Roundup: Investment growth / Credit card rates / Mortgage applications

Where Louisiana ranks: Between 2019 and 2024, Louisiana saw a massive 452% increase in investment, with venture capital growing from $165 million to more than $910 million, according to a new national analysis from Broker Chooser. Despite the impressive surge, Louisiana still landed among the bottom states for growth in investment over that period—ranking 37th overall. Read more from The Center Square. 

Not ease in sight: Last year, banks quickly raised interest rates to record levels and added new monthly fees on credit cards when a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule threatened a key revenue source for the industry. Now, they’re far more reluctant to reverse those steps, even after bank trade groups succeeded in killing the CFPB rule in federal court last month. Read more from CNBC. 

Picking up: U.S. mortgage applications for home purchases and refinancing increased for the first time in four weeks, helped by a slight decline in financing costs. An index of applications for home purchases jumped 11.1%, the most since January, while a gauge of refinancing increased at a similar rate, according to Mortgage Bankers Association data released Wednesday. Read more from Bloomberg. A subscription may be required.