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ANZ finally forecasts May RBA hike

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Until Thursday morning, ANZ was the final big four holdout still expecting the RBA’s latest cash rate hike to be a ‘one‑and‑done’ move.

ANZ‘s change of mind comes on the back of new inflation data released on Wednesday, showing underlying consumer prices rose faster in January than they did in December.

The ABS’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed trimmed mean inflation – the RBA’s preferred measure that excludes certain volatile prices – rose from 3.3% over 2025 to 3.4% over the year to January.

That was higher than most economists predicted and saw inflation even further from the central bank’s 2% to 3% target band.

The RBA’s only weapon to impact inflation is to change the cash rate, reducing it to encourage price growth and increasing it to lessen price growth.

“With a series of upward inflation shocks over recent quarters and less deceleration in the January trimmed mean than we expected, we now see the most likely path of policy being a 25 basis point rate hike at the May RBA Board meeting,” ANZ head of Australian economics Adam Boyton said.

But a second 2026 rate hike is still far from set in stone.

Mr Boyton noted arguments for a May hike aren’t as “clear cut” as some suggest and that the central bank appears “in no hurry to push rates higher”.

Speaking at a Melbourne University dinner on Wednesday, RBA governor Michele Bullock said she expects the central bank “will have to be patient”.

“Inflation is a bit elevated. I don’t think we think it’s taking off again, but it’s a little bit elevated,” she said.

“The economy is sort of recovering, and this is where it’s difficult – the jugdements are a little bit more difficult.”

It’s also worth noting that the impact of the February rate hike is only just starting to flow through to mortgage-holders.

When a lender increases interest rates, borrowers start accruing interest at the new rate immediately, but the first repayment reflecting the higher rate may not be due for several weeks.

Additionally, while all of the big four banks now forecast a May rate hike, none expect the RBA to shift the cash rate when it meets next month.

The January CPI data is the first of three monthly reads that will make up the quarterly figure, with the collection to be completed in late April.

“There is also a clear preference on the part of the RBA’s monetary policy board to adjust policy at statement of monetary policy meetings following the release of the quarterly Consumer Price Index,” Mr Boyton said.

The latest SOMP, released alongside news of the RBA’s February hike, shows trimmed mean inflation is expected to rise to 3.7% by mid-2026 before sliding into the target band in mid-2027.

Finally, if the May meeting does result in a hike, ANZ is tipping that to be the last move in the hiking cycle, forecasting the cash rate to then remain at 4.1% for an extended period.

What this means for mortgage holders

If ANZ’s revised forecast proves correct and the RBA lifts the cash rate again in May, mortgage holders could see their repayments rise further.

A 25‑basis‑point hike typically adds roughly $100 a month to repayments on a $600,000, 30-year variable loan – or $1,200 per year.

That’s assuming the typical variable rate for owner-occupiers – 5.50% p.a. as of December – was lifted to 5.75% p.a. in the wake of the February rate hike and is lifted again to 6% p.a. in the event of a May hike.

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Scott Galloway’s ‘Resist and Unsubscribe’ movement asks you to ditch Amazon, Apple, and Netflix

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Scott Galloway’s ‘Resist and Unsubscribe’ movement asks you to ditch Amazon, Apple, and Netflix



Scott Galloway can pinpoint the moment—the straw that, in his words, “broke the camel’s back.” The New York University professor and podcast host remembers watching in horror in January as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse and U.S. citizen shot and killed by immigration agents, as a “domestic terrorist.” 

“I felt it was so depraved… and it was so offensive to me,” said Galloway, a professor of marketing at NYU’s Stern School of Business. “I was so anxious about it. And one of my favorite sayings is, ‘Action absorbs anxiety.’”

So he got to work. Fueled by anger at the Trump administration’s immigration policies, he thought about what would get the president’s attention. Galloway, who co-hosts the Pivot podcast with veteran tech journalist Kara Swisher and routinely speaks with top Silicon Valley executives, decided to zero in on those Big Tech leaders who are often seen hobnobbing at the White House and Mar a Lago.

