in pursuit of shorter-term goals, like a vacation or big purchase.Β 

High-Yield Checking Accounts

The best high-yield checking accounts tend to pay slightly lower rates than high-yield savings, but even they are strong in today's rate environment. A checking account is like a hub for your money: If your paycheck is direct deposited, it's typically to a checking account. If you transfer money to pay a bill, you typically do it from a checking account. Checking accounts are used for everyday spending and usually come with checks and/or debit cards to make that easy.

Money Market Accounts

The best money market accounts could be considered a middle ground between checking and savings: They are used for saving money but typically provide easy access to your account through checks or a debit card. They usually offer a tiered interest rate depending on your balance.

Cash Management Accounts

A cash management account is also like a savings/checking hybrid. You'll generally see them offered by online banks, and, unlike a checking account, they usually offer unlimited transfers. A savings account often limits the number of monthly transfers, while a checking account doesn't. Cash management accounts typically come with a debit card for easy access, but you may have to pay a fee if you want to deposit cash.

Certificates of Deposit

The best CD rates may outpace any of the other accounts we've described above. That's because a certificate of deposit requires you to "lock in" your money for a predetermined amount of time ranging from three months to five years. To retrieve it before then, you'll pay a penalty (unless you opt for one of the best no-penalty CDs). The longer you'll let the bank hold your money, the higher rate you'll get. CD rates aren't variable; the rate you get upon depositing your money is the rate you'll get for the length of your term.

About CD Terms

Locking your money into an account in exchange for a higher interest rate can be a big decision. Here's what you need to know about common CD terms.

No-Penalty CDs

Most CDs charge you a fee if you need to withdraw money from your account before the term ends. But with a no-penalty CD, you won't have to pay an early withdrawal penalty. The best no-penalty CDs will offer rates slightly higher than the best high-yield savings accounts, and can offer a substantially improved interest rate over traditional brick-and-mortar savings accounts.

6-Month CDs

The best 6-month CDs are offering interest rates in the mid-5% range. Six-month CDs are best for those who are looking for elevated rates on their savings for short-term gains, but are uncomfortable having limited access to their cash in the long term. These can be a good option for those who may just be getting started with saving, or who don't have a large emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

1-Year CDs

The best 1-year CDs tend to offer some of the top CD rates, and are a popular option for many investors. A 1-year term can be an attractive option for someone building a CD ladder, or for someone who has a reasonable cash safety net but is still concerned about long-term expenses.Β 

2-Year CDs

The best 2-year CD rates will be slightly lower than 1-year and no-penalty CD rates. In exchange for a longer lock-in period, investors receive a long-term commitment for a specific rate. These are best used as part of a CD ladder strategy, or for those worried about a declining rate market in the foreseeable future.

3-Year CDs

The best 3-year CDs tend to have rates that are comparable to 2-year CDs. These are usually less popular for your average investor, but can be an important lever when diversifying investments and hedging against the risk of unfavorable rate markets in the long term.

5-Year CDs

The best 5-year CDs will offer lower rates than the other terms on our list, but are still popular options for investors. These CDs are best for those looking to lock in high rates for the long term. CDs are generally viewed as safe investment vehicles, and securing a favorable rate can yield considerable earnings in year three and beyond β€” even if rates fall elsewhere.

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