Monster Beverage said sales in April were “robust,” sending shares to an all-time high.
The energy drink maker sees April sales 17% higher than in 2024.
The news offset a surprise drop in revenue, which the company blamed on a range of issues.
Shares of Monster Beverage (MNST) rose to an all-time high Friday, a day after a positive outlook from the energy drink maker overcame a surprise drop in sales.
Co-CEO Hilton Schlosberg said during the firm’s earnings call that April “was a really robust month,” according to an AlphaSense transcript. Co-CEO Rodney Sacks added the company estimates that on a foreign currency adjusted basis, last month’s sales were nearly 17% higher than in April 2024, and 18% higher on a foreign currency adjusted basis, excluding the Alcohol Brands segment.
Those comments offset Monster’s first-quarter results, which Schlosberg noted were “impacted by a number of headwinds.” Revenue slid more than 2% to $1.85 billion, while analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for an increase to $1.98 billion. Earnings per share (EPS) of $0.45 was one cent below forecasts.
The company said the sales decline was caused by “bottler/distributor ordering patterns in the United States and EMEA, adverse changes in foreign currency exchange rates, decreased sales in the Alcohol Brands segment, adverse weather, one less selling day in the 2025 first quarter, as well as uncertain economic conditions.”
In sales by segment, Monster Energy Drinks slipped almost 1% to $1.72 billion, Strategic Brands lost 9% to $98.3 million, and Alcohol Brands plunged 38% to $34.7 million. The unit known as Other, which primarily consists of its American Fruits and Flavors subsidiary, showed a sales gain of 8% to $6.0 million.
Monster Beverage shares were up 2% to $61.34 in recent trading after earlier hitting a record $61.83. They have increased about 17% this year.
Every Thursday, Freddie Mac, a government-sponsored buyer of mortgage loans, publishes a weekly average of 30-year mortgage rates. Yesterday’s reading was flat at 6.76%, after dipping from 6.83% over the previous two weeks. Last September, the average sank as far as 6.08%. But back in October 2023, Freddie Mac’s average saw a historic rise, surging to a 23-year peak of 7.79%.
Freddie Mac’s average differs from what we report for 30-year rates because Freddie Mac calculates a weekly average that blends five previous days of rates. In contrast, our Investopedia 30-year average is a daily reading, offering a more precise and timely indicator of rate movement. In addition, the criteria for included loans (e.g., amount of down payment, credit score, inclusion of discount points) varies between Freddie Mac’s methodology and our own.
Calculate monthly payments for different loan scenarios with our Mortgage Calculator.
Important
The rates we publish won’t compare directly with teaser rates you see advertised online since those rates are cherry-picked as the most attractive vs. the averages you see here. Teaser rates may involve paying points in advance or may be based on a hypothetical borrower with an ultra-high credit score or for a smaller-than-typical loan. The rate you ultimately secure will be based on factors like your credit score, income, and more, so it can vary from the averages you see here.
What Causes Mortgage Rates to Rise or Fall?
Mortgage rates are determined by a complex interaction of macroeconomic and industry factors, such as:
The level and direction of the bond market, especially 10-year Treasury yields
The Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy, especially as it relates to bond buying and funding government-backed mortgages
Competition between mortgage lenders and across loan types
Because any number of these can cause fluctuations simultaneously, it’s generally difficult to attribute the change to any one factor.
Macroeconomic factors kept the mortgage market relatively low for much of 2021. In particular, the Federal Reserve had been buying billions of dollars of bonds in response to the pandemic’s economic pressures. This bond-buying policy is a major influencer of mortgage rates.
But starting in November 2021, the Fed began tapering its bond purchases downward, making sizable reductions each month until reaching net zero in March 2022.
Between that time and July 2023, the Fed aggressively raised the federal funds rate to fight decades-high inflation. While the fed funds rate can influence mortgage rates, it doesn’t directly do so. In fact, the fed funds rate and mortgage rates can move in opposite directions.
But given the historic speed and magnitude of the Fed’s 2022 and 2023 rate increases—raising the benchmark rate 5.25 percentage points over 16 months—even the indirect influence of the fed funds rate has resulted in a dramatic upward impact on mortgage rates over the last two years.