What he came up with was a targeted boycott—”a temporary, coordinated pullback from consumer discretionary spending,” as he puts it, and one that seeks to do maximum damage in the industries that seem to call the most shots in Trump administration policy: tech and AI.

Resist and Unsubscribe, Galloway’s online campaign, doesn’t involve marches or picket lines. Instead, it asks consumers to each make a small, personal sacrifice: Cancel their subscriptions or delete the apps of the ten consumer tech companies he has identified as having “outsized influence” over the national economy and President Trump: Amazon, Apple, Google, Microsoft, Paramount+, Meta, Uber, Netflix, OpenAI, and X. The site links to the “unsubscribe” pages of each company.

In a world where the platforms these companies have created have become so ingrained in society and daily life, Galloway is also asking consumers to reflect upon giving up convenience for a higher purpose. Do people really need to use two ride hailing apps, he asks, or to subscribe to the paid versions of both ChatGPT and Anthropic?

“Just as with dry January, this is an opportunity to rethink or recalibrate,” he says. “I think this is, at a minimum, an opportunity to reduce your spend… It’s also to recalibrate how you feel about these companies, how they acquit themselves in terms of who they support and why, and whether or not you need to be spending this money with them.”

He also singled out eight other companies—AT&T, Comcast, Charter, Dell, FedEx, Home Depot, Marriot, and UPS—claiming that they enable Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and is asking consumers to withhold business from them, too.

Galloway says he has heard directly from several board members or CEOs of the companies he singled out—with most saying that they understand what he’s doing. But many say they are stuck navigating a very turbulent situation.

“The president and administration have done a very good job of creating incentives for the most powerful business leaders to go along with his policies, keep quiet if they disagree with them, and maybe even enable them through direct support of the infrastructure,” Galloway says, referring to companies that work with ICE. “And then they text me and other people I know saying that they are nauseous at this—which doesn’t do anyone any good, to complain about him behind his back.”

Galloway says he has empathy for business leaders who are staying silent despite qualms about the Trump administration’s actions. Most are afraid of speaking out, he says, “because the president will do everything in his power to make that person and that company pay for it.” 

His hope is to create a new incentive for these timid business leaders, by wiping out a quarter billion or more from their combined market cap. Galloway estimates the financial impact of the movement by looking at the Resist and Unsubscribe sites’ page views and calculating a 5% conversion rate, with each converted visitor canceling an average of two subscriptions that result in $30 in monthly revenue lost. A ticker on the site estimates that this number, annualized, adds up to some $248 million that has been divested at publication time. (This estimate has not been verified by Fortune.)

To be sure, a quarter billion in combined impact isn’t a big blow to companies worth hundreds of billions—or even into the trillions. And Galloway is aware that he’s facing an uphill battle, especially in an era where social media-fueled boycotts and strikes are increasingly common. “Since starting this, I’ve become a pretty serious student of economic strikes; most don’t work,” Galloway said. “One-day strikes are more cinematic than they are effective. They’re more of an annoyance.” 

There are some examples of collective action by consumers leading to success, though. Galloway points to the global economic boycotts of South Africa in the 1980s and early 1990s that pressured the government to end Apartheid, or the more recent movement to unsubscribe from Disney after Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show was suspended following criticism from the Trump administration of the comedian’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Jimmy Kimmel Live! was reinstated.

But just because very few work, doesn’t mean they can’t work, Galloway says. “What I’m trying to do is send a signal that you have more power than you think, and you have a weapon hiding in plain sight, and that is your spend,” he said.

So far, Galloway says he thinks his movement is a “modest-to-tangible success.” “What I have heard from these companies is [Resist and Unsubscribe] is a discussion in product management meetings and in the cafeteria, but it isn’t a discussion yet at a board level,” he said. “So the reality is I still have some work to do on creating enough of a signal, enough awareness, enough unsubscriptions, such that the CEOs and boards of these companies feel that the incentives have changed.”

