Analysis of Current Best CD Rates
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 21 2026
0mins
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Rate Trends: As of May 21, 2026, the highest CD rate of 4% APY is offered by Marcus by Goldman Sachs on its 9-month CD, indicating a relative high compared to historical averages, despite an overall decline in rates since last year due to the Federal Reserve's easing policies.
- Market Competition: Several financial institutions, particularly online banks, are offering competitive rates of 4% APY and above, demonstrating efforts to attract deposits and enhance market share in a low-rate environment.
- Account Opening Process: The steps to open a CD account include researching rates, selecting an account that meets your needs, preparing necessary documents, and completing the application, which can typically be done in minutes, allowing customers to quickly lock in the best rates available.
- Future Predictions: Although the Federal Reserve has kept rates unchanged in 2026, CD rates may continue to trend lower as financial institutions typically follow changes in the federal funds rate, suggesting that now may be an opportune time to secure high rates.
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Analyst Views on GS
Wall Street analysts forecast GS stock price to fall
12 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
7 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 1008.370
Low
604.00
Averages
951.45
High
1100
Current: 1008.370
Low
604.00
Averages
951.45
High
1100
About GS
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a global financial institution that delivers a range of financial services to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals. Its segments include Global Banking & Markets, Asset & Wealth Management and Platform Solutions. The Global Banking & Markets segment offers a range of services, including financing, advisory services, risk distribution, and hedging for its institutional and corporate clients. It facilitates client transactions and makes markets in fixed income, equity, currency and commodity products. The Asset & Wealth Management segment manages assets and offers investment products across all asset classes to a diverse set of clients. It also provides investing and wealth advisory solutions. The Platform Solutions segment includes consumer platforms, such as partnerships offering credit cards and point-of-sale financing, and transaction banking and other platform businesses.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Private Equity Potential: Although the future of private equity M&A remains uncertain, Waldron noted that private equity and venture capital firms hold $1 trillion in dry powder and $4 trillion in embedded portfolio valuations, suggesting that if these funds are deployed, M&A activity could accelerate significantly.
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- CD Account Opening Process: The steps to open a CD account include researching rates, selecting an appropriate account, preparing necessary documents, and completing the application, which can often be done online for convenience.
- Future Rate Predictions: While the Federal Reserve has kept rates unchanged in 2026, uncertainty remains regarding future rate movements, prompting savers to consider locking in current higher rates to mitigate potential future declines.
See More
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- Rising Inflation Pressures: Eurozone inflation surged to 3% in April due to rising energy costs from the Iran conflict, increasing pressure on the ECB to adopt tightening measures, despite the economy showing only 0.1% growth.
- Policy Formulation Challenges: The ECB's Vice-President noted the need to balance inflation control with economic growth protection, raising questions about the necessity of rate hikes in the current fragile economic environment.
- Credibility Risks: Economists warn that failure to address inflation promptly could undermine the ECB's credibility, eroding market confidence in its ability to maintain price stability, which would be difficult to restore once lost.
See More
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- Strong Stock Market Performance: Despite rising geopolitical tensions, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed at record highs, primarily driven by a surge in AI-related stocks, indicating strong market confidence in the technology sector.
- Oil Price Warning: ExxonMobil has warned that oil inventories are on track to reach dangerously low levels in the coming weeks, forcing prices to spike and curbing demand, reflecting market concerns over energy supply.
- Wealthy Investors Pulling Out: According to the UBS Global Family Office Report, 60% of family offices plan to adjust their investment allocations in the next year, with many reducing US holdings and increasing exposure to emerging markets, highlighting a growing trend of 'de-dollarization'.
See More
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- Software Sector Pressure: The software industry accounts for 19% of private credit collateralized loan obligations, and as growth slows and margins compress, the repayment capacity of these loans is expected to be negatively impacted, adding to market uncertainty.
- Liquidity Crisis: With constrained liquidity, investors are beginning to attempt to withdraw funds, particularly with significant withdrawal requests anticipated in June, which could exert further pressure on the market and lead to more default events.
- Pension Fund Risks: While some large state pension funds continue to maintain investments in private credit, their significant risk exposure could have spillover effects on the broader financial markets, especially given that banks have loaned approximately $300 billion to private credit, potentially putting retail investors at risk.
See More
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- Project Partnerships: Dubbed Project Lightwell, the initiative has already attracted major U.S. banks such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, and Bank of America as early adopters, indicating strong market confidence and demand for IBM's new platform.
- Innovation Driven by Technology: CEO Arvind Krishna noted that Anthropic's Mythos model was a pivotal factor in driving this investment, highlighting the potential of large language models to discover and exploit vulnerabilities in code, which could reshape the cybersecurity landscape.
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