The Daily Editor

Social Security benefits can make up a large portion of retirement income, so deciding when to claim is one of the biggest financial choices you’ll face.

You can start as early as 62, or delay until 70 for a higher monthly check. The trade-off is simple in theory — smaller checks for longer versus larger checks for fewer years.

 » Read more about: Claiming Social Security at 62 vs 70: Which Nets The Bigger Benefit Long Term?  »

Key Points

• Many investors are worried that a market downturn is on the horizon.

• The Buffett indicator has a stark warning for Wall Street right now.

• The right strategy is key to pulling through periods of volatility.

By many accounts,

 » Read more about: Investors Could Be “Playing With Fire,” According to Warren Buffett. Is a Stock Market Crash Coming?  »

Gasoline prices in the United States soared to $3.20 a gallon on Wednesday, AAA data showed, flashing a warning sign for the nation’s economy as war escalates in the Middle East.

A topsy-turvy stock market, a spike in oil prices and jumpy bond yields have taken hold alongside the rise in fuel costs.

 » Read more about: How the Iran war could impact the US economy  »

The war in Iran has thrown investors another curveball.

At a time when market-watchers are already fretting over AI pressure on the software sector and a weakening labor market, a war breaking out in the Middle East is now upending markets.

Stocks have been volatile in each of the three sessions since the U.S.

 » Read more about: Steve Eisman Is Not Changing a Single Trade Over the Iran War. Should Retail Investors Follow His Lead?  »

Quick Read

• Santander (SAN) is down 12.6% this week to $11.55, down 14% since the trade halt. 2025 profit reached €14.1B (+12%), payments profit rose 50%,

 » Read more about: SAN Drops 12.6% on Unconfirmed Trade War News While Its Fundamentals Tell a Different Story  »

US Stock Market LIVE Updates: Dow Jones futures fell 43 points, S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.1%. Brent rose above $83 a barrel. European stocks up 0.6%. Gold hit $5,150 an ounce.

 » Read more about: Dow Jones Today | US Stock Market LIVE Updates: S&P 500 futures flat as oil prices climb amid US–Iran tensions  »

Stock futures were little changed Thursday, while oil prices rose further as tanker traffic remained halted in the Strait of Hormuz. 

Dow Jones Industrial Average pointed down 0.1% in recent trading, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures were near flat.

Yesterday, the tech-heavy Nasdaq, benchmark S&P 500,

 » Read more about: Stock Market Today: Futures Little Changed After Indexes Rebound; Oil Rises Further as Middle East Conflict Reaches 6th Day  »

When Jeff Bezos said that one breakthrough technology would shape Amazon’s destiny, even Wall Street’s biggest analysts were caught off guard.

Fast forward a year and Amazon’s new CEO Andy Jassy described generative AI as a “once-in-a-lifetime” technology that is already being used across Amazon to reinvent customer experiences.

 » Read more about: 10 Best Solar Stocks to Buy Now  »

Successful professionals are accustomed to being self-reliant. They have built strong careers by navigating complexity, exercising judgment under uncertainty and taking responsibility for outcomes.

So, naturally, when it comes to investing, managing one’s own portfolio makes perfect sense.

 » Read more about: The To-Do That's Costing You: A Financial Professional Makes the Case for Delegating Your Investing Decisions  »

Many exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have very simple investment strategies. They aim to track an index designed to measure the returns of specific asset classes. That makes them ideal investments to hold for the long haul.

Here are three simple ETFs to buy with $1,000 and hold for the rest of your life.

 » Read more about: 3 Simple ETFs to Buy With $1,000 and Hold for a Lifetime  »