The Fed maintained the federal funds rate at its peak level for almost 14 months, beginning in July 2023. But in September, the central bank announced a first rate cut of 0.50 percentage points, and then followed that with quarter-point reductions in November and December.
For its third meeting of 2025, however, the Fed opted to hold rates steady—and it’s possible the central bank may not make another rate cut for months. At their March 19 meeting, the Fed released its quarterly rate forecast, which showed that, at that time, the central bankers’ median expectation for the rest of the year was just two quarter-point rate cuts. With five more rate-setting meetings scheduled this year, that means we could see more rate-hold announcements in 2025.
After falling a tenth of a percentage point over the previous two days, 30-year refinance rates ticked up ever so slightly Thursday—adding 2 basis points to average 7.08%. That’s still an improvement vs. mid-April, when a five-day surge pushed rates to 7.31%—their most expensive level since July 2024.
But given that 30-year refi rates fell as low as 6.71% in early March, today’s rates are elevated. The current average is also more than a percentage point above last September’s two-year low of 6.01%.
Rate movement was mixed for other refi loan types. The 15-year and 20-year refi averages inched up 1 and 4 basis points, respectively, while the jumbo 30-year refinance average subtracted 2 points.
National Averages of Lenders’ Best Rates – Refinance
Occasionally some rate averages show a much larger than usual change from one day to the next. This can be due to some loan types being less popular among mortgage shoppers, such as the 10-year fixed rate, resulting in the average being based on a small sample size of rate quotes.
Important
The rates we publish won’t compare directly with teaser rates you see advertised online since those rates are cherry-picked as the most attractive vs. the averages you see here. Teaser rates may involve paying points in advance or may be based on a hypothetical borrower with an ultra-high credit score or for a smaller-than-typical loan. The rate you ultimately secure will be based on factors like your credit score, income, and more, so it can vary from the averages you see here.
Since rates vary widely across lenders, it’s always wise to shop around for your best mortgage refinance option and compare rates regularly, no matter the type of home loan you seek.
Calculate monthly payments for different loan scenarios with our Mortgage Calculator.
What Causes Mortgage Rates to Rise or Fall?
Mortgage rates are determined by a complex interaction of macroeconomic and industry factors, such as:
The level and direction of the bond market, especially 10-year Treasury yields
The Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy, especially as it relates to bond buying and funding government-backed mortgages
Competition between mortgage lenders and across loan types
Because any number of these can cause fluctuations at the same time, it’s generally difficult to attribute any single change to any one factor.
Macroeconomic factors kept the mortgage market relatively low for much of 2021. In particular, the Federal Reserve had been buying billions of dollars of bonds in response to the pandemic’s economic pressures. This bond-buying policy is a major influencer of mortgage rates.
But starting in November 2021, the Fed began tapering its bond purchases downward, making sizable reductions each month until reaching net zero in March 2022.
Between that time and July 2023, the Fed aggressively raised the federal funds rate to fight decades-high inflation. While the fed funds rate can influence mortgage rates, it doesn’t directly do so. In fact, the fed funds rate and mortgage rates can move in opposite directions.
But given the historic speed and magnitude of the Fed’s 2022 and 2023 rate increases—raising the benchmark rate 5.25 percentage points over 16 months—even the indirect influence of the fed funds rate has resulted in a dramatic upward impact on mortgage rates over the last two years.
The Fed maintained the federal funds rate at its peak level for almost 14 months, beginning in July 2023. But in September, the central bank announced a first rate cut of 0.50 percentage points, and then followed that with quarter-point reductions in November and December.
For its third meeting of 2025, however, the Fed opted to hold rates steady—and it’s possible the central bank may not make another rate cut for months. At their March 19 meeting, the Fed released its quarterly rate forecast, which showed that, at that time, the central bankers’ median expectation for the rest of the year was just two quarter-point rate cuts. With a total of eight rate-setting meetings scheduled per year, that means we could see multiple rate-hold announcements in 2025.
U.S. equities were mixed and little changed at midday as the market looked ahead to important trade talks scheduled for this weekend between the Trump administration and China.
