Scott Horsley

Despite the slump in the final days of the year, 2025 was still a good one for stock investors.

A lot of big investors took a break in the week following Christmas, so trading volumes were light.

Turning from the stock market to the supermarket, there was some positive news in the pasta aisle.

The Trump administration is backtracking from its threat to impose triple-digit tariffs on imported pasta from Italy.

The Commerce Department says Italian pasta will likely face much lower anti-dumping duties when the final rates are set in March.

Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

It does make it a little cheaper to buy a car or grow a business.

Mortgage rates have also come down a little bit.

The mortgage giant Freddie Mac said today that the average rate on a 30-year home loan is down to 6.15 percent, which is the lowest it's been all year.

that could give a little boost to the housing market, which has been in a deep slump.

It does make it a little cheaper to buy a car or grow a business.

Mortgage rates have also come down a little bit.

The mortgage giant Freddie Mac said today that the average rate on a 30-year home loan is down to 6.15 percent, which is the lowest it's been all year.

That could give a little boost to the housing market, which has been in a deep slump.

Trading is expected to be light on this New Year's Eve as investors count their annual gains.

The S&P 500 index is up about 17 percent this year.

New applications for unemployment benefits dipped last week as 199,000 people applied for jobless aid.

The numbers suggest that layoffs remain uncommon even as hiring has slowed.

Concern about a weakening job market led the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this month for the third time since September.

Minutes of the Fed's most recent meeting show most policymakers think rates can fall further so long as inflation moderates.