The financial news that actually matters
The U.S. economy is heading into 2026 with a striking contradiction at its center. Growth projections near 3 percent sit alongside core inflation readings that remain well above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target. That split creates real tension for policymakers deciding when, or whether, to cut interest rates, and for households still feeling the…
Consumer prices in the United States rose 2.7% for the 12 months ending December 2025, holding steady at the same annual pace recorded through November. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, eased to 2.6% over the same period. The data, released in mid-January 2026, offered a mixed signal: headline inflation refused to budge lower,…
Most Americans carry a dozen or more recurring charges on their credit cards and bank statements, from streaming platforms to cloud storage to meal kits. Collectively, those charges add up to roughly $3,200 a year for the average consumer, yet surveys consistently show that people badly underestimate how much they actually spend. That gap between…
The U.S. economy added 50,000 jobs in December 2025, falling well short of the 73,000 positions economists had projected. The unemployment rate ticked down to 4.4 percent, and the labor force participation rate held steady, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but the softer-than-expected payroll gain added to signs the labor market has cooled…
Private employers added 41,000 jobs in December, a weak showing that reinforced the view that the U.S. labor market is cooling at the end of the year without fully rolling over. The figure, released Wednesday in the latest ADP National Employment Report, landed below already modest expectations and followed a revised decline in November. That…
U.S. job openings fell in November, another sign that the labor market entered the end of 2025 with less momentum than it had earlier in the recovery. Employers posted 7.1 million openings at the end of the month, down from a revised 7.4 million in October, according to the Labor Department’s Job Openings and Labor…
Oil prices surged to a five-month high in late January as traders weighed two forces that can move the market in a hurry: harsh winter weather in the United States and rising concern that tensions with Iran could disrupt global supply. The move was sharp enough to reset the mood across the energy complex, with…
January tends to bring a flood of financial resolutions, but advisors say the best reset is usually a simple one. Instead of overhauling everything at once, they often steer clients toward a short list of moves that can improve cash flow, strengthen savings habits, and make the rest of the year easier to manage. That…
January has long held a special place in market lore, and not just because it opens a new calendar year. Historically, U.S. stocks have often started the year with an upward bias, helping fuel the belief that January can deliver stronger returns than a typical month. That broad-market idea still has some factual support. Dow…
A new year is bringing a long list of rule changes for workers, renters, homeowners, and patients across the country. On January 1, 2026, a mix of wage hikes, housing-related protections, and healthcare reforms is taking effect at the state level, with California, Minnesota, and Oregon driving some of the biggest shifts. What makes this…