Elon Musk is on the Verge of $1 Trillion Net Worth<\/p>\n
28 minutes ago<\/p>\n
Elon Musk,\u00a0the world’s wealthiest person<\/a>, is well on his way to becoming a trillionaire.\n<\/p>\n Musk’s private space exploration company, SpaceX could hand him that superlative as soon as next year\u2014when it will reportedly list on public exchanges, targeting a market valuation of $1.5 trillion. A massive\u00a0SpaceX initial public offering<\/a>\u00a0alone could double his net worth, push him into 13-digit territory.\n<\/p>\n But wait, as they say: There’s more. Counting Musk’s shares in that startup, tunnel-building firm\u00a0The Boring Company<\/a>, brain-mapping startup Neuralink, xAI\u2014and Tesla (TSLA<\/a>), which recently approved a new\u00a0pay package<\/a>\u00a0for theC\u2014the entrepreneur’s estimated future net worth could swell to a level comparable to some countries’ annual economic outputs.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Crystal Kim<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Tesla’s Stock Is Driving Closer to a Record High, After a Year-Long Wait<\/p>\n 3 hr 4 min ago<\/p>\n Tesla’s (TSLA<\/a>) stock is powering up to near what could be its first record high in a year.\n<\/p>\n The shares were up about 2% around $486 Tuesday afternoon, leaving them less than 1% from the stock’s intraday record of $488.54 and on track to top last December’s closing high at $479.86.\n<\/p>\n The electric vehicle maker’s stock has been on a strong upward run in recent months, more than doubling from their lows in March as enthusiasm for\u00a0CEO Elon Musk’s<\/a>\u00a0renewed commitment to the company and plans for\u00a0autonomous driving, robotics, and AI<\/a>\u00a0have driven a comeback.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Sebastian Gollnow \/ Picture Alliance \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Over the weekend, Musk posted on social media that Tesla is testing fully autonomous robotaxis, which could be a sign that safety monitors are on their way out. Tesla launched a pilot program of its self-driving robotaxis in Austin, Texas earlier this year, but still had a Tesla employee in the driver’s or passenger’s seat for rides until recently.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Aaron McDade<\/a>\n<\/p>\n More Homebuyers Are Using the Mortgage Option That Set Off the 2008 Housing Crisis<\/p>\n 3 hr 15 min ago<\/p>\n High mortgage rates have been overwhelming homebuyers for the past three years, and some are turning to a mortgage option that helped fuel the 2008 housing crisis.\n<\/p>\n Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs)<\/a>\u00a0offer fixed introductory rates that later adjust\u2014typically to a higher rate\u2014to reflect current market conditions. These loans are becoming more popular with homebuyers as\u00a0mortgage rates remain persistently above 6%<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Homebuyers are utilizing adjustable rate mortgages more often amid high interest rates.<\/p>\n Pat Greenhouse \/ The Boston Globe via Getty Images<\/p>\n While those homeowners risk having a bigger monthly mortgage payment in a few years, housing industry officials said better lending standards are minimizing the dangers of these loans.<\/p>\n “In the current timeline, these buyers still are at minimal to low risk,” said Phil Crescenzo Jr., vice president of the Southeast Division at Nation One Mortgage Corporation, in an email interview.\u00a0\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Terry Lane<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Investing Pros Feel Good About Stocks These Days. That Might Not Be a Good Thing<\/p>\n 3 hr 49 min ago<\/p>\n Professional money managers are feeling better about the stock market than they have in years. That may be cause for caution.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n The\u00a0smart money<\/a>\u00a0is more\u00a0bullish<\/a>\u00a0than at any time since July 2021, according to Bank of America\u2019s December Global Fund Manager Survey, which showed optimism about the economic outlook at multi-year highs and cash levels at record lows. That may sound bullish\u2014but the reading has pushed BofA\u2019s “Bull & Bear Indicator” up to 7.9, a tenth of a point away from what the bank considers a “sell signal.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Why is that? The indicator is premised on the idea that market returns are driven by positioning, profit, and policy. The best time to buy risk assets, according to BofA, is when investor positioning is extremely bearish, profit expectations are recessionary, and policymakers are stimulating the economy\u2014and the best time to exit is when positioning is bullish, profits are expected to skyrocketed, and policy is tightening.\n<\/p>\n Global fund managers are more bullish than they’ve been in years by many measures, according to a recent BofA suvery.