For now, he points out, it’s still growing. “My mom used to say, ‘How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time,’” Galloway said. “So I wouldn’t be cynical or I wouldn’t be discouraged thinking you can’t have an impact. I think collectively, we can all have a huge impact.” 

He likens this moment in history to the U.S. Civil War, the World Wars, or the Civil Rights movement—real inflection points. And he wants to have a clear answer if he’s ever asked, “What did you do in the war?” 

“It just feels good to be doing something,” he says. “It feels really good to be doing something with other people.”

Why Voice AI Is Ready for Prime Time

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Why Voice AI Is Ready for Prime Time


Catch the Full Episode:

Episode Overview

Voice agents are rapidly evolving from novelty tools into core revenue infrastructure. Instead of functioning as glorified talking FAQs, today’s AI voice systems can serve as qualifiers, schedulers, concierges, onboarding guides, retention reps, and upsell assistants.

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, John Jantsch interviews Ryan Mrha, founder of Yodify, a platform that enables creators and brands to stay personal at scale through AI-powered voice and text agents trained on their content libraries.

Mrha explains why purpose-built voice agents outperform generic AI tools, how multi-layered LLM orchestration reduces hallucinations, and where businesses can safely begin experimenting with voice AI. The conversation explores the future of buyer behavior, the role of AI in modern sales processes, ethical transparency considerations, and practical implementation strategies for agencies and creators alike.

If you’re curious about where voice AI fits in your marketing, sales, or customer experience strategy, this episode delivers both vision and practical guidance.

About Ryan Mrha

Ryan Mrha is the founder of Yodify, a platform that helps creators and brands maintain personal engagement at scale. Yodify allows followers to call or text an AI agent that speaks in the creator’s own voice, grounded in their existing content library.

By combining voice cloning, multi-layer LLM orchestration, and structured prompt engineering, Mrha focuses on building purpose-driven AI agents that feel authentic, aligned with brand voice, and capable of performing specific business roles.

He is also involved in launching Methodiq, a platform focused on AI-powered facilitation experiences.

Key Takeaways

1. Voice Agents Are Moving from Novelty to Revenue Infrastructure

Businesses should stop thinking of voice AI as a talking FAQ and start treating it as a role within the organization, such as a business development rep, onboarding assistant, or scheduler.

2. Generic AI Tools Deliver Poor Results Without Role Design

Simply uploading a knowledge base and prompting “act like John” produces inconsistent outcomes. Effective voice agents require:

  • Defined job descriptions
  • Multiple orchestrated LLM layers
  • Targeted prompts for specific states or roles
  • Structured knowledge access

3. Multi-LLM Architecture Reduces Hallucinations

Instead of relying on a single large prompt, Yodify breaks tasks into targeted LLM calls, such as orchestration, action execution, and response generation. This improves accuracy and reduces hallucination risk.

4. Buyer Behavior Is Changing

Modern buyers prefer to:

  • Conduct independent research
  • Avoid early-stage sales conversations
  • Engage only when close to making a decision

Voice agents can provide 24/7 answers without hard selling, aligning perfectly with this shift in buyer psychology.

5. Transparency May Become a Competitive Advantage

There is still tension around whether users feel “duped” when speaking to AI. However, proactively positioning a voice agent as an “AI advisor” may enhance trust and acceptance.

6. Start Small with Clear Use Cases

The best way to implement voice AI is through a focused, low-risk pilot:

  • A receptionist agent
  • Appointment scheduling
  • A simple qualification call flow
  • A basic single-prompt LLM test

Start narrow. Prove ROI. Then expand.

7. Voice AI Is Especially Valuable for Creators

As creators scale, personal interaction becomes impossible. Voice agents allow fans to text or call an AI trained on the creator’s content, maintaining connection while scaling engagement.

