Wall Street analysts believe the conflict in the Middle East has reached a critical stage, with investors increasingly focused on whether President Donald Trump ultimately pursues a diplomatic agreement with Iran or significantly escalates military action.
The uncertainty is already rippling through global energy markets,
» Read more about: Wall Street Sees Diplomacy or Escalation as Trump’s Two Middle East Options »
As the AI infrastructure buildout and global geopolitical developments spur massive spending, an old-guard sector of the economy is getting a level of attention from investors that rivals the action in tech. The industrials sector of the S&P 500 is trading at a price-to-earnings ratio above 30,
» Read more about: Inside the S&P 500 AI boom, industrials are getting as rich as tech stocks »
Space Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ: SPCX) had its initial public offering (IPO) on June 12 and was fast-tracked into the Nasdaq-100 on July 7. But SpaceX won’t be added to the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) or to index funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the S&P 500 until at least a year after its IPO.
Nvidia (NVDA -1.01%) has been the top dog in the artificial intelligence (AI) investment space since the AI arms race kicked off in 2023. However, in 2026, it appears to have lost its crown to several others, including Micron (MU -7.24%).
» Read more about: Is Micron a Better Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Than Nvidia? »
24.36K Followers
Dhierin-Perkash Bechai is an aerospace, defense and airline analyst.
Dhierin runs the investing group The Aerospace Forum,
» Read more about: Tesla: AI And Robotic Dreams Hit Cash Flow Reality »
QQQI sells Nasdaq-100 call options to deliver a 14% yield, while PFFA uses leverage on preferred stocks for a 10% monthly distribution.
CLOZ buys mezzanine CLO tranches to generate 7% floating-rate income uncorrelated with equities, averaging 10% annual returns since its 2023 inception.
» Read more about: 4 Monthly Dividend ETFs Paying 8 to 14 Percent for the Second Half of 2026 »
Waiting to claim Social Security can mean a bigger monthly check, but nearly half of working Americans say they plan to claim benefits before reaching their full retirement age (FRA).
According to the Schroders 2025 U.S. Retirement Survey, 44% of non-retirees expect to file for Social Security benefits before reaching age 67,
According to the official payment schedule shared by the U.S.’s Social Security Administration (SSA), the agency has now issued July 2026’s benefits for the following programs:
Before August arrives, however, the SSA still has one round of checks to distribute to SSI beneficiaries.
On Friday,
If you’re receiving Social Security benefits (or expect to someday), you’ve probably heard some people discuss the program’s cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, with the same excitement as the first moon landing.
But that’s also understandable.
Social Security plays a big role in many people’s retirement finances. So a larger COLA versus a smaller one could spell the difference between being able to cover retirement expenses and struggling.
» Read more about: The Secret Behind Your Social Security Raise »