Home Equity Loans in 2025: A Balanced Risk-Reward Assessment
In 2025's rising inflation environment, homeowners with an average $320,000 home equity consider home equity loans (8.40% interest) or HELOCs, but must weigh this against high personal loan (13%) and credit card (23%) rates, and carefully assess their repayment ability to avoid foreclosure.
Home Equity Loans in 2025: A Balanced Risk-Reward Assessment
In 2025's rising inflation environment, homeowners with an average $320,000 home equity consider home equity loans (8.40% interest) or HELOCs, but must weigh this against high personal loan (13%) and credit card (23%) rates, and carefully assess their repayment ability to avoid foreclosure.
Progress
40% Bias Score
Xizang's Economy Booms in 2024, Driven by Trade and Infrastructure Growth
Xizang's 2024 GDP reached $37.96 billion, a 6.3 percent increase year-on-year, driven by a 15.4 percent surge in foreign trade to $1.7 billion and an 8.2 percent rise in per capita disposable income to $4,296, showcasing the region's growing economic importance in China's South Asia strategy.
Xizang's Economy Booms in 2024, Driven by Trade and Infrastructure Growth
Xizang's 2024 GDP reached $37.96 billion, a 6.3 percent increase year-on-year, driven by a 15.4 percent surge in foreign trade to $1.7 billion and an 8.2 percent rise in per capita disposable income to $4,296, showcasing the region's growing economic importance in China's South Asia strategy.
Progress
44% Bias Score
French Senate Votes to Eliminate Organic Farming Agency
The French Senate voted to dissolve the Agence Bio, a national agency promoting organic agriculture, saving €2.9 million and transferring its responsibilities to other organizations, despite concerns from industry stakeholders about potential negative impacts on the organic sector.
French Senate Votes to Eliminate Organic Farming Agency
The French Senate voted to dissolve the Agence Bio, a national agency promoting organic agriculture, saving €2.9 million and transferring its responsibilities to other organizations, despite concerns from industry stakeholders about potential negative impacts on the organic sector.
Progress
48% Bias Score
Xinjiang Tunnel Construction Progressing Despite Challenges
The 15.7-kilometer West Tianshan Super-Long Tunnel in Xinjiang, China, connecting Yili and Aksu prefectures, faces challenges like flooding and extreme temperatures but is progressing as planned for completion by late October 2027, significantly reducing travel time and boosting regional development...
Xinjiang Tunnel Construction Progressing Despite Challenges
The 15.7-kilometer West Tianshan Super-Long Tunnel in Xinjiang, China, connecting Yili and Aksu prefectures, faces challenges like flooding and extreme temperatures but is progressing as planned for completion by late October 2027, significantly reducing travel time and boosting regional development...
Progress
52% Bias Score
Federal Reserve Rate Cuts Dip CD Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve's three 2024 rate cuts lowered CD interest rates from approximately 5% to the 4-4.5% range, impacting short-term CDs most significantly, as banks adjusted deposit account rates and savers shifted to long-term options or high-yield accounts.
Federal Reserve Rate Cuts Dip CD Interest Rates
The Federal Reserve's three 2024 rate cuts lowered CD interest rates from approximately 5% to the 4-4.5% range, impacting short-term CDs most significantly, as banks adjusted deposit account rates and savers shifted to long-term options or high-yield accounts.
Progress
36% Bias Score
UK Replaces Competition Regulator Chair Amid Growth Concerns
The UK government replaced the Competition and Markets Authority's chair, Marcus Bokkerink, with former Amazon executive Doug Gurr, due to concerns about the CMA's impact on economic growth, following criticism from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a meeting with the Finance Minister to discuss stimu...
UK Replaces Competition Regulator Chair Amid Growth Concerns
The UK government replaced the Competition and Markets Authority's chair, Marcus Bokkerink, with former Amazon executive Doug Gurr, due to concerns about the CMA's impact on economic growth, following criticism from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a meeting with the Finance Minister to discuss stimu...
