By Kayla Kitts

A few weeks ago I shared our newest color-inspired competition. Here’s a quick recap:

Every month HGTV.com editors gather for a friendly, combative meeting to choose an HGTV-sanctioned “Color of the Month.” We each arrive ready with a hue (or sometimes pattern?) to defend. The person with the best Pinterest board that showcases their color and best argument for choosing it wins the votes. But with Color Vs. Color, we pitted our most-loved colors against each other and we asked you to vote for your favorite.

Today’s the day. The votes have been counted, and we’re ready to announce which hue is taking home the title. It was a close race, but you all proved that there’s nothing better than design’s new neutral.

The Winner: Gray

In a sea of bold, saturated hues, gray stood strong as the competition’s only neutral. Gray proves that there’s a perfect shade for any and every style, making it work for everyone. That, I think, is the secret to its success in this competition. HGTV fan DBCoop says, “Shades of Gray are a play towards contemporary and sophisticated, especially set against classic black detail.” Here are a few top-notch ways to use this classic color, plus 50 more in even more shades, from charcoal to mist.

Browse through photos of the winning hue >>

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From:: HGTV

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Americans should focus on the “ongoing strength and resilience of the U.S. economy,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday. Earnest was responding to a question about how market volatility in China affects the U.S. economy. Earnest also said Congress should avoid an “unforced error” and approve a budget for the next fiscal year when lawmakers return to Washington. The end of the fiscal year is Sept. 30. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has rebounded from its steepest losses of Monday’s session after the blue-chip index opened the trading day with a 1,000-point drop. But investors remain worried following a plunge in U.S. stocks last week and in China earlier Monday.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

The Dow Jones Industrial Average will likely bounce back from its recent drubbing and could hit 19,000 by the end of the year, longtime bull Jeremy Siegel told CNBC on Monday. Siegel, a finance professor at the Wharton School, said near-term trading could be “very rough” but that once the current storm passes the fourth quarter could be “very good.” Siegel was less enthusiastic about his earlier call for the Dow to hit 20,000 by year-end, but said the blue-chip index, which is down more than 8% since the end of last year, could still end 2015 with a gain and that 19,000 “is not at all impossible.”

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Economists at Barclays Capital have pushed out their call for the first Federal Reserve interest-rate hike to March 2016 from September. “Although we continue to see economic activity in the US as solid and justifying modest rate hikes, we believe the Federal Reserve is unlikely to begin a hiking cycle in this environment for fear that such a move may further destabilize markets. Instead, we believe the FOMC will delay the start of the rate hike cycle beyond September as a means to offset tighter financial conditions while it evaluates the effect of recent volatility,” the economists wrote.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

The CBOE Volatility Index jumped to its highest level in more than six-and-a-half years Monday following a broad early morning stock selloff. The VIX, or so-called “fear index,” hit an intraday high of 53.29 at the beginning of the trading day, its highest reading since January 21, 2009, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted more than 1,000 points, and the S&P 500 Index dropped more than 100 points. At last check, the VIX was up 35% at 37.13, as stock losses pared about halfway. Last week, the VIX saw its largest weekly surge in the history of the index, as it soared more than 46% on Friday.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

The Mexican peso fell to a record low of 17.25 to the dollar Monday amid a broad selloff in emerging-markets currencies. The Mexican currency recovered slightly in recent trade to 17.10 to the dollar, but many strategists expected it to go lower as a broad selloff in emerging-markets currencies continues. Emerging-markets currencies have been weakening since China devalued the yuan two weeks ago, a move that reignited worries about slowing growth in that country. The selloff Monday was driven by a sharp plunge in Chinese stocks, which compounded worries about Chinese growth. Many emerging-markets economies, including Mexico, rely on Chinese companies to buy the commodities they export.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

