If you’ve locked in a 3% mortgage rate, will you ever leave? Most homeowners say: absolutely not.

New research from Empower shows that 74% of mortgage holders don’t want to give up their current rate — and with today’s higher interest rates, people are staying put:

• No moving plans: Only 1 in 5 are even thinking about relocating
• Sticker shock: 88% say home prices are too high, and 82% say the same for mortgage rates
• Home sweet home: 57% say they’re deeply attached to their current home

High rates have cooled down the housing market — and homeowners are holding the keys.

— The Editors 

🏠 Opening doors: Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will soon accept VantageScore as a credit score option alongside FICO. The move could expand mortgage access for millions, particularly first-time home buyers and those with limited credit histories. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee single-family loans up to $806,500 and account for about 70% of the U.S. mortgage market.

📬 Postcard pinch: Mail prices continue to climb, with three rate hikes since 2024 pushing the cost of a Forever stamp to 78 cents — a 4-cent jump. Domestic postcards are now 61 cents, a 9% increase.

⬆️Price check: U.S. home prices hit a record high in June, reaching a median of $435,300,* the highest level since the National Association of Realtors began tracking in 1999. As costs climb, many would-be buyers are stepping back: Existing-home sales fell 2.7% from May, the slowest pace since September.

💲 New kid on the block: Fintech firm Block,* parent company of Cash App, is joining the S&P 500, replacing Hess following its $54 billion acquisition by Chevron. Empower research shows that over half of Americans use digital payment apps weekly, with 41% of Gen Zers choosing them more often than cash.

Equity, unlocked

Private companies are opening the liquidity floodgates: Nearly $9 billion in IPO-related transactions occurred in just the first four months of 2025 — already topping all of 2024. With IPO timelines stretching, offering early cash-out options can be key to keeping talent on board.

For employees sitting on equity, this could be a chance to turn stock into savings. But liquidity events — like tender offers or buybacks — come with complexity. Professionals advise weighing tax impacts, diversification opportunities, and how windfalls might boost retirement or emergency funds. Read more on The Currency^TM.

Grill marks

As summer sizzles, so do prices at the meat counter. The average cost of uncooked beef steaks hit a record $11.49* per pound in June, an 8% increase from a year earlier. Ground beef jumped 12%* year-over-year, to an average of $6.12 per pound.

Drought and herd* downsizing are partly behind the rising prices, which may have grill masters rethinking the backyard menu. Empower research shows nearly 7 in 10 Americans (68%) say barbecue costs have noticeably increased. The average American spent $597 on groceries in May, according to Empower Personal Dashboard^TM data, a 2.2% increase from a year earlier.

Landing a Labubu

Pop Mart’s Labubu toys — a quirky, toothy character born from a graphic novel — are turning heads. Sold in blind packages, each figure is a surprise, driving a treasure-hunt craze that’s expected to boost Pop Mart’s profits by 350%* in the first half of 2025, with revenue more than tripling. The most coveted toys now fetch five-figure resale prices* on collector sites.

It’s a textbook case of financial FOMO. Empower research shows 51% of Americans have made a money move based on fear of missing out, and viral collectibles like Labubu tap into that impulse.

Krispy Kreme is stepping* into the shoe game with a sugary swirl: A limited-edition doughnut-themed Crocs clog drops on August 5, with early access the day before at Krispy Kreme shops. Retailing for $90, the design features icing-inspired drips and sprinkle-style Jibbitz — blending fashion, food, and fandom with footwear.

More than 10 billion* doughnuts are made a year in the U.S., and the price of bakery items — including doughnuts — is up 5%* year-over-year.