Your Money in The News -- Financial Firsts

What happened in the news this week that affects how you live and invest? Here's a highly curated (read: extremely subjective) list of stories about financial milestones for the week of August 26. From mortgage rates and gold prices to cigarette ads and the ups and downs of the Indian Rupee -- we've got it covered.

CIGARETTES For the first time in 43 years, cigarette ads will be back on TV starting next month. This time, the ads will be for an e-cigarette known as Vuse which is expected to cost around $10 and last about as long as a pack of traditional cigarettes. It comes from Reynolds American Inc. (RAI ), the company that once marketed Winston cigarettes. (Remember Joe Camel?) Cigarette ads were banned from the airwaves in 1971 by the U.S. government. That ban doesn’t extend to today’s electronic cigarettes, yet. (8/26)

MORTGAGES Mortgage rates fell for the first time in five weeks as the housing market recovery showed signs of slowing. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage dropped to 4.51 percent. (8/29) If you didn’t refinance earlier, don’t get too excited. Rates are still far from the low of 3.35 percent in May. You won't get much relief from the rising housing market either -- it isn't about to drop dead any time soon. (8/28)