Great Moments from the Episode

  • 00:03 Voice Agents as Revenue Infrastructure
    John frames the shift from novelty AI to functional, role-based AI agents.
  • 01:12 What a Voice Agent Actually Is
    Ryan explains how voice agents combine LLM responses with text-to-speech tools.
  • 02:23 Why “Just Upload Everything” Fails
    Discussion on why dumping a content library into an LLM produces poor results without structured orchestration.
  • 03:42 Role-Based AI vs Emotional AI
    Clarifying that effective agents are built around business roles such as sales, support, and concierge, not emotional states.
  • 07:11 AI in the Modern Buyer’s Journey
    Exploring how voice agents can replace early-stage sales calls.
  • 10:18 Do Customers Feel Duped?
    The ethical and experiential implications of AI transparency.
  • 12:08 Building a Purpose-Built Agent
    Ryan outlines how projects begin with small, focused use cases.
  • 13:30 The AI Receptionist Use Case
    Why simple use cases like scheduling can deliver immediate value.
  • 18:54 Safe Pilot for a Marketing Agency
    How agencies can test AI voice agents without major risk.

Memorable Quotes

  • “Voice agents are moving from novelty to revenue infrastructure.” John Jantsch
  • “If you’re very specific about what you want the LLM to do, you’re going to get much better results. It can’t do too much at once.” Ryan Mrha
  • “People don’t want to be sold. They just want to ask their questions.” Ryan Mrha
  • “There’s no point in building something your customers don’t want.” Ryan Mrha

Resources & Links

Wells Fargo Checking Bonus, Get $400 with New Account

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Wells Fargo Checking Bonus, Get $400 with New Account


Wells Fargo Checking $400 Account Bonus

🔃 Update: This offer is back again. Offer ends April 7, 2026.

Wells Fargo is offering a new bonus for checking accounts. You can get $425 in cash and it looks like the bonus is available nationwide and online. Check out the details of this Wells Fargo checking account bonus below.

How to Earn This Bonus

In order to earn this $400 bonus, you need to:

  1. Open a new Wells Fargo consumer checking account with a minimum opening deposit of $25.
  2. Within 90 calendar days of account opening (the “qualification period”), receive a total of $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your new checking account.
    • A qualifying direct deposit is an ACH (Automated Clearing House) automatic electronic deposit of your salary, pension, Social Security, or other regular income into your bank account. Confirm with your employer or the agency or company making these payments that they use the ACH network.
    • Transfers from one account to another, mobile deposits, or deposits made at a branch, or ATM don’t qualify as a direct deposit.

Once the 90-day qualification period has elapsed, Wells Fargo will determine if you have met the offer requirements, and will deposit any earned bonus into your new checking account within 30 days.

Eligibility

  • This offer is for new checking customers only. All Wells Fargo consumer checking accounts are eligible for this offer with the exception of checking accounts offered by Wells Fargo Private Bank.
  • You are not eligible for this offer if you:
    • Are a current owner of a Wells Fargo consumer checking account
    • Have received a bonus for opening a Wells Fargo consumer checking account within the past 12 months
    • Aare a Wells Fargo employee
  • Could be available nationwide, but you can check with your zip code before starting the application.

Account Fees

The Wells Fargo Everyday Checking account monthly service fee is $10. The monthly service fee can be avoided with any one of the following each fee period:

  • $500 minimum daily balance
  • $500 or more in total qualifying direct deposits
  • Primary account owner is 17-24 years old. (When the primary account owner reaches the age of 25, age can no longer be used to avoid the monthly service fee.)
  • Linked to a Wells Fargo Campus ATM Card or Campus Debit Card

Guru’s Wrap-Up

This is a good bonus from Wells Fargo. You need to receive a total of $1,000 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your new checking account, in order to get this $400 bonus. The account also comes with a $10 monthly fee that is easily waivable.

