Millennials will spend big this holiday season, TransUnion finds

Millennials will spend big this holiday season, TransUnion finds

Parents tend to splurge on their children during the holidays. This year, 63% of millennials, many of whom now have school-age children of their own, said they plan to spend the same... Read more »
Federal Reserve cuts rates after election. What that means for you

Federal Reserve cuts rates after election. What that means for you

The Federal Reserve Building in Washington, D.C. Joshua Roberts | Reuters The Federal Reserve announced Thursday that it will lower its benchmark rate by a quarter point, or 25 basis points, less... Read more »
Only high earners can ‘easily afford’ holiday spending this year: survey

Only high earners can ‘easily afford’ holiday spending this year: survey

Betsie Van der Meer | Getty Only one cohort of surveyed shoppers said they have enough financial runway to spend cash this holiday season without rolling into debt — and even so,... Read more »
I just bought a used car for my teen driver. Here’s what I learned

I just bought a used car for my teen driver. Here’s what I learned

When I was a teenager, I bought my first car. It was a Toyota Tercel with a few hundred miles on it and cost less than $10,000. Granted, this was 30 years... Read more »
How to rethink cash as Fed cuts interest rates: Top financial advisors

How to rethink cash as Fed cuts interest rates: Top financial advisors

The U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates in September, the first in a string of cuts expected at least into 2025. Earnings on cash are expected to decline as a result —... Read more »
Here’s what’s behind the surprising rise in yields since the Fed started cutting

Here’s what’s behind the surprising rise in yields since the Fed started cutting

The reason why Treasury yields are rising isn’t complicated — it’s because investors are demanding more compensation for the risk they are taking when buying government debt. However, it’s the reason behind... Read more »
Markets will be looking for any surprises out of Thursday’s big inflation report

Markets will be looking for any surprises out of Thursday’s big inflation report

Federal Reserve policymakers have been breathing easier lately regarding inflation, and that faith that they’re closer to achieving their goal will get a key test Thursday. The Labor Department will release its... Read more »
Fed officials were divided on whether to cut rates by half a point in September, minutes show

Fed officials were divided on whether to cut rates by half a point in September, minutes show

WASHINGTON – Federal Reserve officials at their September meeting agreed to cut interest rates but were unsure how aggressive to get, ultimately deciding on a half percentage point move in an effort... Read more »
Fed rate cuts should favor preferred stocks, Virtus fund manager says

Fed rate cuts should favor preferred stocks, Virtus fund manager says

One financial firm is trying to capitalize on preferred stocks – which carry more risks than bonds, but aren’t as risky as common stocks. Infrastructure Capital Advisors Founder and CEO Jay Hatfield... Read more »
Port strike could have ‘devastating consequences’ for consumers: Expert

Port strike could have ‘devastating consequences’ for consumers: Expert

Port of Miami dockworkers strike near the port entrance and demand a new labor contract, on October 1, 2024 in Miami, Florida.  Giorgio Viera | Afp | Getty Images A dockworker strike at seaports... Read more »
What the fall housing market looks like for buyers

What the fall housing market looks like for buyers

Fstop123 | E+ | Getty Images While housing affordability remains a challenge for many buyers in the U.S., conditions are somewhat improving due to lower mortgage rates. Buyers need to earn $115,000... Read more »
When you can’t refinance a mortgage to capitalize on lower rates

When you can’t refinance a mortgage to capitalize on lower rates

The Federal Reserve slashed interest rates by a half percentage point, or 50 basis points, on Wednesday, its first rate cut since March 2020. Even before the Fed rate cut, some homeowners... Read more »
Fed Governor Waller says inflation softening faster than he expected put him in half-point-cut camp

Fed Governor Waller says inflation softening faster than he expected put him in half-point-cut camp

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said Friday he supported a half percentage point rate cut at this week’s meeting because inflation is falling even faster than he had expected. Citing recent data... Read more »
Factors to consider before refinancing a loan, according to experts

Factors to consider before refinancing a loan, according to experts

Moyo Studio | E+ | Getty Images The Federal Reserve announced a half percentage point, or 50 basis points, interest rate cut at the end of its two-day meeting Wednesday. And, naturally,... Read more »
Bank of Japan’s Interest Rate Moves and the Record Price of Gold

Bank of Japan’s Interest Rate Moves and the Record Price of Gold

Welcome to Money Distilled. I’m John Stepek. Every week day I look at the biggest stories in markets and economics, and explain what it all means for your money. I realise I’ve... Read more »
Cash savers still have an opportunity to beat inflation. Here’s how

Cash savers still have an opportunity to beat inflation. Here’s how

Riska | E+ | Getty Images It may be a while longer before the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, experts now say. That means savers can still earn the best returns on... Read more »
Rolex CEO Tells NZZ Dangerous to Compare Watch, Stock Investment

Rolex CEO Tells NZZ Dangerous to Compare Watch, Stock Investment

The head of Rolex SA said viewing luxury watches as investments is dangerous following a surge in interest from speculators during the pandemic. “I don’t like it when people compare watches with... Read more »
New ETF looks to profit from municipal bonds

New ETF looks to profit from municipal bonds

A new ETF is trying to capture profits in the municipal funds space. BondBloxx’s Joanna Gallegos is behind the IR+M Tax-Aware Short Duration ETF (TAXX) — which launched less than a month... Read more »
Bernanke Tips BOE Toward ‘Scenario Forecasts’ Over Fed Dot Plots

Bernanke Tips BOE Toward ‘Scenario Forecasts’ Over Fed Dot Plots

Ben Bernanke put the US Federal Reserve on the cutting edge of economics 12 years ago by collecting policymakers’ forecasts, including their outlook for interest rates, into groups of “dot plots.” This... Read more »