Progress
40% Bias Score
Academic Collaboration Should Remain Despite Supply Chain Decoupling: Expert
John Quelch, executive vice-chancellor of Duke Kunshan University, argues against extending supply chain decoupling to educational collaborations, emphasizing the importance of cross-border academic exchanges for global prosperity, citing his university's international student body and China's initi...
Academic Collaboration Should Remain Despite Supply Chain Decoupling: Expert
John Quelch, executive vice-chancellor of Duke Kunshan University, argues against extending supply chain decoupling to educational collaborations, emphasizing the importance of cross-border academic exchanges for global prosperity, citing his university's international student body and China's initi...
Progress
36% Bias Score
HMRC Cuts Off 43,690 Customers, Faces Criticism Over Poor Phone Service and Rising Uncollectable Debt
HMRC's phone system cut off 43,690 customers after 70-minute waits in 2023-24 due to high call volume, prompting criticism from MPs over poor service and a £5 billion increase in uncollectable debt; HMRC denies claims of deliberately poor service.
HMRC Cuts Off 43,690 Customers, Faces Criticism Over Poor Phone Service and Rising Uncollectable Debt
HMRC's phone system cut off 43,690 customers after 70-minute waits in 2023-24 due to high call volume, prompting criticism from MPs over poor service and a £5 billion increase in uncollectable debt; HMRC denies claims of deliberately poor service.
Progress
56% Bias Score
Qantas Frequent Flyer Program Overhaul: Increased Points Earned, Higher Redemption Costs
Qantas is updating its Frequent Flyer program, increasing points earned on domestic flights by up to 25% from July, but also raising points needed for reward seats and upgrades by 15% from August, impacting 13,000 daily classic reward seat bookings.
Qantas Frequent Flyer Program Overhaul: Increased Points Earned, Higher Redemption Costs
Qantas is updating its Frequent Flyer program, increasing points earned on domestic flights by up to 25% from July, but also raising points needed for reward seats and upgrades by 15% from August, impacting 13,000 daily classic reward seat bookings.
Progress
36% Bias Score
German Court Upholds Tübingen's Single-Use Packaging Tax
The German Federal Constitutional Court upheld Tübingen's tax on single-use food packaging and cutlery, rejecting a McDonald's franchisee's challenge; the decision validates the city's efforts to reduce waste and may influence other German municipalities considering similar taxes.
German Court Upholds Tübingen's Single-Use Packaging Tax
The German Federal Constitutional Court upheld Tübingen's tax on single-use food packaging and cutlery, rejecting a McDonald's franchisee's challenge; the decision validates the city's efforts to reduce waste and may influence other German municipalities considering similar taxes.
Progress
48% Bias Score
Power Struggle Erupts in Spain's Business Leadership
Antonio Garamendi, CEOE president, wants Gerardo Cuerva out as Cepyme president, offering him a less prominent position within CEOE; Cuerva will run for reelection, creating a conflict that will reshape power dynamics in Spain's business sector.
Power Struggle Erupts in Spain's Business Leadership
Antonio Garamendi, CEOE president, wants Gerardo Cuerva out as Cepyme president, offering him a less prominent position within CEOE; Cuerva will run for reelection, creating a conflict that will reshape power dynamics in Spain's business sector.
Progress
40% Bias Score
E-commerce Sales Surge in Spain: 18% Growth in 2024
In 2024, Spanish e-commerce sales surged by 18%, outpacing offline growth at 4.5%, reaching a 6.8% market share in consumer goods. This growth is fueled by increased purchasing frequency, larger basket sizes, and higher spending, with senior citizens increasingly adopting online shopping.
E-commerce Sales Surge in Spain: 18% Growth in 2024
In 2024, Spanish e-commerce sales surged by 18%, outpacing offline growth at 4.5%, reaching a 6.8% market share in consumer goods. This growth is fueled by increased purchasing frequency, larger basket sizes, and higher spending, with senior citizens increasingly adopting online shopping.
Progress
44% Bias Score