Hispanolistic | E+ | Getty Images Don’t expect the sofa you buy today to go the distance. “In the last 15 years, there’s been a shift to disposable furniture,” according to David Koehler, chairman of Johnny Janosik, a furniture retailer with stores in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. For most consumers, that’s okay. Attitudes have … Read more
Skynesher | E+ | Getty Images New government data shows a surprisingly strong job market for the month of January. But there are signs of weakness in the labor market, based on tens of thousands of workers who have been laid off since 2024 started. U.S. employers announced 82,307 job cuts in January, up from … Read more
Recep-bg | E+ | Getty Images The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday approved the first U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds. But experts urge caution before piling into the long-awaited ETFs. The agency signed off on 11 bitcoin ETF applications, including funds from BlackRock, Fidelity, Ark Invest, WisdomTree and Grayscale. The new investment provides … Read more
Investor Steve Eisman of “The Big Short” fame is questioning the level of bullishness on Wall Street — even with the market’s tepid start to the year. From enthusiasm surrounding the “Magnificent Seven” technology stocks to expectations for multiple interest rate cuts this year, Eisman believes there’s little tolerance for things going wrong. “Long term, … Read more
Grocery items are offered for sale at a supermarket on August 09, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Scott Olson | Getty Images Heading into 2023, the predictions were nearly unanimous: a recession was coming. As the year comes to a close, the forecasted economic downturn did not arrive. So what’s in store for 2024? An economic … Read more
A shopper carries several bags in the Magnificent Mile shopping district of Chicago on Dec. 2, 2023. Taylor Glascock | Bloomberg | Getty Images The U.S. economy has remained remarkably strong but affordability is worse than it has ever been, some social media users say, even when compared to The Great Depression. One of TikTok’s … Read more
Ascentxmedia | Istock | Getty Images Retiring early is a dream for many, but can often appear impossible unless you’ve made millions throughout your career. “Twenty years ago rates of early retirement were fairly similar across different wealth levels,” Heidi Karjalainen, a research economist for retirement, saving and aging at the Institute for Fiscal Studies … Read more
Black Friday shoppers leave the Nike store as other shoppers wait in line to shop as retailers compete to attract shoppers and try to maintain margins on Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, New York, U.S. November 24, 2023. Vincent Alban | … Read more
Credit card rates top 20% Most credit cards come with a variable rate, which has a direct connection to the Fed’s benchmark rate. After the previous rate hikes, the average credit card rate is now more than 20% — an all-time high. Further, with most people feeling strained by higher prices, balances are higher and more cardholders are carrying debt … Read more
3 in 4 of Gen Z would rather have a better quality of life than have extra money in their banks, a report by Intuit shows. Athima Tongloom | Moment | Getty Images For most people, their goal is to work hard, save money and retire early. But a “soft saving” trend is emerging among … Read more