You can also check out this Business Checking bonus at Wells Fargo which can get you up to a $825 in cash.

Bank bonuses are a great way to earn some extra income, often from the comfort of your home. You can take a look at my bank bonus results for 2022 where I made over $6,000. If this bonus is not for you, then you can check our full list of available bank bonuses. And, if you’re new to bank account bonuses, you can learn more about churning bank accounts here.

💡 Link & Key Details

  • OFFER PAGE
  • Bonus: $400
  • Account Type: Everyday Checking
  • Availability: Possibly nationwide
  • Type of Inquiry: Soft pull
  • Direct Deposit Requirement: $3K within 90 days (see what works)
  • Other Requirements: None
  • Credit Card Funding: Up to $50
  • Monthly Fee: $10 but can be waived
  • Closing Account Fee: None
  • Expiration Date: 4/10/23 5/22/23 8/21/23 10/10/23 4/9/24 5/21/24 8/20/24 5/20/25 11/18/25 4/7/26


Help us & other readers. Email us if you find any bank offers!

The Money Expert: #1 Formula to Get RICH Off Your Normal Salary (It’s EASY!)

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The Money Expert: #1 Formula to Get RICH Off Your Normal Salary (It’s EASY!)



How do you track your spending?

What’s the easiest way for you to save money?

Today, Jay welcomes back Codie Sanchez, entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Contrarian Thinking, to share the mindset shifts needed to thrive financially in today’s world. Codie explains why renting can sometimes be the smarter move, how to negotiate with confidence, and why mastering the language of money, from credit scores to strategic debt, is essential before you can build real wealth. Together, Jay and Codie debunk the myths of financial literacy, showing that clarity and confidence matter far more than complicated strategies.

This conversation takes an honest look at what it really takes to make money in a tough economy, whether that’s launching a side hustle without quitting your job or spotting opportunities that others overlook when markets are down. Codie highlights that building wealth isn’t about chasing trends or quick wins, but about making disciplined decisions, managing risk with intention, and turning problems into possibilities. Together, Jay and Codie also discuss how to grow within your career by understanding your true value, negotiating with confidence, and recognizing that profit and purpose don’t have to compete, they can align in practical, meaningful ways.

In this interview, you’ll learn:
How to Negotiate Your Rent and Save More
How to Use Credit the Right Way to Build Wealth
How to Start a Business With Little to No Money
How to Keep Your Job and Still Grow a Side Hustle
How to Turn Problems Into Profitable Opportunities
How to Talk About Money in Relationships
How to Invest Your First $1,000 Wisely

Growth doesn’t come from getting everything right, it comes from learning, experimenting, and treating challenges as opportunities. With curiosity and courage, even problems can become stepping stones forward.

With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty

What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
02:03 The Best Time to Build Wealth
05:26 Should People Own Homes Anymore?
06:21 Are You Financially Literate?
08:48 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom
12:54 How Much Money Do You Really Need to Start a Business?
15:57 The Three Qualities of a Great CEO
18:05 How to Increase Your Value as an Employee
21:01 The Path to Growth Inside a Company
25:05 The Truth About Hustle Culture
27:29 Passive Income: Real or Myth?
28:48 Why You Shouldn’t Turn Every Passion Into Profit
31:30 What Sets Top Performers Apart
35:10 The Fixer vs. The Freeloader Mindset
38:50 How to Choose the Right Leader to Learn From
40:42 The Power of Surrounding Yourself With the Right People
44:00 Setting Expectations That Lead to Success
48:52 The Lipstick Theory of Recessions
52:01 The Link Between Money and Dating
55:22 How to See Money as a Tool, Not a Goal
59:31 Who Should Really Pay on the First Date?
01:04:15 Understanding Negative Feminine Energy
01:07:49 Why Discussing a Prenup Can Strengthen Relationships
01:11:10 What Makes a Strong and Lasting Partnership
01:14:26 Should You Get Into Business With Your Partner?
01:18:52 What Makes a Deal Truly Great
01:22:52 Why Investing in Yourself Comes First
01:25:06 Investing 101: The Basics You Need to Know
01:26:44 Stocks vs. Bonds: What’s the Difference?
01:27:46 The Next Level of Investing Explained
01:30:39 The #1 Thing People Waste Money On

