Friday’s business headlines
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Here is a look at Friday’s business headlines with Joya Dass.
mortgage rates lowest they’ve been since may
Mortgage rates have fell to their lowest since May. The average for a 30-year, fixed load was 6.61%, down from 6.67% last week, according to Freddie Mac.
Investopedia says the cheapest mortgage it could find in Indiana was 7%.
Americans tapping into savings to pay bills
More Americans are relying on their savings to cover monthly bills and everyday expenses.
In fact, it’s the number one reason Americans have tapped into their savings accounts this year.
A CNBC Select and Dynata Banking Behaviors survey found that 40% of respondents who reported having withdrawn cash from their savings say they did so to cover fixed bills, such as a car payment. The second most at 38% was to cover variable expenses like groceries.
social media companies make billions off minors
Social media companies collectively made over $11 billion in U.S. advertising revenue form minors last year, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chab school of public health.
The researchers say the findings show a need for government regulation of social media. They believe regulations could help alleviate harms to youth mental health and curtail potentially harmful advertising practices that can harm children.
vibrating pill helps with weight loss
Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a vibrating pill that can help with weight loss but not have all of the side effects.
The pill, called “Vibes” for short, stimulates nerve endings with a tiny motor that sense stomach expansion, tricking the brain into thinking the stomach is full.
Researchers found that animals given the drug 20 minutes before eating had stimulated the release of hormones that signaled satiety and reduced their food intake by roughly 40%, according to a news release.
Dave Chappelle sells most tickets of any comedian in 2023
Dave Chappelle sold more tickets in the past year than any other comedian despite repeated controversies and blowback. Now he’s planning to open his own comedy clubs.
The Wall Street Journal reports he grossed $62 million for 31 ticketed shows in 2023, not including several co-headlining shows with Chris Rock and events with receipts not reported to Pollstar.