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Document shows partial felling last year, which led to legal action against Toby Carvery, was done by Ground Control

A mystery contractor who chainsawed an ancient oak in north London for the Toby Carvery restaurant chain has been identified by the Guardian, prompting more questions about the incident.

The unauthorised partial felling of the 500-year-old oak a year ago on Friday in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, prompted widespread public outrage and questions in parliament.

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Unite accuses authority of trying to ‘break’ industrial action as waste dispute enters second year

Unite has accused Birmingham city council of trying to “break” the bin strikes after analysis showed the council had doubled spending on agency staff since the start of the year-long industrial action.

Birmingham’s bin workers have taken part in an all-out strike since March last year over proposed pay cuts and role changes. The dispute has left residents without a fully functioning waste collection service and has led to towering waste and overflowing bins on the streets.

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U.S. stock markets are shuttered today, April 3, in observance of Good Friday, marking a quiet start to the Easter holiday weekend across global financial hubs.

Exchange Closures And Trading Resumption

Both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq are closed today. While Good Friday is not a federal holiday, it remains a traditional non-trading day for U.S. equities.

Investors should note that regular trading hours will resume on Monday, April 6. According to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, the U.S. bond market is entirely closed for the Friday holiday.

Banking And Postal Services

Despite the market freeze, most daily infrastructure remains operational. The U.S. Postal Service is maintaining normal operations, with mail delivery proceeding as scheduled.

Similarly, private carriers United Parcel Service …

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Meme-based cryptocurrency Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) described itself as the longest-running and most successful “joke” in financial history on Thursday.

‘Highest-Grossing Joke’

Dogecoin embraced its meme origins in an X post, adding, “If Dogecoin is a joke, it’s the longest-running, highest-grossing joke in financial history.”

Tracing Dogecoin’s Journey

Born in 2013 from the iconic Shiba Inu meme as a lighthearted experiment, Dogecoin has surged a whopping 16104.52% since then.

It boasts a market capitalization of over $13 billion as of this writing, higher than that of Domino’s Pizza Inc.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

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Vivos Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:VVOS) shares surged 21.21% after hours to $1.60 on Thursday after a Securities and Exchange Commission filing revealed that a Michigan-based investor group acquired a 19.9% stake through a $2.39 million private placement.

SP Manager LLC and its managing director, Michael C. Skaff, now control 19.9% of VVOS’s outstanding common stock, or roughly 2.69 million shares. Their stake is held through three affiliated investment vehicle: V-CO Investors LLC with 3.8%, V-CO Investors 2 LLC with 6.1%, and V-CO Investors 3 LLC with 10%.

SP Manager LLC often serves as a manager or advisor for specific investment vehicles and private ventures.

Convertible Promissory Note

On March 31, V-CO Investors 3 LLC entered a Securities Purchase Agreement with Vivos, acquiring …

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BT Brands Inc. (NASDAQ:BTBD) surged 17.99% after hours Thursday to $2.23, after Monday’s earnings release showed a sharp fiscal 2025 operating turnaround and progress on its Cincinnati-based drone technology firm Aero Velocity merger.

BT Brands, based in North Dakota, owns and operates quick-service restaurants.

Turnaround Numbers

According to the company, its restaurant-level EBITDA rose 138% to $1.7 million, while the operating loss narrowed 80% to $364,585. The net loss improved to $0.11 per share, compared with $0.37 per share in 2024.

BT Brands ended fiscal 2025 with $4.4 million in cash and marketable securities on hand.

Merger Optionality Adds Fuel

The proposed merger …

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Investor Gary Black of The Future Fund LLC has reaffirmed that his decision to exit his position in Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) as the EV giant reported a Q1 delivery miss.

Exiting Tesla Was The Right Call

In a post on the social media platform X on Thursday, the investor shared that his firm had exited Tesla last year. “We took a lot of grief from $TSLA bulls on X when we exited the balance of our TSLA position last May at $358,” he said, adding that the move has been the “right call,” as Tesla has “struggled to turn around its core EV business” and shift towards a “highly competitive” autonomous driving sector “without advertising investment.”

Full story available on Benzinga.com

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Tania Warner is fitted with ankle monitor and released along with seven-year-old daughter Ayla Luca after being deemed not a flight risk

A Canadian woman and her seven-year-old daughter, who were held for nearly three weeks in a notorious detention center by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), were released on Thursday evening after posting a bond of $9,500.