Tesla and rival electric vehicle makers saw their shares rise on optimism trade deals will help boost sales of EVs.
Expedia warned that travel demand is slowing, and shares tumbled.
U.S. equities were mixed and little changed at midday as the markets awaited key trade talks between the U.S. and China set for this weekend. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were slightly higher.
Expedia Group (EXPE) shares sank when the owner of travel booking sites’ loss widened and sales fell as travel demand slowed. Its CEO also warned the trend is likely to continue into the current quarter.
Shares of struggling silicone carbide chipmaker Wolfspeed (WOLF) sank as the company’s revenue slid and its loss grew as sales at its Materials Products unit fell. Wolfspeed also added two new board members to help in its efforts to restructure its debt.
CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) shares dipped after the cybersecurity firm announced it was slashing its workforce as it shifted its business to lean more on artificial intelligence (AI).
Shares of Tesla (TSLA) and other American electric vehicle (EV) makers gained on optimism new agreements on tariffs would boost sales of EVs.
Shares of Monster Beverage (MNST) were trading at a record high when the energy drink maker said it sees strong April sales after posting a surprise drop in first-quarter revenue.
Insulet (PODD) shares soared after the maker of insulin delivery pumps reported better-than-expected results and guidance on higher demand for its Omnipod device.
Oil and gold futures advanced. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was little changed. The U.S. dollar lost ground to the euro, pound, and yen. Prices for most major cryptocurrencies were higher.
The three U.S. states with the lowest Thursday rates for 30-year mortgage refinance loans were California, New York, and Florida. As three of the four most populous states, more than 24% of the U.S. population lives in one of these.
After that, the next cheapest states were Connecticut, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Washington. The seven lowest-rate states registered averages between 6.79% and 7.04%.
Meanwhile, the states with the most expensive Thursday refinance rates were Alaska, West Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Arizona, and Wyoming. The range of 30-year refi averages for these high-rate states was 7.16% to 7.24%.
Mortgage refinance rates vary by the state where they originate. Different lenders operate in different regions, and rates can be influenced by state-level variations in credit score, average loan size, and regulations. Lenders also have varying risk management strategies that influence the rates they offer.
Since rates vary widely across lenders, it’s always smart to shop around for your best mortgage option and compare rates regularly, no matter the type of home loan you seek.
National Mortgage Refinance Rate Averages
After dropping for two days, rates for 30-year refinance mortgages held close to steady Thursday. Inching up a minor 2 basis points, the national 30-year refi average is currently 7.08%. That’s an improvement vs. mid-April, when rates surged 40 basis points in a week to notch a 7.31% peak—the highest level since July 2024.
In March, however, the 30-year refinance average sank to 6.71%, its cheapest level of 2025. And back in September, rates plunged to a two-year low of 6.01%.
The rates we publish won’t compare directly with teaser rates you see advertised online since those rates are cherry-picked as the most attractive vs. the averages you see here. Teaser rates may involve paying points in advance or may be based on a hypothetical borrower with an ultra-high credit score or for a smaller-than-typical loan. The rate you ultimately secure will be based on factors like your credit score, income, and more, so it can vary from the averages you see here.
Calculate monthly payments for different loan scenarios with our Mortgage Calculator.
What Causes Mortgage Rates to Rise or Fall?
Mortgage rates are determined by a complex interaction of macroeconomic and industry factors, such as:
The level and direction of the bond market, especially 10-year Treasury yields
The Federal Reserve’s current monetary policy, especially as it relates to bond buying and funding government-backed mortgages
Competition between mortgage lenders and across loan types
Because any number of these can cause fluctuations simultaneously, it’s generally difficult to attribute any change to any one factor.
Macroeconomic factors kept the mortgage market relatively low for much of 2021. In particular, the Federal Reserve had been buying billions of dollars of bonds in response to the pandemic’s economic pressures. This bond-buying policy is a major influencer of mortgage rates.
But starting in November 2021, the Fed began tapering its bond purchases downward, making sizable monthly reductions until reaching net zero in March 2022.
