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Mortgage rates fell for the second week in a row, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Freddie Mac’s latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released Thursday, showed the average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 6.65% from last week’s reading of 6.67%. 

The average rate on a 30-year loan was 6.58% a year ago.

SLOWING LABOR MARKET CREATES NEW HURDLE FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS FACING AFFORDABILITY SQUEEZE

“With a dip in rates providing modest relief for homebuyers, it’s important to remember borrowers can potentially save thousands by shopping around for the best mortgage rate,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.

A real estate agent sets up for an open house in Rancho Cucamonga, California, on May 9, 2026. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The average rate on a 15-year fixed mortgage fell to 5.95% from last week’s reading of 5.96%.

Mortgage rates are affected by several factors, including the Federal Reserve and geopolitics. Though mortgage rates are not directly affected by the Fed’s interest rate decisions, they closely track the 10-year Treasury yield. The 10-year yield hovered around 4.7% as of Thursday afternoon.

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“Today’s print is best understood as the base level from which mortgage rates may push higher next week amid market volatility,” said Realtor.com senior economist Jake Krimmel. “The 30-year Treasury hit a nearly 20-year high this week, enough to prompt the Treasury Department to step in and buy back billions. But thankfully for homebuyers, since most mortgages are only around for seven to ten years before borrowers refinance or move, mortgage rates track the 10-year, which has not moved nearly as dramatically this week.”

Yields on U.S. Treasurys have been elevated recently, in part due to the growth in debt, with the federal government projected to run a roughly $2.1 trillion budget deficit this fiscal year, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Two recent Treasury auctions in the last week drew attention due to the yields reaching historic levels – the sale of 10-year notes cleared at a high of 4.683%, the highest in 19 years, while the 30-year bond auction stopped at 5.216%, a 25-year peak.

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Sales at the US retail giant Walmart grew at their slowest pace for more than six years in the most recent quarter, suggesting American shoppers are under strain.

Walmart, which due to its size is well-placed to gauge consumers’ mood, blamed the rising price of fuel.

Sales at comparable sites across the chain were up by 2.6%, excluding fuel, between May and July the company said.

Walmart said it would use up to $3bn of expected tariff refunds to lower prices in a bid to keep customers spending.

The rebate stems from duties the retailer paid after President Trump imposed a wave of tariffs on imported goods last year. Retailers are receiving refunds from central government after those tariffs were ruled unlawful.

Rival retailer Target recently said it had received $1bn in rebates boosting its profits.

Walmart, the US’s largest retailer, said the nearly $3bn in tariff rebate it anticipated would help it continue a programme of price cuts or “rollbacks” that it expanded earlier this year, external.

Walmart has leaned heavily on price cuts to retain customers, launching 11,000 of its so-called “rollbacks” across categories.

Chief financial officer John David Rainey said those lower prices were already lifting transactions and unit sales, especially in food and other staples like toys.

But he acknowledged that the retail environment remained uneven, with lower-income households – a core part of Walmart’s base – feeling squeezed.

Rainey said rising petrol prices were leaving shoppers with less spare cash, saying the shift in behaviour became clear once fuel went above $4 a gallon.

Price moves in June made the impact obvious, he added, with lower-income customers pulling back and focusing spending on essentials.

Beyond the consumer pullback, Walmart’s results highlighted several additional risks that could shape the firm’s prospects in the months ahead.

Much of the quarter’s profit lift came from tariff refunds that had already come in, a one-off benefit that analysts say won’t recur to the same extent.

The price rollbacks could put pressure on margins, while Walmart is also spending money on automation, new warehouses, and tech upgrades.

On the earnings call, analysts pressed management on whether lower prices were already driving a lift in sales and whether some rollbacks could be locked in for 2027.

Walmart said the benefits were showing up most clearly in food and other staples, and that certain cuts might remain if they continued to resonate with shoppers.

“Our hope and intention always is that rollbacks can become permanent … wherever possible,” Rainey said.

Analysts also questioned whether Walmart’s income could continue to grow despite flagging sales. Executives said they believed it could, pointing to businesses such as membership and advertising.

LOS ANGELES — That’s It., a fruit-based snack company, hopes to serve one billion grams of fiber to consumers this year through its growing product portfolio, a big jump from its 250 million servings in 2025. The snack company recently launched two new products, reaching new categories with innovations intended to provide consumers with more ways to consume fiber and fruit.

The company was founded in 2012 by Lior Lewensztain, MD, after learning in medical school that only one in three Americans consume the recommended daily servings of fruit. Today, the statistic has stretched, with only 1 in 10 Americans meeting this goal, Lewensztain said.

That’s It. formulates its snacks with fruit and simple ingredients. The product’s packaging identifies the exact amount of fruit used in the product’s formula.

“We want people to consume more fruit, and we’re trying to make it more portable, more convenient and to add different functionalities to the different product lines that we have,” Lewensztain said. “At the core, our focus is always ‘fruit no matter what.’”

The company also approaches its snack formulations with a “food as preventive medicine” philosophy.

“I think it’s a very Eastern medicine philosophy, utilizing the world around us — nature, food — as preventative measures instead of going straight to medications or medicines,” Lewensztain said. “We really try to target younger children so they can develop better behaviors from the get-go and, that way, they can actually try to mitigate a lot of the long-term issues, health issues and diseases that can occur by trying to actually practice better consumption behaviors from the beginning.”

Although the company was launched well before the current health-focused wave of products and is “ahead of its time in terms of minimal ingredients,” Lewensztain said the surge is not a worry for the company’s mission and that he is “thankful” to see the industry catching up.