Tania Warner and her daughter Ayla Luca, originally from British Columbia, are both Canadian citizens. Warner moved to the US in 2021 when she married Edward Warner, a US citizen. “Very happy to have my family home … it’s been a whirlwind day,” said Edward Warner.

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Plan for three nuns who escaped from care home last year to go to Rome thought to be positive sign of Vatican’s decision

Three nuns who escaped from a care home to return to their convent in a castle close to Salzburg where they had spent most of their lives are a step closer to being able to stay there, sources close to them say.

Sisters Bernadette, Regina and Rita, who are in their early to late eighties, broke into their convent home in Elsbethen last September with the help of former pupils of the Catholic school at which they had taught and other supporters. Their case became a cause célèbre, attracting attention from around the world.

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People receive rehab only three to four days a week in hospital – and one to two days once they are discharged, data suggests

The NHS is failing stroke patients and limiting their chances of recovery because of a shortage of rehabilitation care staff, health leaders have said.

More people are surviving strokes than ever before in the UK. But their hopes of getting better are being dashed because of a lack of physiotherapists and other specialist staff, according to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Neurology.

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Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) said Thursday it has secured a conditional approval from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to form a federally chartered national trust company.

Crypto Operations Under Federal Oversight

Coinbase emphasized that it is not transitioning into a “commercial bank” and will not be taking retail deposits or engaging in fractional reserve banking.

“This charter is about bringing federal regulatory uniformity to the custody and market infrastructure business we have been building for years,” the company said.

CEO Brian Armstrong reiterated the point, saying that Coinbase is bringing the “infrastructure of crypto” under federal regulatory oversight, but not “becoming a bank.”

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Applied Optoelectronics (NASDAQ:AAOI) shares are trending on Thursday night.

$124M In Orders Since Mid-March

Shares of the manufacturer and supplier of fiber-optic networking products jumped 4.76% after hours to $108.86 on Thursday after it secured a $71 million 800G transceiver order from a major hyperscale customer, bringing total orders from that client to $124 million since mid-March.

An 800G transceiver is a high-speed optical module that supports data transmission at 800 Gbps. It is essential for artificial intelligence, cloud computing and next-generation data centers.

According to Applied Optoelectronics, this will more than double its existing backlog from that client.

Deliveries for the original $53 million order are set to begin in the second quarter and finish by the third quarter. The new $71 million order is expected to be fully delivered by the end of the year.

Thompson Lin, founder and CEO of Applied Optoelectronics, said the order reflects “the customer’s …

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During its brief pro forma session today, the US House took no action on the funding bill to end the historic DHS shutdown, after Senate-passed legislation was sent to the lower chamber earlier today.

The House’s next procedural meeting will be on Monday, meaning the lapse in funding for several subagencies will continue until at least next week. However, Republican House speaker Mike Johnson may even wait until lawmakers return from a two-week recess to ensure the measure, that his party rejected last week, can pass.

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This blog is now closed. You can read about the latest major development in the conflict here.

Trump has claimed that Iran was “right at the doorstep” of gaining a nuclear weapon.

Earlier on Wednesday the president said he did not care about Iran’s stock of highly enriched uranium (HEU), arguing it was deep underground and could be monitored by satellite.

From the very beginning my campaign for president in 2015, I said I would never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. This regime has been chanting death to America, death to Israel.

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U.S. stocks finished mixed Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.13% to 46,504.67, while the S&P 500 edged up 0.11% to 6,582.69 and the Nasdaq climbed 0.18% to 21,879.18.

These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:

Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ)

Sky Quarry’s stock soared by 101.58%, closing at $5.10. It reached an intraday high of $5.89 and a low of $3.75, with a 52-week range of $15.52 to $1.66. In the after-hours trading, the stock fell 3.14% to $4.94.

Sky Quarry shares rose after the company said it held talks with Nevada crude producers to boost local supply for its Foreland Refinery.

The update came as Brent crude topped $110 per barrel and regional refinery capacity tightened, positioning the company to benefit from stronger local fuel demand.

Sidus Space Inc. (NASDAQ:SIDU)

Sidus Space’s shares jumped 47.14%, closing at $3.09. The stock hit a high of $3.20 and a low of $2, with a 52-week high of $5.39 and …

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Leading cryptocurrencies fell further on Thursday, while oil prices surged as investors feared Iran conflict could escalate after President Donald Trump’s address.