Episode Resources:

source

13 Reliable Side Jobs That Will Help You Boost Your Income

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13 Reliable Side Jobs That Will Help You Boost Your Income


Always Say YESS / Shutterstock.com

Are you thinking about taking on a second job? Second jobs can be a great way to make extra money, pay off bills, grow savings and have some extra cash in your wallet. Also, these second jobs might lead to opportunities to develop new skills, find more job options and explore your passions. But before you sign up for a part-time job or dive headfirst into a side hustle, you have to think about…

The Best Math Course Sequence For College Admissions And SAT Success

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The Best Math Course Sequence For College Admissions And SAT Success


What is the best math sequence for my child to ensure they’re ready for the SAT, ACT, and selective college admissions?

This question is about college admissions.

For families trying to plan middle and high school math course choices, the stakes are clear. Math isn’t just another graduation requirement. It is one of the most reliable predictors of performance on the SAT and ACT, and by extension, a factor that can shape admission outcomes at selective colleges.

The reason is straightforward: the exams don’t test advanced calculus, but they do assume fluency with the full Algebra 2 and Geometry toolkit, along with ideas that typically appear in Precalculus. Students who have not completed that sequence often encounter unfamiliar material on test day, limiting how high their scores can climb regardless of test prep.

If you want to get better SAT, ACT, or CLT scores (and have a better chance at selective college admissions), here’s the recommended math sequence.

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We’ll email this article to you, so you can come back to it later!

On-Track Math Trajectory

For most students aiming at competitive colleges, the following progression keeps doors open:

  • 8th grade: Finish Algebra 1
  • 9th grade: Geometry or Algebra 2
  • 10th grade: Geometry or Algebra 2 (the remaining course) and begin light SAT/ACT preparation
  • 11th grade: Precalculus, paired with the PSAT and a first serious SAT or ACT attempt
  • 12th grade: Calculus or AP Statistics, with final SAT or ACT sittings if needed

This path ensures that by the fall of junior year, students have completed both Algebra 2 and Geometry. That timing matters. Some students will take the SAT in the summer after 10th grade, but many students take their first official SAT or ACT in 11th grade, and colleges often see those scores as the most representative.

Starting structured test prep in 10th grade works best when it reinforces material already learned in class. Test prep cannot substitute for missing key courses – it can only sharpen skills that are already there.

Advanced Math Trajectory

Some students begin Algebra 1 in 7th grade, either through district acceleration or private programs. For them, an advanced trajectory may look like this:

  • 7th grade: Finish Algebra 1
  • 8th grade: Geometry
  • 9th grade: Algebra 2
  • 10th grade: Precalculus, with SAT or ACT prep and PSAT testing
  • 11th grade: Calculus and final SAT or ACT attempts
  • 12th grade: AP Statistics 

This sequence places students a full year ahead, often allowing them to test earlier and focus senior year on advanced coursework without the stress of testing. At selective colleges, that level of math progression can signal academic readiness, especially when paired with strong scores.

Acceleration is not necessary for every student, but it highlights the broader principle: earlier exposure to Algebra 2 and beyond creates more testing flexibility and less pressure later.

Getting Into Precalculus Topics Makes A Big Difference

The goal is simple: both trajectories get you into precalculus by 11th grade or earlier.

Both the SAT and ACT emphasize problem solving with functions, systems of equations, quadratic expressions, exponents, and coordinate geometry. Geometry questions extend beyond simple area formulas to include similarity, trigonometric ratios, and reasoning about shapes in the coordinate plane.