Between that time and July 2023, the Fed aggressively raised the federal funds rate to fight decades-high inflation. While the fed funds rate can influence mortgage rates, it doesn’t directly do so. In fact, the fed funds rate and mortgage rates can move in opposite directions.
But given the historic speed and magnitude of the Fed’s 2022 and 2023 rate increases—raising the benchmark rate 5.25 percentage points over 16 months—even the indirect influence of the fed funds rate has resulted in a dramatic upward impact on mortgage rates over the last two years.
The Fed maintained the federal funds rate at its peak level for almost 14 months, beginning in July 2023. But in September, the central bank announced a first rate cut of 0.50 percentage points, and then followed that with quarter-point reductions on November and December.
For its third meeting of the new year, however, the Fed opted to hold rates steady—and it’s possible the central bank may not make another rate cut for months. With a total of eight rate-setting meetings scheduled per year, that means we could see multiple rate-hold announcements in 2025.
Microchip Technology shares soared Friday after the chipmaker issued a better-than-expected outlook, and several analysts raised their price targets for the stock.
Jefferies analysts said they see a “sharp snap back” in the next few quarters, after a steep revenue decline in the fiscal fourth quarter.
Even with Friday’s gains, the stock has lost about 40% over the past 12 months.
Microchip Technology (MCHP) shares surged Friday after the struggling chipmaker issued a better-than-expected forecast, and several analysts raised their price targets for the stock.
Shares were up over 10% in recent trading near $55, though even with Friday’s gains, the stock has lost about 40% of its value over the past 12 months.
The company said it anticipates fiscal first-quarter revenue of $1.02 billion to $1.07 billion and adjusted earnings per share of 18 cents to 26 cents, exceeding analysts’ projections compiled by Visible Alpha.
“It looks like the bottom has finally been hit,” Jefferies analysts said following the results, adding, “we see the potential for a sharp snap back in the next couple of quarters” after the company posted a steep revenue decline in the fourth quarter. The analysts maintained a “buy” rating and price target of $70.
Microchip’s fourth-quarter sales fell 27% year-over-year to $970.5 million. While a significant decline, it was less severe than Wall Street expected. CEO Steve Sanghi said the period “marks the bottom of this prolonged industry down cycle for Microchip.”
Citi analysts, which raised their target to $55 from $50, said, “when the economy eventually recovers, Microchip should have the strongest bounce in fundamentals given the steep decline in revenue.” Meanwhile, Bank of America raised its target to $56 from $44 and upgraded the stock to “neutral” from “underperform.”
Lyft shares soared Friday, a day after the ridesharing company topped first-quarter gross bookings estimates and boosted its stock buyback program.
An activist investor said it would halt its campaign for changes at Lyft.
Analysts from UBS, Oppenheimer, and JPMorgan raised their price targets for Lyft’s stock.
Lyft (LYFT) shares soared Friday, a day after the ridesharing company topped first-quarter gross bookings estimates and boosted its stock buyback program.
Shares were up over 23% in recent trading, hitting their highest price since December earlier in the session at $16.14.
The company said after the bell Thursday that its board approved a new $750 million buyback plan, and expects to use $500 million of it over the next 12 months.
Analysts from UBS, Oppenheimer, and JPMorgan each lifted their price targets by $2 to $14, $17, and $16, respectively, following the report. JPMorgan analysts said they were “encouraged by some of Lyft’s underlying progress, with all-time highs across many metrics” like faster arrival times and the “highest frequency riders in 5 years.”
Gross Bookings, Profits Top Estimates
Lyft reported $1.45 billion in first-quarter revenue, up 14% year-over-year but just below the $1.47 billion analyst consensus compiled by Visible Alpha. Gross bookings and earnings per share topped estimates at $4.16 billion and $0.01, respectively.
Activist investor Engine Capital said Friday it would halt its campaign and revoke its nominees for Lyft’s board as they said the new buyback plan comes after a “series of productive conversations.”
Lyft forecast gross bookings of $4.41 billion to $4.57 billion for the second quarter, in line with the analyst consensus. CEO David Risher told CNBC Friday morning that the company hasn’t seen “anything to worry about” regarding consumer behavior so far this year.