Cryptocurrency 24-Hour Gains +/- Price (Recorded at 9:20 p.m. EDT)
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) -1.71% $66,760.21
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH)
               		 -3.85% $2,052.15
XRP (CRYPTO: XRP)                          -2.19% $1.31
Solana (CRYPTO: SOL)                          -1.84% $79.33
Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE)              -1.50% $0.09032

Crypto Sees Increased Bearish Pressure

Bitcoin wobbled in the range between $66,000 and $67,000 after retreating from the  $68,000+ territory on Wednesday night. Ethereum failed to break over $2,070 amid heavy resistance from the bears. Trading volume for the second-largest cryptocurrency dipped 14% over the last 24 hours.

Shares of Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (NYSE:BMNR) closed down 2.95% and 1.22%, respectively.

Nearly $400 million were liquidated in the past 24 hours, predominantly bullish long positions,  according to Coinglass data.

Notably, over $500 million in Bitcoin short positions on Binance risked liquidation if the apex cryptocurrency reclaimed $70,000.

Open interest in Bitcoin futures rose 1.47% in the last 24 hours. A rise in open interest with a decline in spot price usually implies that short bets are being built up.

Top …

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U.S. Army Chief of Staff Randy George was fired on Thursday by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, three U.S. defense officials told Reuters, in the latest purge among the Pentagon’s most senior ranks.

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Defense secretary signs memo letting members request permission to carry firearms on military installations

Defense secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday that would allow military service members to request permission to carry their personal firearms on military installations such as bases, naval yards and recruitment centers, claiming the new policy will allow soldiers and other military personnel to defend themselves in case of an attack.

While the full text of the memo has yet to be made public, it appears to loosen the current policy that allows for personnel to get permission to have their weapons on base on a case-by-case basis, and requires that they are registered with the base’s authorities and stored in a secure device.

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California House members tour Otay Mesa center, which has faced allegations of poor conditions and sexual assaults

Two California lawmakers conducted an oversight visit Thursday at ICE’s Otay Mesa detention center, an immigrant detention facility that has faced allegations of overcrowding, poor conditions and sexual assaults.

The visit had been previously scheduled. But congressman Mike Levin, a Democrat, told the Guardian he planned to conduct more unannounced visits following a federal court ruling that struck down the Trump administration’s policy of forcing members of Congress to announce oversight visits seven days in advance.

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Drone-maker backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr tries to win contracts with Gulf countries protected by US

A drone-maker backed by Donald Trump’s two oldest sons is trying to sell to Gulf countries while they are under attack by Iran and dependent on the US military led by their father.

The sales drive by Florida-based Powerus – which announced a deal last month to bring aboard Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr – positions the company to potentially benefit from a war that their father began.

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Police say they found a ballistic-style vest, several notebooks and literature they allege contained extremist references

Two New South Wales teenagers have been charged with allegedly possessing violent extremist material after police searched one of their homes and found a ballistic-style vest, several notebooks and literature they allege contained extremist references.

The Australian federal police and NSW police released a statement on Friday morning confirming the boys, aged 15 and 16 and both from Moree in northern NSW, had been charged with possession of alleged extremist material after a joint counterterrorism investigation.

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Nike Inc. delivered a disappointing outlook this week, sending its shares sharply lower and prompting CEO Elliott Hill to acknowledge growing internal frustration during a company-wide call.

Speaking at a Tuesday all-hands meeting, Hill told employees he is ready to move past talking about fixing the business and shift toward rebuilding momentum, Bloomberg first reported.

“For me, my leadership team, from each and every one of us in this room, we have got to respond. I’m so tired, and I know you are too, of talking about fixing this business,” Hill said. “I want to move from fixing, and I know you do too. I want to move to building. I want to move to inspiring and driving growth and having fun.”

COSTCO’S SURPRISE NIKE COLLABORATION SENDS SNEAKER RESALE MARKET INTO COMPLETE FRENZY

The remarks came after Nike reported its fiscal 2026 third-quarter results, with net income falling 35% year over year. 

The company also warned that revenue is expected to decline in the current quarter and continue falling through the rest of the year.

Shares dropped as much as 15% on Wednesday, hitting their lowest intraday level since 2014, Bloomberg reported.

NIKE PLANS TO CUT HUNDREDS OF JOBS AMID AUTOMATION PUSH

Chief Financial Officer Matthew Friend underscored the company’s cautious stance, urging employees to limit spending as Nike works to stabilize performance, according to Bloomberg.