Those topics are usually spread across Algebra 2 and Geometry courses. Students who stop after Algebra 1 or delay Geometry until later in high school often lack exposure to entire categories of questions that appear repeatedly on these exams.

Precalculus matters too, even though it is not tested directly in full. Concepts like function behavior, transformations, exponential growth, and trigonometric relationships reinforce earlier material and make SAT and ACT questions feel familiar rather than abstract.

In short, the exams reward students who have seen the full arc of secondary math, not those encountering pieces of it for the first time during test prep.

Students who reach 11th grade without finishing Algebra 2 or Geometry face a structural disadvantage. SAT and ACT prep becomes an exercise in learning brand new content under time pressure. Score gains are possible, but ceilings are lower.

This gap can also affect course rigor on college applications. Selective colleges often look for four years of math, ideally ending in Precalculus, Statistics, or Calculus. Falling short may not disqualify a student, but it can weaken an application compared with peers from similar schools.

What Families Can Do Now

The most important step is early planning. Middle school course placement often determines whether Algebra 1 is completed by 8th grade. Families should ask schools how math pathways work and what options exist for students who are ready for acceleration.

In high school, monitor not just grades but course sequence. A strong grade in a lower-level course does not replace exposure to higher-level material on standardized tests.

Test prep should align with coursework, ideally beginning after Algebra 2 concepts are in place. Used this way, prep reinforces classroom learning rather than compensating for gaps.

People Also Ask

What level math should students take in middle school?

To be best prepared, students should be finished with Algebra 1 in middle school.

What level should students take trigonometry?

Trigonometry is typically taught as part of Algebra 2, so this should be done in 10th grade or sooner.

What math classes should be completed before taking the SAT or ACT?

Students should finish Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and ideally Precalculus before the SAT or SAT.

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Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac’s total portfolio at multiyear high

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Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac’s total portfolio at multiyear high


Growth in mortgage-backed securities holdings pushed the government-sponsored enterprises’ combined retained portfolios up past a previous multiyear high in January, when President Trump directed them to expand MBS purchases.

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Together, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s total loan and MBS holdings rose to $278.45 billion during January from $271.69 billion the previous month and $180.65 billion a year earlier. 

Fannie’s retained portfolio grew to $141.64 billion during January compared to $132.46 billion a month earlier and $83.27 billion a year ago. The growth lifted the total for the GSEs combined even though Freddie’s $136.81 billion portfolio was lower than December’s $139.23 billion. It was above January’s $97.38 billion.

Shrinkage in the loan component of Freddie’s portfolio relative to the previous month accounted for its net monthly decline, outweighing a rise to $49.46 billion in its MBS holdings. Freddie had $45.5 billion in MBS in its retained portfolio during December and $24.87 billion a year earlier.

Both enterprises’ MBS holdings were the highest seen in at least a year and primarily made up of government-related securities with a smaller nonagency component.

Fannie, which specified that most of the securities it held were its own, reported that it held $83.14 billion in MBS in January. That number compared to $71.62 billion in December and $33.62 billion a year earlier.

While Trump’s order specifically calls for $200 billion in MBS buying, both retaining more loans and assets with Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures numbers can help contribute to the President’s aim of lowering rates by removing market supply.

“The loans otherwise would go to the market as CUSIPs,” said Walt Schmidt, senior vice president at FHN Financial.

Schmidt was among analysts who had noted even before Trump’s announcement that there was unusual growth in the GSEs retained portfolios. Those portfolios had already risen to a three-year high by October, according to FHN Financial.

The effectiveness of MBS buying for the retained portfolio shows in recent mortgage rate declines and the narrowing of the bonds’ spread to Treasuries, according to Trump administration officials.

This spread narrowed after the January announcement related to the MBS purchases and has generally remained at that level, Schmidt said.

“We’ve ground a little tighter in certain coupons, but it hasn’t changed a whole lot since then,” he said.

How fast MBS purchases and retained portfolio growth will be going forward is still unclear, but the current rate suggests the goal could be met over the next 12 months or so.

