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Deposit account rates are on the decline — but the good news is you can lock in a competitive return on a certificate of deposit (CD) today and preserve your earning power. In fact, the best CDs still pay rates of 4% or higher. Read on for a snapshot of CD rates today and where to find the best offers.
CDs today typically offer rates significantly higher than traditional savings accounts. Currently, the best short-term CDs (six to 12 months) generally offer rates around 4% APY.
Today, the highest CD rate is 4.30% APY. Synchrony Bank offers this rate on its 16-month CD, and Marcus by Goldman Sachs offers it on its 18-month CD.
The following is a look at some of the best CD rates available today, Tuesday, August 25, 2026, from our verified partners.
The 2000s were marked by the dot-com bubble and later, the global financial crisis of 2008. Though the early 2000s saw relatively higher CD rates, they began to fall as the economy slowed and the Federal Reserve cut its target rate to stimulate growth. By 2009, in the aftermath of the financial crisis, the average one-year CD paid around 1% APY, with five-year CDs at less than 2% APY.
The trend of falling CD rates continued into the 2010s, especially after the Great Recession of 2007-2009. The Fed's policies to stimulate the economy (in particular, its decision to keep its benchmark interest rate near zero) led banks to offer very low rates on CDs. By 2013, average rates on 6-month CDs fell to about 0.1% APY, while 5-year CDs returned an average of 0.8% APY.
However, things changed between 2015 and 2018, when the Fed started gradually increasing rates again. At this point, there was a slight improvement in CD rates as the economy expanded, marking the end of nearly a decade of ultra-low rates. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 led to emergency rate cuts by the Fed, causing CD rates to fall to new record lows.
The situation reversed following the pandemic as inflation began to spiral out of control. This prompted the Fed to hike rates 11 times between March 2022 and July 2023. In turn, this led to higher rates on loans and higher APYs on savings products, including CDs.
Fast forward to September 2024 — the Fed finally decided to start cutting the federal funds rate after it determined that inflation was essentially under control. The Fed cut rates three times in 2025, and we saw CD rates steadily come down from their peak. Even with the Fed leaving interest rates unchanged so far in 2026, CD rates remain high by historical standards.
Take a look at how CD rates have changed since 2009:
Traditionally, longer-term CDs have offered higher interest rates compared to shorter-term CDs. This is because locking in money for a longer period typically carries more risk (namely, missing out on higher rates in the future), which banks compensate for with higher rates.
However, this pattern doesn't necessarily hold today; the highest average CD rate is for a 12-month term. This indicates a flattening or inversion of the yield curve, which can happen in uncertain economic times or when investors expect future interest rates to decline.
When opening a CD, choosing one with a high APY is just one piece of the puzzle. There are other factors that can impact whether a particular CD is best for your needs and your overall return. Consider the following when choosing a CD:
Your goals: Decide how long you're willing to lock away your funds. CDs come with fixed terms, and withdrawing your money before the term ends can result in penalties. Common terms range from a few months up to several years. The right term for you depends on when you anticipate needing access to your money.
Source: Read the original article on finance.yahoo.com
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Gold (GC=F) December futures opened at $4,710.10 per troy ounce on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, up 0.3% from Monday's closing price. The price of gold is down slightly this morning at $4,697.60 per troy ounce as of 7:52 a.m. ET.
Gold prices this morning hit their highest levels in over three months as gold's rally continues. Gold has pulled back slightly in early trading, but prices remain elevated compared with recent trends.
Investors are closely eyeing this week's upcoming inflation report, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, and Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's speech on Friday at Jackson Hole.
Here's a quick breakdown of what has recently been influencing gold prices:
Continued geopolitical concerns in the Middle East
The U.S. Treasury's decision to double its long-term bond buyback program
Persistent inflation concerns across the globe
The opening price of gold futures on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, was up 0.3% from Monday's closing price. Here's a look at how the opening gold price has changed versus last week, month, and year:
For context, the one-year gain for gold was 95.6% on Jan. 29.
24/7 gold price tracking: Don't forget you can monitor the current price of gold on Yahoo Finance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Want to learn more about the current top-performing companies in the gold industry? Explore a list of the top-performing companies in the gold industry using the Yahoo Finance Screener. You can create your own screeners with over 150 different screening criteria.
Learn more: Who decides what gold is worth? How gold prices are determined.
Gold has the same high-level risk as any investment: You could lose money. And, as with other investments, a loss on gold can materialize in different ways. Understanding the potential outcomes is the first step to managing your risk when investing in gold.
According to gold experts, would-be gold investors should understand these four risks:
🟢 PROS / ADVANTAGES
- Though the early 2000s saw relatively higher CD rates, they began to fall as the economy slowed and the Federal Reserve cut its target rate to stimulate growth.
- However, things changed between 2015 and 2018, when the Fed started gradually increasing rates again.
🔴 CONS / RISKS
- Though the early 2000s saw relatively higher CD rates, they began to fall as the economy slowed and the Federal Reserve cut its target rate to stimulate growth.
- The trend of falling CD rates continued into the 2010s, especially after the Great Recession of 2007-2009.
- However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 led to emergency rate cuts by the Fed, causing CD rates to fall to new record lows.