Recent bouts of sharp declines in both the Dow Transportation Average and Dow Jones Industrial Average sent both indexes well into correction territory, triggering one of the oldest ‘sell’ signals. The Dow Transportation Average entered correction territory on Thursday, falling more than 10% below its December 29, 2014 peak. A correction is considered to be a fall of 10% or more from a recent peak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell into correction territory on Friday. The Dow transports, which consists of 20 companies ranging from airlines to shipping firms, is seen as a barometer of the health of the overall economy. When both indexes reach their correction lows simultaneously, according to so-called Dow theorist, more selling pressure follows in wider markets.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

The euro traded above $1.17 Monday for the first time since Jan. 15. as the dollar weakened sharply against its industrialized rivals. Investors have pushed back expectations for the timing of what would be the Federal Reserve’s first interest-rate hike since 2006, causing the dollar to decline. The buck has strengthened against its rivals on the expectation that the Fed would act in September, becoming the first major central bank to raise interest rates since the financial crisis. But support for this scenario has crumbled in recent weeks as global market turmoil and signs of slowing growth in China have weighed on the outlook for inflation. The euro is now down 3.7% against the dollar this year. It most recently traded at $1.1645, down 2.26% from its level late Friday in New York.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

The SPDR Technology Select Sector ETF tumbled 4.2% in morning trade, with all 73 of its stock components moving moving lower, to trade at the lowest level since Oct. 20. Meanwhile, at the ETF’s intraday low of $31.32, which was hit in the first couple minutes of trade, according to FactSet, the tech sector tracking stock was down 21% at the lowest level since Sept. 3, 2013. Share of Apple Inc. , which is the XLK’s mostly heavily-weighted component, slumped 4.5%, but had been down as much as 13% at its intraday low of $92. Microsoft dropped 2.8%, but pared earlier losses of 7.8%.

Market Pulse Stories are Rapid-fire, short news bursts on stocks and markets as they move. Visit MarketWatch.com for more information on this news.

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From:: Stock Market News

By Shannon Petrie

SPOILER ALERT: Did you watch the finale of HGTV’s Beach Flip last night? It was a close call, but Alex and Martha took home the $50,000 prize for their gorgeous traditional beach house with touches of Americana. If you loved this Beach Flip favorite, we’ve rounded up some products and tips that’ll help you recreate the look in your own home. Whether you’re landlocked or living by the water, here’s our formula for adding classic coastal style to your living room.

1. RugsUSA / 2. Pier 1 / 3. AllModern / 4. Wayfair / 5. Wayfair / 6. Pottery Barn

1. Striped Area Rug. Stripes are a can’t-miss choice for a nautical-style space. Anchor your room with a striped area rug, or dress up a neutral sofa with a few striped pillows.

2. Seagrass and Rattan Wingback Chair. Nothing says coastal quite like wicker, rattan or seagrass decor. But you don’t have to buy all new furniture to get a beach-inspired living room; instead, try mixing in a rattan accent chair or a few seagrass baskets with your other decor for a more subtle look.

3. Plaid Throw Pillow. Red, white and blue accessories lend classic, all-American style to Martha and Alex’s living room. To add a touch of Americana to your space without going over the top, incorporate patriotic colors in timeless prints like plaid, stripes or checks.

4. Reclaimed Wood Coffee Table. Even if you don’t live by the beach, reclaimed wood or driftwood accents can evoke the coast. Try adding a reclaimed wood coffee table to your living room, like this one with an extra shelf for bonus storage space.

5. Two-Tone TV Stand. White or off-white furniture often lends a casual, coastal feel to a room, particularly when it has a distressed finish. This TV stand pairs off-white cabinets with a weathered driftwood-style top, plus plenty of storage space for all your media.

6. Framed Coral Prints. Covering every surface of your living room with seashells or fish netting can look tacky, but a few sea-inspired accents will add subtle coastal style to your space. We love these framed coral prints in a dramatic indigo hue.

<div data-gallery-size="strip" data-gallery="/content/hgtv-com/en/shows/on-tv/b/beach-flip/photo-galleries/a-classic-americana-beach-house-renovation" data-gallery-title="A Classic Americana Beach House Renovation" data-gallery-caption="Take a before-and-after tour of Alex and Martha's winning beach …read more

From:: HGTV