“Regulations like inverting the food pyramid and getting companies to remove colors from foods, those are all great things that are happening and, fortunately for us, we never had to change anything — we’ve been like that from the get-go,” Lewensztain said. “For us, it’s just a matter of staying the course…  

“Our mission was to get people to consume more fruit, and we were able to carve out our space within the (bar) category and really develop a fruit bar subcategory within that,” Lewensztain said. “When we look at innovation, it’s really about where there are gaps in the market, where we feel, through the lens of fruit, we can add value. Nothing we do is niche or meant to be much smaller in terms of outreach. It’s really supposed to be more universal and appeal to the masses.”

That’s It.’s portfolio includes bars, probiotic bars and dark chocolate truffles.

Recently, the snack manufacturer has focused on scaling the business with new product launches. Last year, the company launched its Crunchables line, a crunchy fruit snack formulated for toddlers and young children.

Earlier this year, That’s It. unveiled its latest innovations: a fiber bar “enhanced” with fruit and Frutola, a fruit-based granola.

Frutola is made with four ingredients, is free from added sugar and offers 16 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber per bowl. The product debuted at Costco and was followed by a larger retail expansion.

The granola is available in flavors such as cinnamon, strawberry, banana and blueberry.

“There’s nothing (like Frutola); it’s very disruptive” Lewensztain said. “There are a lot of SKUs out there that call themselves fruity, right? But there’s not really any fruit in there. Those are mostly flavorings. So, we wanted to be able to provide real fruit…it’s as simple as it gets.”

The product launches align with the company’s mission to provide consumers of all ages with more fiber via fruit.

That’s It. offers multiple sizes, such as its mini and fun sizes, so each product can be accessible for both children and adults.

“You can supplement it at your will,” Lewensztain said. “(Size varieties) are a great way to be able to supplement what you’re already eating in your normal daily diet.”

That’s It.’s products are nationally distributed and may be found in “all channels,” including retail, K-12 schools, hospital systems and college campuses, Lewensztain said.

Jack McGuinness has long turned technical detail into practical results. At Aussie Gutter Protection, that focus extends beyond mesh design and roof geometry to the hardware that makes installations durable, reliable, and efficient. Screws, saddles, trims, and bracket systems form the backbone of every AGP installation, delivering consistent performance across thousands of residential projects.

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McGuinness emphasizes that even the smallest component can influence safety outcomes. Corrosion-resistant screws and fastening components are chosen to ensure panels remain secure, maintain their position over time, and withstand environmental exposure. Each element is developed with installation teams in mind, ensuring functionality, precision, and efficiency work together on every roof.

Precision Hardware That Supports Performance

Gutter protection requires components that hold securely without altering roof geometry. AGP’s screws and brackets provide consistent grip while avoiding distortion of the roofline. Durable, corrosion-resistant fasteners help panels remain stable under sun, wind, and rain.

Saddles and support trims keep mesh aligned at junctions and along panel edges. This precise positioning reduces gaps where debris or embers could penetrate and maintains a uniform finish across the roofline. Every part contributes to consistent performance across installations.

Engineered for Consistency and Speed

Installation efficiency and precision are critical to the long-term reliability of gutter protection. AGP’s proprietary hardware allows installers to secure panels with fewer adjustments and reduced handling. Brackets are pre-shaped to suit standard roof profiles, minimizing on-site modifications, while screws and fixings are designed to support straightforward alignment and maintain even placement across every installation. This ensures panels remain firmly positioned along roof edges, preventing lifting, sagging, or gaps that could compromise performance.

Complex roof features, such as valleys or curved profiles, present unique challenges. AGP hardware adapts to these variations while keeping mesh panels secure and aligned. Flexible support trims and tensioning components help maintain consistent tension across sections, supporting uniform coverage and stability even under strong wind conditions. Predictable assembly and consistent panel positioning not only help projects stay on schedule but also reinforce the system’s ability to perform reliably over time.

Behind-the-Scenes Innovation

AGP invests in research and development to refine minor components. Each screw length, bracket angle, and saddle contour undergoes testing to balance strength, ease of installation, and durability. Small parts are designed to help installers work efficiently while keeping panels secure and aligned.

Hardware innovation supports AGP’s broader approach to quality. Standardizing fittings and fasteners reduces variability between installations, ensuring homeowners receive reliable performance regardless of roof type or location. Engineering precision in components reinforces dependable outcomes for every installation.

Durability Through Design

Corrosion-resistant metals and reinforced support structures extend the lifespan of gutter protection installations. Components that maintain their integrity reduce maintenance requirements and preserve system performance over years of environmental exposure. Hardware that remains strong under pressure protects the roof, the gutter, and the home beneath.

Each innovation, from mesh clamps to support saddles, reflects a philosophy that reliability starts at the component level. Precisely engineered hardware ensures that installation quality is consistent across every project. Every screw, bracket, and trim contributes to a system designed to protect, perform, and last.

Shaping Industry Standards

AGP’s hardware innovations set benchmarks for professional installation in bushfire-prone regions. Providing installers with components engineered for consistency reduces the risk of gaps, misalignment, or failure. Each part contributes to smoother, more predictable installation and long-term system stability.

Attention to these details demonstrates that small components can make a large difference. Though subtle, the hardware underpins a safer and more reliable gutter protection system and highlights AGP’s technical leadership in residential protection.

Bio:

Aussie Gutter Protection (AGP) provides specialist gutter protection solutions designed for Australian homes and conditions. Its TuffMesh system supports ember protection, rainwater safety, and long-term roof performance. Backed by skilled installation, technical expertise, durable hardware, and a 25-year warranty, AGP helps homeowners protect their properties with reliable, tailored solutions that complement modern roof design and withstand demanding environmental conditions across Australia with confidence and peace of mind for their families.