The local  Star-Advertiser  today carried an article that headlined: Gold hits record $5,311 as dollar falls ahead of Fed decision First of all, the  Federal Reserve today held interest rates steady for the first time since July .  Fed Chair Jerome Powell ( will stay on as governor until the end of 2028 ) said that economic activity and business fixed investment have been expanding at a solid pace, while consumer spending has been resilient.   However, even though the housing market continues to show weakness, it has begun to show signs of recent life.   Mortgage rates have been at a three-year low. Yet, 6% for 30-year fixed is not exactly low. 15-year fixed is around 5%, also not so good. On the other hand, it was 7% last year. A good low interest rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage is anything below 4%. In January 2021, a record low of 2.65% was reached. This rate hovered between 3% and 4% in the 2010s. However, and this surprising to me, the hist...