Today in Markets & Money: “The Calm Before… More Calm?”
Ethan Teng
Published August 25, 2025
2 min read
🏷️ Inflation & Rates
CPI sits at 322.13 (core at 328.66). Translation: prices are still high, but they’re not climbing like a rocket anymore. Inflation expectations? Basically flat — markets think we’ll cruise near 2% for years. The Fed Funds Rate is holding at 4.33%, which is like the thermostat they refuse to touch.
💸 What this means for your wallet:
Groceries won’t suddenly get cheaper, but your money isn’t losing value like it did in 2022. This is the “annoying but stable” era.
💵 Treasury Yields
- 1-year: 3.95%
- 5-year: 3.86%
- 10-year: 4.33%
That curve is almost flat. In finance-speak, this means: “No panic, but don’t expect free money either.”
💸 What this means for your wallet:
CDs and Treasuries are still a decent place to park cash. Just don’t expect juicy 5% yields anymore. Think steady, not sexy.
📈 The Stock Market
The S&P 500 popped +1.54% today, closing at 645.31. High of 646.5, low of 637.25. That’s Wall Street clapping politely after a decent earnings report, not standing ovation energy.
💸 What this means for your wallet:
Your 401(k) probably got a small boost. Nice. Markets are happy for now.
🏡 Mortgages & Housing
The 30-year fixed mortgage is still parked at 6.58%. Translation: if you’re buying a house, you’ll pay more in interest than you wanted to — and you’ll still argue over granite countertops.
💸 What this means for your wallet:
If you already own, congrats, you’re locked in. If you’re shopping? Budget extra for monthly payments, or wait until rates finally blink.
🎤 Fed Watch
The 10-year Treasury is sitting right at the Fed’s own 4.33%. It’s like the bond market is saying, “We believe you, Powell. Fine. Rates stay high.”
💸 What this means for your wallet:
Don’t expect your credit card APR to suddenly drop. Borrowing is still expensive — which means “buy now, pay later” is a terrible retirement plan.
🧾 Bottom Line
The vibe? Stable. Not thrilling, not disastrous. Inflation is tame, markets are upbeat, borrowing is pricey, housing is meh. This is the kind of “normal” we haven’t had in years.
💡 Money Move of the Day
If you’ve been waiting for interest rates to fall before locking in a CD or Treasury, stop waiting. Rates are still high by historical standards — better to grab something solid now than sit in cash earning nothing.
👋 This is exactly the kind of “what does it mean for me?” analysis Ask Linc does for you automatically: it pulls in your actual finances + today’s markets and tells you the smarter move.
Ask Linc–style Question of the Day:
👉 “Should I keep waiting for mortgage rates to drop before buying, or would investing that down payment cash elsewhere actually leave me ahead?”
That’s the kind of tradeoff ChatGPT can’t answer — but Linc can. Try it at asklinc.com.