“We’re going to be managing costs carefully as we have been doing,” Friend said. “I realize that that creates a tension inside, but I just need you to know that the reason why that tension is there is because our business is not moving in the right direction.”

Hill, who took over as CEO in October 2024 and has since reshaped parts of Nike’s strategy, also signaled the company needs to be more transparent with investors, Bloomberg reported.

NIKE ANNOUNCES CAITLIN CLARK AS ITS NEWEST SIGNATURE ATHLETE

“You can’t just sit there and say everything’s great,” Hill said. “Frankly, it needed to be different.”

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A Nike spokesperson told FOX Business that the company regularly holds post-earnings meetings with employees to review key messages shared with investors and to coordinate next steps.

“As we do after every earnings release, we convened our teammates to provide context on the quarter, reinforce what was shared externally, and align on the work ahead,” the spokesperson told FOX Business in an email. “It was a direct conversation about where we are seeing real progress, where we need to move faster, and what it will take to win. The discussion reflected the same reality we shared externally: urgency, transparency, focus and a determination to restore growth.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify Nike CEO Elliott Hill’s comments during the all-hands meeting with staff.

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United Airlines is raising checked bag fees by $10 to $50 for travelers purchasing tickets starting Friday, the company confirmed to Fox Business on Thursday.

The increase, which the airline said marks its first bag fee hike in two years, comes after JetBlue announced similar measures in late March. 

Customers flying within the U.S., Mexico, Canada and Latin America can expect a $10 increase on first and second checked bags, while the fee for a third bag will jump by an additional $50.

The airline did not specify whether the price increase was tied to higher jet fuel costs stemming from the recent Iran war, which has drastically disrupted global oil markets. However, United CEO Scott Kirby warned in recent weeks that sustained higher jet fuel costs could strain company revenue. 

JETBLUE HIKES BAGGAGE FEES BY UP TO $9, CITING RISING FUEL PRICES AMID IRAN WAR

“United is raising first and second checked bag fees by $10 for customers traveling in the U.S., Mexico and Canada and Latin America beginning with tickets purchased Friday, April 3,” the airline said.  

Currently, tickets sold through April 2 list prepaid bag fees at $35 for the first bag, $45 for the second, and $150 for the third. Starting Friday, those fees will increase to $45, $55, and $200, respectively.

Similarly, bags paid within 24 hours of travel currently cost $40 for the first bag, $50 for the second, and $150 for the third. Starting Friday, those fees will increase to $50, $60, and $200, respectively.

“Customers in most markets will still enjoy a $5 discount if they prepay for their bags online 24 hours before their flight,” the airline said, referring to the first two bags. 

DESTROY THE REGIME’S POWER WITHOUT OCCUPYING IRAN: A SMARTER WAR PLAN

The airline emphasized that eligible passengers — such as United Chase credit card holders, MileagePlus Premier members, active military members, and travelers in premium cabins — can still check a bag for free. 

Earlier in March, Kirby acknowledged the rising pressure from higher jet fuel prices, noting that over the course of a year, the increased costs could exceed twice the company’s most profitable year.

“The reality is, jet fuel prices have more than doubled in the last three weeks,” the CEO wrote in a memo to employees. “If prices stayed at this level, it would mean an extra $11B in annual expense just for jet fuel. For perspective, in United’s best year ever, we made less than $5B. That may sound scary, but the first piece of good news is that, for now at least, demand remains the strongest we’ve ever seen. The 10 biggest booked revenue weeks in our history have been the last 10 weeks.”

WALTZ SAYS TRUMP IS USING IRAN’S OWN OIL STRATEGY AGAINST ITSELF TO DRIVE DOWN GLOBAL PRICES

Earlier this week, JetBlue Airways also raised its checked bag fees for economy passengers, citing disruptions in global oil supply from the ongoing Iran war. Under the new structure, the first checked bag now costs about $39 on non‑peak days and about $49 during peak travel periods, up roughly $4–$9 compared with previous rates.

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When an airline raises fees, competitors often follow. However, there have been no additional indications yet from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, or Frontier Airlines that they plan to take similar measures.

Fuel costs have surged to multi-year highs after the U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran erupted on Feb. 28, disrupting roughly 20% of the global oil supply that normally flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

As of Thursday, jet fuel in major U.S. markets averaged $4.88 per gallon, up more than 95% from the day before the war began, according to Argus data published by Airlines for America.

