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DAILY STACK
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Five stories ranked by Real-Life Impact
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Wednesday, June 24, 2026
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Today's Thesis: Your mortgage, your car payment, your 401(k), and your weekend flight all took a hit on the same Tuesday — and the people in charge spent the day arguing with each other.
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Trump Admin to Pump $1 Billion into this "Off-the-Radar" AI Stock
The U.S. government pumped more than $1 billion into Intel. The stock popped 128%. It pumped $400 million into MP Materials. The stock popped 200%. It bought 10% of Trilogy Metals. The stock popped 500%. And now, Trump has chosen this AI stock for a $1 billion payday.
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1
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Your money
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+75 bps by December
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BofA Says Three Rate Hikes Are Coming This Year
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Bank of America just called for three Fed rate hikes this year — September, October, December. That’s a full reversal from the cuts the bank expected just months ago. The reason: 4.2% inflation that won’t budge and a job market that refuses to crack. Your 30-year mortgage edged down 1 basis point Tuesday to 6.65%, credit card APR is near 20%, and auto loans sit at 7%. If BofA is right, none of those go down this year.
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The other side: Oil is at a three-month low, Iran talks are progressing, and JPMorgan doesn’t see a hike until September 2027 — the inflation picture could shift before fall.
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2
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Markets
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S&P -1.4%, Nasdaq -2.2%
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Your 401(k) Had a Rough Tuesday
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A global tech rout dragged the Nasdaq down 2.2% and the S&P 500 down 1.4% on Tuesday. South Korea’s KOSPI crashed nearly 10% and triggered circuit breakers — Samsung and SK Hynix each fell more than 12%. SpaceX has shed $900 billion from its peak and sits near last week’s low. Futures are pointing down again Wednesday.
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The other side: The Dow finished nearly flat, Microsoft and defensive names rose, and the selloff is concentrated in chips — which were due for a breather after a historic run.
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3
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Your wallet
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$773/mo, record high
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New Car Payments Just Hit an All-Time Record
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The average monthly payment on a new car reached $773 in the first quarter — a record. Auto loan rates sit near 7% for a five-year term, and if BofA’s rate-hike forecast plays out, that number climbs from here. Used cars aren’t much relief at $537 a month. That’s nearly $200 a month more than a new car payment cost five years ago.
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The other side: Average transaction prices have flattened, and longer loan terms mean dealers are still moving inventory.
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4
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Travel
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storms daily through Saturday
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Storms Will Scramble Flights Through the Weekend
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Severe thunderstorms and flooding are rolling through the central US daily through Saturday, from the Plains to the lower Mississippi Valley. Flight delays and cancellations were already running high Tuesday — 169 cancelled and 636 delayed across US airports. If you’re flying through Dallas, Atlanta, or any hub in between, pad your schedule.
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The other side: These are scattered storms, not a named system — most routes will run, just later than scheduled.
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5
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Your vote
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4 months to midterms
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GOP Senators Meet Trump Today. He Didn’t Set It Up.
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Republican senators sit down with Trump at the Wednesday lunch — a meeting Rick Scott organized without telling Senate Majority Leader John Thune. The frustration: last-minute demands keep stalling bills on healthcare and spending. What passes before November touches your Medicaid rules, tax brackets, and insurance premiums.
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The other side: Internal friction is routine, and Trump’s hold on the party keeps most legislation moving.
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Off The Stack
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Micron reports earnings after the close today. — Stock already down 10% in Tuesday’s selloff; no results to rank yet.
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California plans to sue Trump over a cancelled offshore wind lease. — Legal filing sent, no immediate cost or timeline for consumers.
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Oil hit a three-month low at $73 a barrel. — Same direction as last week; gas still near $4.
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