<\/p>\n ablokhin \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Positioning is extremely bullish today, according to BofA. Fund managers’ cash levels were at a record-low 3.3% when the survey was conducted between Dec. 5 and 11. Investors are more overweight stocks and commodities\u2014a reflection of risk appetite\u2014than any point since February 2022.\n<\/p>\n Optimism about corporate profits is also running high. Nearly two-thirds of surveyed investors expect global earnings to increase over the next year, the largest share since August 2021. (A FactSet analysis estimates full-year 2025 earnings growth at above 12%, above the 10-year average.) Only 3% of those surveyed expect the global economy to fall into a recession over the next year.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Colin Laidley<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Only 27% Think They’ll Survive a Financial Shock in Retirement. These Are the Two Costs That Often Surprise People<\/p>\n 4 hr 49 min ago<\/p>\n In life, accidents happen. But when they occur during retirement, it’s important to be prepared\u2014otherwise, you risk running out of money during what should be considered your golden years.\n<\/p>\n According to a recent T. Rowe Price survey of more than 7,000 retirees globally, more than a quarter (27%) of respondents said they’d be able to withstand a financial shock in retirement.\n<\/p>\n Investopedia\u00a0spoke with financial planners who shared what they think are the most common\u00a0financial shocks retirees face\u00a0and how people can prepare for them.\n<\/p>\n Many retirees say they can’t absorb a surprise expense. Here’s what experts suggest.<\/p>\n Patricio Nahuelhual \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n “Retirement resilience\u00a0isn\u2019t about predicting every expense. It\u2019s about having a safety margin with options and a plan that can adapt when life doesn\u2019t follow the script,” said Mike Casey, a certified financial planner (CFP) and founder of AE Advisors.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Trina Paul<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Pfizer Stock Falls on Disappointing 2026 Profit, Revenue Projections<\/p>\n 5 hr 24 min ago<\/p>\n Pfizer (PFE<\/a>) was one of the worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500 Tuesday after the pharmaceutical giant gave 2026 guidance that came in below analysts’ expectations.\n<\/p>\n Shares fell 5% after the New York-based company projected 2026 adjusted earnings of $2.80 to $3.00 per share, while analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for $3.06 per share.\n<\/p>\n In addition, the midpoint of Pfizer’s projected revenue range between $59.5 billion and $62.5 billion was below the analyst consensus of $61.6 billion.\n<\/p>\n Pfizer also revised its 2025 revenue guidance to about $62.0 billion from the prior range of $61.0 to $64.0 billion.<\/p>\n Shares of Pfizer entered the day fractionally lower on the year.\n<\/p>\n TradingView<\/p>\n Ford Is Rolling Back Some of Its EV Plans. Here’s What You Need to Know<\/p>\n 5 hr 44 min ago<\/p>\n Ford’s (F<\/a>) electric vehicle strategy is changing gear.\n<\/p>\n The automaker announced a major shift in its EV plans late Monday, with the company expecting to take on about $19.5 billion in one-time charges to account for the costs of a restructuring plan that will see the automaker focus more on hybrid and plug-in vehicles, while pulling away from pure EVs. Ford said it plans to recognize most of the $19.5 billion in charges during the fourth quarter, with about $5.5 billion in cash effects to be paid through 2027.\n<\/p>\n Scott Olson \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a customer-driven shift to create a stronger, more resilient and more profitable Ford,\u201d Ford CEO Jim Farley said in a statement. \u201cThe operating reality has changed, and we are redeploying capital into higher-return growth opportunities.”\n<\/p>\n The next generation of Ford’s F-150 Lightning electric truck will now be an extended-range EV rather than a fully electric vehicle. Ford said its plans to start introducing smaller, more efficient and affordable EVs remain on track for 2027.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Aaron McDade<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Rising Unemployment Adds Pressure on the Fed to Consider More Rate Cuts<\/p>\n 6 hr 4 min ago<\/p>\n An unexpected jump in the unemployment rate Tuesday kept pressure on the Federal Reserve to rescue the job market by cutting interest rates.<\/p>\n Fed officials\u2014concerned about the health of the labor market and left with\u00a0limited data<\/a>\u00a0to go on during the government shutdown\u2014opted to\u00a0cut the central bank’s key interest rate<\/a>\u00a0last week for the third time in as many meetings.