Investing News

Last week, President Biden announced that he will be forgiving up to $20,000 in federal student loans, no doubt providing some much needed relief for millions of eligible borrowers. Adding to the good news, the White House confirmed in a press release that this relief won’t be subject to the federal income tax. That said,

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 is legislation that significantly impacts Americans in different ways. While the legislation aims to reduce the impact of inflation and address energy issues, it also includes provisions to lower prescription drug costs, especially for those on Medicare. Among its key provisions affecting drug costs, the Inflation Reduction Act

At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, the U.S. labor market’s employment losses topped 14% below pre-recession totals—more than eight points higher than the worst month of the Great Recession. Yet despite the unprecedented spike in unemployment, it would only take 29 months to recover the jobs lost, beating the recoveries of both the dot-com

Buying back or repurchasing shares can be a sensible way for companies to use their extra cash on hand to reward shareholders and earn a better return than bank interest on those funds. However, in many cases, share buybacks are seen as just a ploy to boost reported earnings—since there are fewer shares outstanding for

A stock buyback occurs when the issuing company pays shareholders the market value per share and re-absorbs that portion of its ownership that was previously distributed among public and private investors. When a company repurchases its shares, it can purchase the stock on the open market or from its shareholders directly. In recent decades, share buybacks have overtaken

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is the most well-known stock market barometer in the world. Since its inception in May 1896, the index has changed its components dozens of times. The first change occurred a mere three months after the index was founded. One of the most recent changes took place in June 2018, when

Brick-and-mortar retailer Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBBY) and social media site Snap Inc. (SNAP) each announced restructuring plans on Aug. 31, 2022, which include laying off approximately 20% of their respective staffs. The announcement from Bed Bath & Beyond also indicated that the retailer will close about 150 of its stores. The reaction of the

Developing clean energy sources is critical for the future of the United States and the rest of the world. However, creating the technology needed to make clean energy is expensive. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) is a program that helps facilitate the development of new technology by offering loans and loan

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) encourages the transition to renewable energy sources in rural and agricultural areas. Created by the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, REAP offers grants and guaranteed loans for developing clean energy systems and installing energy-efficient infrastructures such as lighting, insulation, cooling, and more. Key Takeways The Rural Energy for

What Is Student Loan Deferment? A student loan deferment lets you stop making payments on your loan or reduce the amount you pay for up to three years, in most cases. During the deferment period, no interest accrues on federally subsidized loans because the government picks up the interest payments. But interest on unsubsidized loans

Rising energy prices—fueled at least in part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—have made life uncomfortable for many Americans. Though prices for crude oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, and heating oil are forecast to drop a bit in 2023, the costs of of natural gas and electricity are expected to rise slightly next year. And all these

With all the attention paid recently to fracking – and the oil and gas sectors generally – many want to know where the good investment opportunities are. Are fracking companies set on finding oil or natural gas a good bet? Do we need to invest in fracking infrastructure? Defining Fracking Fracking is short for hydraulic

The top nationwide rate for most certificate of deposit (CD) terms was flat this week, with two exceptions. The rate on the top-paying 1-year CD is about a tenth of a point above last week’s, while the 6-month term gained a new dramatic leader, which raised the ceiling to 4.00%. Also notable is that this

Editor’s note: Below you’ll find the week 103 release of the NYC Recovery Index, originally published August 23, 2022. Visit the NYC Recovery index homepage for the latest data. New York City’s economic recovery progressed slightly for the week ending August 13, 2022, with the overall index score rising by one percentage point to 73

Tesla Inc. (TSLA) is an American electric car and power train designer, developer, manufacturer, and distributor headed by serial entrepreneur Elon Musk. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.  Key Takeaways Tesla has several competitors among traditional carmakers, such as Ford and Honda.  Tesla has managed to see success

Doubling your money is a badge of honor, often used as bragging rights at parties and around the Thanksgiving dinner table. Spurious promises to double one’s money can also be made by overzealous advisors or worse, scamsters and fraudsters. Perhaps the urge to double one’s money comes from deep in our investor psychology—the risk-taking part

Effectively, the gold-silver ratio represents the number of ounces of silver it takes to buy a single ounce of gold. For the hard-asset enthusiast, the gold-silver ratio is common parlance. For the average investor, it represents an arcane metric that is anything but well known. The fact is that a substantial profit potential exists in

Warren Edward Buffett, legendary value investor, turned an ailing textile mill into a financial engine that powered what would become the world’s most successful holding company. Known as the “Oracle of Omaha” for his investment prowess, Buffett has amassed a personal fortune in excess of $100 billion, according to Forbes. He inspires legions of loyal

A dramatic jump in rates Monday has taken all mortgage averages notably higher. The 30-year average added a bold quarter percentage point, returning to 6% territory and hitting its highest mark in almost two and a half months. Today’s National Mortgage Rate Averages Rates on 30-year mortgages bolted higher Monday, climbing 25 basis points to

The Inflation Reduction Act has historic climate provisions, including tax credits, rebates, and subsidies for clean power and electric vehicles. The bill also includes $5 billion in grants to protect forests and more than $20 billion to support climate-smart agriculture practices. These practices are meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase the storage of carbon in