Assessing a Medium-Run Natural Rate of Interest
The natural rate of interest is the real, or inflation-adjusted, interest rate consistent with the economy operating at full capacity with maximum employment. The natural rate is thus an essential benchmark for understanding how monetary policy can best achieve the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate of stable prices and maximum employment. When the real federal funds rate exceeds the natural rate,
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Read MoreStock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq waver ahead of retail earnings
US stocks fluctuated on Monday as tech stocks drifted modestly higher,
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Read MoreThis New Pipeline Could Unlock Years of Growth for 4 Energy Stocks. Here's Why That's a Win for All of Them.
A consortium of energy companies is moving forward with a massive new gas pipeline in Texas. The Solitude Pipeline System is a joint venture (JV) between privately held energy infrastructure developer WhiteWater, oil and gas producers Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG) and Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), and midstream companies MPLX (NYSE:MPLX) and Western Midstream Partners (NYSE:WES).
Divorced After a 10-Year Marriage? Social Security Owes You Up to Half Your Ex’s Check, and It Costs Them Nothing. Most Never File.
In July 2026, the Social Security Administration paid an average of $2,085.98 per month to 54.8 million retired workers, while spouses of retired workers received an average of $986.53. Buried inside that spousal category is a benefit that a large number of divorced Americans qualify for and never claim: a check based on an ex-spouse’s earnings record that is worth up to half of the ex’s full retirement amount,
Read MoreThe Average Social Security Benefit Is Nearly $400 Higher in Some States—Here’s What Actually Determines Your Check
Key Takeaways
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Social Security benefits are determined by a federal formula based on earnings and claiming age, not location.
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States with higher average Social Security payouts tend to have wealthier retirees or higher-earning workforces.
The Burst
1 Hot Stock Passes Super Stringent Screen
In the research rooms of investment management firms, returns on invested capital are keenly focused on. Buffett often speaks of this metric as a proxy for what return to expect over the long haul.
So, I decided to run a screen to find stocks with ROIC percentages north of 15%. That’s a high hurdle all by itself that most companies will fail to meet.
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Read MoreThe Ivy
Why On Earth Is Soros Buying Radio Stations?
Earlier this year, billionaire investor and political donor George Soros drew a great deal of attention for suddenly acquiring about 200 radio stations in 40 national market from Audacy, a legacy broadcasting network.
Unsurprisingly, Soros faced both regulatory hurdles and political backlash for buying up so many broadcast stations at once.
Why is George Soros buying radio stations,
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Read MoreThe Spotlight
Tootsie Roll Highlights Crazy Market
The current S&P 500 bear market was officially announced on June 13, 2022 and it doesn’t seem as if the bear market is over yet. A sustained recovery will likely commence only once interest rates peak, and further rises are no longer expected. In spite of the general market malaise, some stocks are bucking the trend when it comes to valuation metrics.