The Ticker Zelenskyy ball sells for $50G-plus

A baseball signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sold at auction for more than $50,000, a portion of which will go toward providing humanitarian aid to Ukrainians displaced by the nation’s war with Russia, RR Auction of Boston said Thursday.

The winning bid for the Rawlings Major League baseball in the auction that closed Wednesday was more than three times the expected sale price.

RR Auction will donate its $15,000 cut of the sale, while seller Randy Kaplan will also donate an undisclosed portion of his proceeds, to provide humanitarian aid through the global nonprofit Americares.

Documents signed by British naturalist Alfred Wallace, inventor Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein and founding fathers John Hancock and John Adams also sold in the auction.

Mortgage rates continue climb

Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates edged up again this week, with interest on the key 30-year loan at its highest level since 2009.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year rate ticked up to 5.3% from 5.27% last week. By contrast, the average rate stood at 2.94% a year ago.

The Federal Reserve last week intensified its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by raising its benchmark interest rate by a half-percentage point and signaling further large rate hikes to come. The Fed’s move, its most aggressive since 2000, will bring higher costs for borrowing.