Economy
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U.S. stocks mostly higher as bank sector stress wanes
U.S. stocks were mostly higher Monday as investors welcomed waning signs of banking sector stress, but remained wary of the potential for further problems as well as the threat of a potential credit crunch. How stocks are trading The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.57% rose was up 150 points, or 0.5%, at 32,388. The…
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Renters in these cities are spending more than 30% of their income on housing and food insecurity in America reaches the highest level in four years
Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. This Silicon Valley Bank customer hated being forced to move banks, especially during a crisis. He’s not alone — most people stick with their bank for decades. Recent bank collapses have U.S. consumers worried about where they bank. ‘I would feel guilty charging her $600’: One of my…
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These money and investing tips can add some green and gold to your portfolio
Don’t miss these top money and investing features: Sign up here to get MarketWatch’s best mutual funds and ETF stories emailed to you weekly! INVESTING NEWS & TRENDS Got gold? Biggest gold ETF attracts investors as the ‘safe haven’ yellow metal shines There’s been a bit of a gold rush lately. ‘Every time the bulls think…
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Work from home policies could boost the U.S. birth rate and help women balance career and family.
A nation’s future economic prosperity rests in large part on the size of the next generation, yet not as many American women are having children, and those who do are having fewer. The replacement rate, or the number of children needed to keep a country’s population stable, is 2.1 births per woman; in the U.S. that…
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How to invest your IRA contribution: 3 strategies to fit your mind-set in a turbulent market
If you just made an IRA contribution to get it in before the tax filing deadline, the first thing to know is that you have to actively do something with the money or it will sit in cash—unlike a workplace 401(k) that’s allowed to have defaults or automatic investments in place. Up to 40% of…
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Why would a financial planner team up with a nutrition coach? To attract Millennials, of course.
Many financial advisers are pursuing a once-overlooked market segment: early-career professionals who welcome expert advice on budgeting, financial planning and basic investment management, even if they haven’t amassed much wealth. To attract these up-and-comers, many of them in their late 20s and early 30s, advisers are expanding their services. Just promising to help young folks…
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The U.S. is dangerously dependent on China trade, weakening America in any conflict over Taiwan
Beijing’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric toward the United States is concerning. For the first time, Chinese president Xi Jinping has directly criticized Washington. He’s now encouraging Chinese companies to join the “fight” against U.S. policies that have “contained and suppressed” the People’s Republic. Clearly, relations between the two countries have deteriorated. If Beijing is laying the groundwork for…
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Can Social Security keep pace with high inflation? Maybe not, but you can still fight back.
Regardless of your age, you may wonder if Social Security will survive as long as you do. Recent reports indicate Social Security trust funds might be barreling toward insolvency by 2033. But there’s a more immediate threat: While U.S. inflation remains high, Social Security’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) may not keep pace with rising prices.…
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We want to retire in about 5 years but have $150,000 in credit card debt and loans and $1.4 million locked in retirement accounts — ‘we want to be really retired’
I’m trying to get some outside guidance on being able to retire in the next 5 to 7 years. I might have to work until I am 59 1/2 to be able to start using retirement funds. We have about $1.4 million in 401(k) and Roth accounts, $30,000 in stocks, a rental house that we…
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How First Republic stock’s tailspin started and why it hasn’t stopped
Shortly after Silicon Valley Bank disclosed on March 8 that it was running short of cash and needed to raise capital, First Republic Bank’s epic stock slide began. The stock FRC, -1.36% has lost 90% of its value in less than two weeks, hitting an all-time low of $12.18 a share on Monday. Supportive comments…