\n<\/p>\n Tuesday’s jobs report kept those worries alive when it showed the\u00a0unemployment rate rose to 4.6%<\/a>\u00a0in November from 4.4% in September, reaching a fresh high since 2021.\n<\/p>\n Al Drago \/ Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/p>\n Fed officials have been\u00a0divided over how best to pursue the central bank’s dual mandate<\/a>\u00a0from Congress to keep inflation low and employment high, at a time when the economy isn’t cooperating with either objective.\n<\/p>\n One faction prefers to keep interest rates higher for longer to crush inflation that’s still over the Fed’s goal of a 2% annual rate. Another prefers faster rate cuts to prevent unemployment from rising severely. The\u00a0federal funds rate<\/a>\u00a0influences borrowing costs on short-term loans, allowing the central bank to discourage spending with high, “restrictive” rates or encourage it with lower ones.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Diccon Hyatt<\/a>\n<\/p>\n There’s a Proposed ETF for People Who Think Bitcoin Performs Better at Night<\/p>\n 6 hr 54 min ago<\/p>\n The early bird may get the worm. But does the night owl eat its lunch?\n<\/p>\n That question is at the core of a proposed\u00a0exchange-traded fund<\/a>\u00a0from Nicholas Wealth called Bitcoin and Treasuries AfterDark. (Approval and launch under the ticker “NGHT” are expected next year.) The strategy aims to capture the performance of the world’s largest cryptocurrency while U.S. stock markets are closed, on the belief that bitcoin’s (BTCUSD<\/a>) performance is better in the evenings.\n<\/p>\n “In a market like we’re in now, a lot of the losses have [been] overnight,” David Nicholas, president and founder of Nicholas Wealth, told\u00a0Investopedia. “But in a bull market for bitcoin\u2014that’s actually when we see the biggest outperformance.”\n<\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n For investors who have been unhappy with the coin’s\u00a0not-so-hot returns<\/a>\u00a0lately, an actively managed strategy could be appealing, and there is some research that suggests bitcoin’s overnight performance can exceed the day’s. But other numbers suggest that the strategy isn’t a slam dunk.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Crystal Kim<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Energy Stocks Lead S&P 500 Decliners Tuesday Morning<\/p>\n 8 hr 20 min ago<\/p>\n With oil prices at seven-month lows, energy stocks are leading S&P 500 decliners Tuesday morning.\n<\/p>\n The S&P 500 Energy Sector was down 2.3% in recent trading, by far the worst of the 11 industries tracked by the benchmark index.\n<\/p>\n APA (APA), Diamondback Energy (FANG), Phillips 66 (PSX), and Halliburton (HAL) were among the worst-performing individual stocks in the S&P 500 an hour after the opening bell, with shares down between 3.5% and 4%.\n<\/p>\n West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. crude oil benchmark, fell more than 2% to $55.50 a barrel, its lowest level since May.\n<\/p>\n TradingView<\/p>\n Why December Is One of the Best Times to Buy a Used Car, According to Experts<\/p>\n 8 hr 52 min ago<\/p>\n December is often one of the better times to shop for a\u00a0used car<\/a>, according to Carfax. The leading provider of vehicle history information and buying guidance notes that the used-car market\u2014where inventory varies widely and pricing is more flexible\u2014can give buyers meaningful leverage as the year wraps up.\n<\/p>\n A major factor is year-end sales pressure. Dealerships often push their sales staff to meet annual goals in December, which can make managers more open to negotiating on used vehicles that have lingered on the lot. Carfax notes that this dynamic intensifies in the final days of the month, with New Year\u2019s Eve standing out as one of the strongest days of the year to make a deal. As sales teams close out their books, buyers may see price adjustments or more willingness to negotiate than earlier in the season.\n<\/p>\n Buying before year-end, even on New Year\u2019s Eve, could give used-car shoppers an edge on pricing.<\/p>\n ljubaphoto \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Carfax also says slower showroom traffic can work to a shopper\u2019s advantage. Weekdays\u2014especially mid-day visits\u2014tend to be quieter, giving buyers more time to compare vehicles and more attention from sales staff. Also, in regions with cold weather or snowfall, these events can keep casual shoppers home, creating conditions where serious buyers may find more negotiating room.\n<\/p>\n Taken together, these factors make December\u2014and especially its final stretch\u2014a time when used-car shoppers may find more\u00a0motivated dealers<\/a>, more flexible pricing, and a better chance of securing the vehicle they\u2019ve been watching.