I guess not all marriages are made in heaven. I say that because of the surprising number of questions I get from divorced women about Social Security. Or from divorced men asking questions about benefits potentially due to their ex-wives. I’ve gone over this topic in more than a few past columns.
» Read more about: Exes and $0s: Myths about divorced women and Social Security »
Personal Finance
There are significant implications to starting Social Security benefits at 62, including a reduced monthly amount and an earnings limit of $23,400 in 2025 that impacts part-time work.
Volatility has rocked U.S. stocks, so we decided to check in on the U.S. stock funds in the Kiplinger ETF 20. Most performed in line with expectations, but some investors may find one outcome surprising.
First, a little context. After peaking in February, the S&P 500 Index plunged 19% before recovering some in early April.
» Read more about: How Our Favorite ETFs Are Performing Amid Market Volatility »
Apple (AAPL -1.62%) is in the bottom 10% of S&P 500 stocks when measuring year-to-date performance. The stock trades down almost 22% at the time of this writing.
Here are three reasons why the sell-off in Apple has gone far enough,
There’s a lot on the domestic calendar this week. But investors and the world are watching global affairs, too.
As the weekend began—with Iran and Israel striking each other—was an urgent matter, with people dying in both countries and Iran reportedly pulling out of planned talks with the U.S. The news raised questions not only about the path forward for commodities and other markets but stability in the region and beyond.
Forecasts for widespread above-normal temperatures across the U.S. from June 23–27 offered additional upside. Vaisala projected elevated heat levels that would increase air conditioning load and, by extension, natural gas demand for power generation. While current demand metrics remain subdued, this near-term weather shift could help rebalance the market.
» Read more about: Natural Gas News: Market Rallies as LNG Supply Risks Stir Bullish Sentiment »
In a farmer’s field near Swift Current, Sask., Clayten Wenass is checking the flow of a helium well.
The system of shiny metal pipes runs nearly two kilometres under the Prairie soil and sends the gas to a nearby plant. It’s one of many popping up more frequently in a landscape already dotted with oil pumpjacks.
» Read more about: In the face of a trade war, Saskatchewan's helium industry looks to lift off »
Two major geopolitical conflicts emerged in 2025, casting a long shadow over global stability. Against this backdrop, investors are increasingly abandoning the binary distinction between “risky bets” and “safe havens.” Instead,
» Read more about: Markets in Flux: Geopolitics Redraws the Map of Global Investing in 2025 »
he US central bank is expected to keep interest rates unchanged for a fourth straight policy meeting this week, despite President Donald Trump’s push for rate cuts, as officials contend with uncertainty sparked by the Republican’s tariffs.
While the independent Federal Reserve has started lowering rates from recent highs, officials have held the level steady this year as Trump’s tariffs began rippling through the world’s biggest economy.
» Read more about: US Fed set to hold rates steady in the face of Trump pressure »
If you like volatility, then you’ve probably enjoyed the action in the stock market this year. The broader benchmark S&P 500 index (^GSPC -1.13%) started the year by reaching new highs in February. Then, following President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff announcements in early April, the market absolutely plummeted,
