Boiling time: Louisianans are getting their first taste of crawfish season, and it’s off to a predictably expensive start. WBRZ-TV’s crawfish price index has the average price of boiled crawfish at $5.30 a pound, based on popular seafood spots in the Baton Rouge area. Buying live crawfish will cost about $3.77 per pound on average. Read the full price analysis.
Sliding: U.S. long-term mortgage rates fell to 3.45% this week, the third straight week of declines, as the benchmark 30-year loan marked its lowest point in three years, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. The key rate stood at 4.41% a year ago. The average rate on a 15-year mortgage eased to 2.97% from 3% last week. Read the full report.
Flavor ban: A new federal e-cigarette policy that goes into effect today will result in a number of flavored vaping products being removed from the market. CNN reports that the ban, which the Trump administration first announced in September, aims to terminate use of cartridge-based vaping products in flavors other than tobacco and menthol. Not included in the policy, however, are disposable vapes or those with an open-tank system. Read the full story.