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Sabrina Karl<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Job Slump Deepened in October and November, Belated Report Shows<\/p>\n 9 hr 29 min ago<\/p>\n Job creation slowed and the unemployment rate rose this autumn, according to data delayed by the government shutdown.<\/p>\n The U.S. economy lost 105,000 jobs in October and added 64,000 in November, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Tuesday. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in November from 4.4% in September, reaching a fresh high since 2021.\n<\/p>\n November’s job creation and the unemployment rate were both higher than forecasters anticipated, according to a survey of U.S. economists by\u00a0Dow Jones Newswires\u00a0and\u00a0The Wall Street Journal.\n<\/p>\n Spencer Platt\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The report, which had been delayed by the government shutdown, showed a continuation of the trends that began this summer:\u00a0a sharp slowdown in hiring<\/a>\u00a0due to uncertainty among business leaders about tariff policy, as well as from President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration. October was the third month this year in which the economy lost jobs. Before June, U.S. employers had\u00a0added jobs every month since the pandemic<\/a>.<\/p>\n The report also highlighted the impact of deferred government layoffs made earlier in the year when President Donald Trump took office and\u00a0began slashing federal programs and jobs<\/a>, offering many of them deferred buyouts that took effect in October.\n<\/p>\n –Diccon Hyatt<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Here’s How Much Traders Expect Micron Stock to Move After Earnings Wednesday<\/p>\n 9 hr 55 min ago<\/p>\n Micron Technology is set to report earnings after the market closes Wednesday, with traders expecting a big move in the memory chip maker’s stock.\n<\/p>\n Options pricing suggests traders expect Micron (MU<\/a>) shares could swing up to 9% in either direction by the end of the week. At the high end, a move of that size from Monday’s close at $237.50 would push the stock above $258, near its all-time high reached last week. At the low end, however, the stock could slip to roughly $217, where it was late last month.\n<\/p>\n Qilai Shen \/ Bloomberg \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n Micron, which makes memory components for leading AI chipmakers such as Nvidia (NVDA<\/a>) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD<\/a>), has seen its\u00a0sales surge to new highs<\/a>\u00a0this year on strong demand for its memory chips. Its stock has nearly tripled in value in 2025, making it one of the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 for the year so far.\n<\/p>\n Wall Street analysts expect Micron to report a 48% year-over-year jump in revenue to a record $12.93 billion, while adjusted earnings per share are projected to more than double to $3.96 for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.\n<\/p>\n Read the full article here<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n –Aaron McDade<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Kraft Heinz Names New CEO Ahead of Planned Split<\/p>\n 10 hr 50 min ago<\/p>\n Kraft Heinz (KHC<\/a>)\u00a0will have a new chief executive ahead of its planned split next year.\n<\/p>\n Kraft Heinz on Tuesday said Steve Cahillane will become its CEO, effective Jan. 1. Cahillane, who served as Kellanova’s chief executive until its recent acquisition by Mars, also will join its board and serve as CEO of “Global Taste Elevation Co.” following its planned split<\/a> into two independent, publicly traded companies.\n<\/p>\n Carlos Abrams-Rivera “will step down January 1 and serve as an advisor to the Company until March 6, 2026, to ensure a seamless leadership transition,” Kraft Heinz said. Abrams-Rivera originally was supposed to lead the post-split grocery business, “North American Grocery Co.,” but no longer. Kraft Heinz’s board will “initiate a global search for a CEO” for the grocery business, it said.\n<\/p>\n Michael Nagle \/ Bloomberg via Getty Images<\/p>\n “Global Taste Elevation Co.” is the bigger of the two planned companies, housing brands including Heinz ketchup, Philadelphia cream cheese, and Kraft\u00a0Mac & Cheese.\u00a0“North American Grocery Co.” will include Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles, and Lunchables.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Kraft Heinz announced in September that it planned to break up, undoing a merger that was just a decade old<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n “I’m confident the planned separation will accelerate the Company’s ability to compete and win in today’s environment and unlock the immense opportunity in front of us,” Cahillane said.\n<\/p>\n Frontier Airlines’ Parent Replaces CEO<\/p>\n 11 hr 22 min ago<\/p>\n