Shares of Affirm Holdings are tumbling 13% Friday, a day after the provider of buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans issued a disappointing current-quarter revenue outlook.
Affirm sees fiscal fourth-quarter revenue between $815 million and $845 million, with the midpoint below the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of $843.9 million.
Affirm shares have lost nearly a quarter of their value this year.
Shares of Affirm Holdings (AFRM) are tumbling 13% Friday, a day after the provider of buy now, pay later (BNPL) loans issued a disappointing current-quarter revenue outlook.
Affirm sees fiscal fourth-quarter revenue between $815 million and $845 million, with the midpoint below the Visible Alpha consensus estimate of $843.9 million.
The San Francisco-based company’s third-quarter revenue of $783.1 million also came up short. However, Affirm reported profit of a penny per share when a loss of 2 cents per share was expected, and gross merchandise volume that soared 36% year-over-year to $8.6 billion also surpassed projections.
Asked in a CNBC interview Friday morning about the strength of the consumer, Affirm CEO Max Levchin said, “It’s pretty good. I think there’s a real inconsistency in the vibe, where people are stressed out about the economy yet they’re shopping, they’re buying, and they’re paying their bills—at least they’re paying their bills back to us on time.”
Affirm shares have lost nearly a quarter of their value this year.
Source: The Federal Reserve’s “Survey of Consumer Finances” (2022), median transaction account balances by age group. Transaction accounts include checking, savings, money market, and brokerage cash accounts, and prepaid debit cards.
In addition to what’s in bank accounts, the median saver under age 35 has these assets:
With the $5,400 in the bank, these amounts total $39,200. Additionally, this age group has a median retirement account balance of $18,880.
Americans under 35 are the only demographic that has steadily increased savings over the past decade.
Investopedia / Sabrina Karl
Regardless of these numbers, it’s important to note that there’s no universally correct amount to save.
“Don’t compare yourself to others,” said Chloé Moore, CFP and founder of Financial Staples, a financial planning and investment management firm. “Just focus on yourself and make sure that you set good, intentional goals for yourself and that you work toward achieving those goals.”
How To Set—and Meet—Savings Goals by Age 35
To achieve a savings goal, you need to set one. A good way to start is by knowing what you are spending. Tracking your income and expenses for a few months can be eye-opening and may help you determine what you’re doing well and what you’d like to change—and what a reasonable savings goal might be. Speaking with a financial advisor can also be a great step toward developing a goal, plus the plans for achieving it.
Moore generally recommends saving at least six months of take-home pay for an emergency fund, for example, but that varies based on personal circumstances. Instead of suggesting specific dollar amounts, she offers guidelines for her clients, many of whom are young tech professionals and first-generation wealth builders.
She offers some tips to boost your savings habit:
Start small: If saving six or 12 months of expenses sounds intimidating, she said, start by trying to save one month of living expenses. “Review your cash flow and just see if there are places where you can essentially save a little bit more each month,” Moore said.
Add income: If you have valuable things or other possessions that you don’t need, Moore suggested that you consider selling them or look into getting a side hustle to generate more income if you can’t lower your expenses.
Have a plan: If you receive a lump sum of cash, whether it’s unexpected or something like a tax refund or bonus, know what you are going to do with it. “Try to have a plan for those before you receive them and not just think of it as free money that you can just spend,” Moore said.
How To Boost Your Savings Balances With Top-Earning Accounts
Another way to maximize your savings is to choose accounts that will earn money for you. Two options are high-yield savings accounts and CDs.
For high-yield savings accounts, check out those with the highest savings account APYs available. More than a dozen high-yield savings accounts currently pay between 4.40% and 5.00% APY. In addition to the rates, look at the features of the accounts you’re considering. One feature that Moore likes is the ability to earmark savings for different goals. “There are some accounts where you can set up an emergency fund bucket or a travel bucket or a down payment bucket,” she said.
If you have some money you can save without touching it, a CD can be a good additional option. CDs can earn higher rates than savings accounts in exchange for leaving your money for a set time period—usually anywhere from 3 months to 10 years. One key benefit of a CD is that the rate is fixed, so regardless of what happens with rates elsewhere, the amount you’ll earn when your CD matures is guaranteed. The top CDs pay as much as 4.50% now, making this a good time to consider opening one.