FOX Business’ Eric Mack contributed to this report. 

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If you have dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets in your freezer, federal officials say you may want to check the packaging.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) on Wednesday issued a public health alert for certain frozen, ready-to-eat chicken nuggets that may contain “unsafe levels of lead.”

Although the product is no longer available in stores, officials warn it could still be in freezers across the country.

EINSTEIN BAGELS CREAM CHEESE SPREAD RECALLED OVER ALMONDS THAT COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIC REACTION

The alert applies to 29-ounce bags of “Great Value Fully Cooked Dino Shaped Chicken Breast Nuggets,” sold at Walmart nationwide. 

Affected packages have a “Best If Used By” date of Feb. 10, 2027, along with lot code 0416DPO1215 and establishment number P44164 printed on the packaging.

The issue was discovered during routine testing, and an investigation is ongoing, according to FSIS.

POWER STRIPS SOLD ON AMAZON RECALLED OVER FIRE RISK, CONSUMERS URGED TO STOP USING ‘IMMEDIATELY’

Health experts caution that lead exposure is especially dangerous for young children and pregnant women, as it can impact brain development and the nervous system.

“There is no safe amount of lead exposure,” FSIS said, noting that levels found in the nuggets could be up to five times higher than the FDA’s interim reference level for children.

THOUSANDS OF BREAD, PIZZA ITEMS RECALLED IN 10 STATES OVER POSSIBLE METAL CONTAMINATION

Consumers who purchased the product are urged not to eat it and should instead discard it or return it to the place of purchase.

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A spokesperson for Dorada Foods did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.

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‘Ukraine has expertise concerning sea waterways, and the defence and reopening of maritime traffic,’ says president. What we know on day 1,500

Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered on Thursday to provide Ukraine’s expertise in dealing with freedom of navigation in the Black Sea to those countries considering how to keep the strait of Hormuz open amid the conflict in the Middle East. The Ukraine president, speaking in his nightly video address, said the foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, had taken part in a virtual meeting devoted to reopening the strait of Hormuz, attended by about 40 countries. “Ukraine has relevant expertise concerning sea waterways, and the defence and reopening of maritime traffic,” he said. “If [our] partners are ready to act, we will consider how we can strengthen them, how we can apply our expertise, knowledge and technological potential.”

Russia’s army recorded no territorial gains on the frontline in Ukraine in March, for the first time in two and half years, AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) showed. The Russian army’s advances have been slowing since late 2025 due to Kyiv’s localised breakthroughs in the south-east, and losing ground in March and February on the southern section of the frontline, between the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions, the analysis showed. Across the entire frontline, Ukrainian forces managed to recapture 9 sq km in March.

North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, gave “field guidance” at the Memorial Museum of Combat Feats at the Overseas Military Operations, which is under construction , state media KCNA said. The museum in Pyongyang will be a place to commemorate the fallen soldiers sent to support the Russian army in the war in Ukraine. The construction of the museum is almost complete and Kim said the opening ceremony would be held in mid-April, marking the first anniversary of the deployment of the North Korean soldiers.

Six Ukrainian children will be returned from Russia to their families in Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday, citing efforts by Melania Trump to expedite their return. A seventh Ukrainian child will also be returned to their family later this month, the first lady’s office said in a statement. Ukraine says almost 20,000 children have been illegally sent to Russia and Belarus, where they are sometimes subject to military training and forced to fight against their own country’s troops.

Russian strikes across Ukraine on Thursday killed at least two people and wounded dozens, officials said, as Moscow stepped up its attacks amid stalled peace talks. In the south-eastern Kherson region, Russia attacked “with artillery, mortars and UAVs”, the regional prosecutor’s office said on social media. A 42-year-old man was killed when a drone hit a civilian car, and 16 others – including a teenage boy and three police officers – were wounded in air attacks and artillery shelling, it added. In the Chernihiv region, north of the capital Kyiv, Russia attacked with a ballistic missile, the head of Chernihiv’s military administration, Dmytro Bryzhynsky, said on Telegram.

Russian forces maintained a daylong barrage of drone strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, on Thursday, injuring at least two people, local officials said. Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, posted reports on Telegram throughout the day and well into the evening, noting strikes in four city districts. One city official said there had been at least 20 drone strikes. He said some had triggered fires and two people had been injured in an evening attack, including an eight-year-old girl.