“They’re on their way to doing it. Now are they going to keep the same pace? I don’t know. They’re certainly not going to do it in one month, but if they do it over a year’s time, they’re on pace,” Schmidt said.

Moving at a deliberate speed makes it possible to lower rates without shocking the market or hurting the quality of the GSEs’ portfolio, he said.

“Fannie and Freddie have a dual mandate, which is to purchase assets to try to lower mortgage rates, but they also want to add assets that are going to be valuable for their franchise in case they want to do an equity raise at some point in the future,” Schmidt said.



Have good taste? It may just get you a job during the AI jobs apocalypse, says Sam Altman

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Have good taste? It may just get you a job during the AI jobs apocalypse, says Sam Altman



While executives increasingly turn to AI to reduce headcount, the same CEOs perpetuating the AI jobs apocalypse argue “taste” could be a skill that gets you hired—and keeps your job secure.

A day before announcing OpenAI’s newest $110 billion funding round, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman took to X to comment on how even non-technical people can contribute to the development of AI, or at least at his company. One of the best ways for these non-technical candidates to get their foot in the door is through research recruiting, Altman said.

His advice? Leverage the one thing AI has so far struggled to replicate: human judgement.

“We believe the best research teams are built through context, taste and a real feel for where the field is headed next,” he said. 

Recruiting may be an especially good fit for candidates with “taste,” Altman implied, because their responsibilities at OpenAI include, “finding people who will move the frontier forward, not just filling roles.”

Altman is the latest high profile exec pointing to “taste” as a potential advantage for job seekers as well as the growing number of employees dealing with AI job anxiety. OpenAI president Greg Brockman said the same last week. “Taste is a new core skill,” he wrote in a post on X.

Other tech titans, including Y-Combinator cofounder Paul Graham, have also recently echoed Altman’s thoughts that “taste” is going to be the next sought after skill.

Graham, known for his long essays on startups, economics, and the tech industry, was one of the first to comment on the importance of taste in a 2002 essay in which he claimed “taste” is not objective and that “we need good taste to make good things.”

In a post on X earlier this month, Graham expanded on his thoughts from two decades ago: “In the AI age, taste will become even more important. When anyone can make anything, the big differentiator is what you choose to make,” he predicted. 

Cloudflare chief technology officer Dane Knecht wrote in reply to Graham’s post that he agreed with Graham, linking back to a post he made earlier this year in which he claimed taste will be the differentiator in engineering in 2026.

“Building is easy now. Knowing what to build, and what not to, is the hard part,” Knecht added.

But not everyone agrees that humans have the upper hand when it comes to judgement or taste. Matt Schumer, the co-founder and CEO of OthersideAI, wrote in his viral essay on the future of AI earlier this month that OpenAI’s GPT-5.3 Codex model felt, at least to him, capable of “something that felt, for the first time, like judgment. Like taste” 

“I don’t see why “taste” and direction are uniquely human, like many people say. If an AI can train on it, it can learn it,” Schumer added in a later post on X.

Still, the conversation about “taste” is salient at a time when anxiety about the future of AI, and what it could mean for the job market, is front of mind for many workers. 

On Thursday, Block CEO Jack Dorsey said that the company was laying off 4,000 of its more than 10,000 workers, partly because of AI. The company has developed its own internal AI agent, called Goose, that can be powered by a range of different AI models and plug-in directly to a computer to draw from its files and folders as well as access cloud storage platforms and online databases, Wired reported.

The tool is already helping both programmers and non-programmers build out their ideas internally and develop apps or prototypes.

“We’re already seeing that the intelligence tools we’re creating and using, paired with smaller and flatter teams, are enabling a new way of working which fundamentally changes what it means to build and run a company,” wrote Dorsey in announcing the layoffs Thursday. “And that’s accelerating rapidly.”

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BeFrugal: $40 Referral Bonus


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