If you open a CD with some of your money, you’ll want to use a hybrid strategy and keep some of your cash in a top high-yield savings account where it’s easy to access. If you have an unexpected need for your money, you can access the savings account funds first and possibly avoid cashing out your CD before maturity, which would trigger an early withdrawal penalty.
Daily Rankings of the Best CDs and Savings Accounts
We update these rankings every business day to give you the best deposit rates available:
Important
Note that the “top rates” quoted here are the highest nationally available rates Investopedia has identified in its daily rate research on hundreds of banks and credit unions. This is much different than the national average, which includes all banks offering a CD with that term, including many large banks that pay a pittance in interest. Thus, the national averages are always quite low, while the top rates you can unearth by shopping around are often 5, 10, or even 15 times higher.
How We Find the Best Savings and CD Rates
Every business day, Investopedia tracks the rate data of more than 200 banks and credit unions that offer CDs and savings accounts to customers nationwide and determines daily rankings of the top-paying accounts. To qualify for our lists, the institution must be federally insured (FDIC for banks, NCUA for credit unions), and the account’s minimum initial deposit must not exceed $25,000. It also cannot specify a maximum deposit amount that’s below $5,000.
Banks must be available in at least 40 states to qualify as nationally available. And while some credit unions require you to donate to a specific charity or association to become a member if you don’t meet other eligibility criteria (e.g., you don’t live in a certain area or work in a certain kind of job), we exclude credit unions whose donation requirement is $40 or more. For more about how we choose the best rates, read our full methodology.
Chinese and American officials are expected to meet in Switzerland this weekend to discuss the trade spat between the two countries.
The countries have engaged in increasing tariff retaliations, resulting in import taxes so high that economists have called them an effective trade embargo.
While a complete trade deal is unlikely this weekend, there is a possibility that the discussions could result in a de-escalation of tensions.
This weekend could be a turning point for the trade dispute between the world’s two largest economies.
U.S. and Chinese officials are scheduled to meet in Switzerland starting on Saturday, and investors are optimistic about what could result. A thawing of the relationship between the two trading partners could provide some relief for businesses and consumers who have been bracing for higher prices and empty shelves.
While the U.S. and China are being careful with what they say ahead of the talks, here’s what we know about the discussions.
What’s the Status of the Trade Relationship?
The U.S. and China have been in a tit-for-tat trade dispute in recent weeks, resulting in high tariffs levied on both countries.
President Donald Trump has pushed tariffs on Chinese goods coming into the U.S. to 145%. In response, China’s government ratcheted up import taxes on U.S. goods coming to their country to 125%. Economists have said that duties that more than double the price of goods essentially amount to a trade embargo.
China is the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner, according to the most recent data available from the Census Bureau. America has brought in more than three times the amount of goods from China than it exported there so far this year.
Who Is Involved in the Trade Talks?
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will negotiate on the U.S.’s behalf.
Bessent has been vocal about the trade spat between the two countries, saying that the current tariff levels are “unsustainable” and that de-escalation was likely in the cards. In a press release announcing his trip to Switzerland, Greer said he would be “negotiating with countries to rebalance our trade relations to achieve reciprocity.”
For China, Vice Premier He Lifeng will spearhead the discussions. He is reportedly close to Chinese President Xi Jinping and is expected to toe the government’s official line. China’s Ministry of Commerce has said, “whether through confrontation or negotiation, China’s determination to safeguard its development interests will not change.”
Will a US-China Trade Agreement Be Reached?
While Trump said Thursday that he expects talks to be “substantive”, it’s unlikely the delegations will be able to hammer out a complete trade agreement over the weekend.
U.S. trade agreements take an average of 18 months to negotiate and often even more time to implement, so de-escalation of the tariffs would be more likely. On Friday morning, Trump suggested that tariffs on Chinese goods could be lowered to 80% but said he would leave the final number up to Bessent.
The two countries could also discuss other trade barriers, such as the de minimis exemption that Trump excluded China from last week, affecting Chinese bargain shopping sites like Temu and Shein.