Russian forces carried out 129 attacks on Ukrainian gas and heating facilities during the recent 151-day heating season, the state oil and gas firm Naftogaz said on Thursday. “The Russians hit pipelines, gas production, underground storage facilities, heating systems – everything that Ukrainians depend on for heat and gas,” it said in a statement.

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Attorneys for Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian-born US green card holder, say he was targeted for criticizing Israel

The president of Wisconsin’s largest mosque was detained by federal immigration agents, drawing accusations from local officials and religious leaders that the arrest was motivated by his statements against Israel.

Salah Sarsour, a Palestinian-born legal permanent resident of the United States, was taken into custody by nearly a dozen US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Monday in Milwaukee after he left his home, according to the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

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Health minister Mark Butler says federal government is ‘not negotiating’ when it comes to removing price protections on common medications

Australia will not cave in to pressure from pharmaceutical giants and the Trump administration by removing consumer price protections on common medications, the health minister, Mark Butler says.

Donald Trump imposed a new 100% tariff on branded pharmaceuticals imported into the US overnight, Australian time, trying to force manufacturers to agree to drug-pricing deals or commit to making their products domestically.

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Pentagon announces Randy George retiring from role as US army chief of staff, ‘effective immediately’

Randy George, the US army’s top officer, is stepping down from his role after the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, reportedly requested that he retire immediately. The Pentagon confirmed on Thursday that George, who had been serving as the army’s 41st chief of staff, was retiring.

“General Randy A George will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately. The Department of War is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation. We wish him well in his retirement,” Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement shared on social media.

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For more than 15 years, botanist Naomi Fraga has been trying to collect seeds from the rare Death Valley sage, for safekeeping in a vault of native California seeds.

(Image credit: Krystal Ramirez for NPR)

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A shift in the U.S. housing market may finally be opening the door for first-time homebuyers, as improving affordability and rising inventory create new opportunities across several key regions.

Jacksonville, Florida, leads the list as the top market for first-time buyers this year, followed by Birmingham, Alabama; San Antonio, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Houston, Texas. Each of these cities is benefiting from a more favorable balance of home prices, available inventory and buyer competition, according to a new Zillow analysis.

Zillow’s rankings are based on several key factors, including rent burden, the share of affordable listings, inventory relative to renters, and the concentration of buyers in their prime homebuying years. 

The top 10 markets for first-time buyers in 2026 are:

Jacksonville ranks first, with rent consuming 23.1% of income. Nearly 47.8% of listings are considered affordable, supported by relatively strong inventory at 5.9 homes per 100 renters.

INSIDE AMERICA’S MOST GUARDED ENCLAVE: A RARE LOOK AT FLORIDA’S ‘NO BUDGET’ BILLIONAIRE BUNKER

Birmingham stands out for affordability, with more than 55.6% of homes within reach and 6.2 listings available per 100 renters.

With a lower rent burden of 20.2% and 47.4% of listings deemed affordable, San Antonio offers a balanced entry point for buyers.

About 45.2% of listings are affordable in Atlanta, where moderate competition is paired with steady inventory levels.

PENN PROFESSOR SAYS ZILLOW ‘SYSTEMATICALLY DECEIVES CONSUMERS’ ABOUT AGENT CONNECTIONS

Houston’s affordability rate sits around 40.2%, supported by a large population of buyers in their prime homebuying years.

Affordability is a key strength in St. Louis, where 67.7% of listings fall within reach for first-time buyers.

Nearly 64.8% of homes in Detroit are affordable, combined with relatively manageable competition.

MARK ZUCKERBERG AND GOOGLE’S BRIN CLOSE ON MASSIVE MIAMI ESTATES WORTH OVER $220M COMBINED

Raleigh benefits from a low rent burden of 18.4%, with about 48% of listings remaining affordable.

Approximately 61.8% of homes are affordable in Baltimore, though inventory is tighter at three listings per 100 renters.

Louisville rounds out the top ten, with 54.1% of listings considered affordable and a steady supply of homes.

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Mortgage rates are still elevated, and housing inventory sits about 20% below pre-pandemic levels. Still, conditions have improved from a year ago, with more homes available and modest gains in affordability, according to Zillow.

“First-time buyers are finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel,” Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow, said in a statement. “Affordability is still a challenge, but rising incomes, stabilizing prices and improving inventory are creating real opportunities in parts of the country.”

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