Although optimism abounds on Wall Street, historical precedent paints a different picture for the upcoming year.Despite enduring a very short-lived stock market crash in early April, following the unveiling of President Donald Trump's tariff and trade policy, Wall Street's major stock indexes have predominantly been off to the races over the last eight months. Through the closing bell on Dec. 22, the ageless Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI 0.04%), broad-based S&P 500 (^GSPC 0.03%), and growth-powered Nas ...

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of not only saving for retirement but also managing withdrawals effectively to avoid depleting savings too quickly [3]. Group 1: Retirement Savings Statistics - Many estimates suggest that individuals may need close to $1 million to retire comfortably, with higher amounts required in expensive states like Hawaii [1]. - Fidelity data indicates that the average American nearing retirement (ages 55 to 64) has approximately $200,000 saved, significantly less than the recommended amount [2]. - Younger workers, particularly those under 35, average around $45,000 in retirement accounts, indicating a substantial savings gap [2]. Group 2: Common Retirement Withdrawal Mistakes - One major mistake is withdrawing funds without a structured plan, which can lead to overspending and rapid depletion of savings [4]. - Selling investments during market downturns to fund withdrawals can lock in losses, preventing recovery when the market rebounds [6]. - Investing too conservatively can hinder long-term growth; a balanced portfolio with 30% to 60% in stocks is often recommended to combat inflation [7].

Natalia Gdovskaia / Getty Images Tax surprises rarely come from a single decision, but can result from many small ones that add up. Before selling investments, withdrawing retirement funds, or filing jointly without a plan, loop in your CPA or financial advisor. Key Takeways Selling investments without considering tax timing can push you into higher brackets. Coordinating financial decisions with your CPA or advisor before acting—rather than after—prevents costly surprises.​ Required minimum distribu ...

Core Insights - Financial services firms are increasingly utilizing RankOS™, an AI visibility operating system by NEWMEDIA.COM, to enhance brand recognition and trust in AI-generated search results [1][3] - RankOS™ addresses the gap between traditional SEO and AI visibility, particularly in regulated sectors like banking and insurance, where AI systems impose stricter credibility standards [2][3] Industry Challenges - Financial services and insurance queries are highly regulated, leading to conservative AI behavior in surfacing information, with less than 18% of evaluated brands appearing in AI-generated search answers despite strong traditional search rankings [3][4] - A significant number of financial services websites (over 60%) lack consistent structured data in AI-readable formats, which hampers their visibility [6] RankOS™ Features - RankOS™ offers a compliance-aware approach to AI Engine Optimization (AEO), integrating SEO, PR, and entity data into a unified visibility framework [5] - The platform focuses on enhancing entity authority, citation strength, and trust signals to improve AI visibility for financial brands [7] Importance of Trust and Compliance - Financial brands with authoritative third-party citations are over four times more likely to be referenced by AI systems compared to those relying on owned media [6] - AI systems favor brands that demonstrate clear compliance and trust indicators, such as licensing disclosures and verified media mentions [6][8] Future Developments - NEWMEDIA.COM plans to release additional benchmarks for RankOS™ across regulated and high-trust industries throughout 2026, indicating ongoing commitment to enhancing AI visibility for financial organizations [8]

Robinhood app displays sports betting odds on a smartphone, highlighting its 2025 push to challenge DraftKings and FanDuel. Key Points Robinhood has announced that it is expanding its prediction markets feature to include NFL prop bets and parlays.  The stock is up nearly 205% this year, but that momentum could carry into 2026 as more users are drawn to the app and away from competitors like DraftKings and FanDuel. Despite those gains, analysts still see more than 14% potential upside for HOOD over the ...

Core Insights - Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Fiserv, indicating potential significant market movements ahead [1] - The options activity for Fiserv has shown unusual levels, with 66% of investors leaning bearish and only 20% bullish [2] Options Activity Summary - A total of 30 extraordinary options activities were recorded for Fiserv, with 23 puts totaling $2,758,113 and 7 calls amounting to $504,870 [2] - Major market movers are focusing on a price band between $55.0 and $195.0 for Fiserv over the last three months [3] Volume and Open Interest Analysis - The analysis of volume and open interest provides insights into the liquidity and interest for Fiserv's options, particularly within the strike price range of $55.0 to $195.0 over the last 30 days [4] Largest Options Trades - Significant options trades include a bullish put sweep for a strike price of $55.00 with a total trade price of $1.6 million and a bearish call trade for a strike price of $60.00 totaling $178.9K [9] Company Overview - Fiserv is a leading provider of core processing and complementary services for US banks and credit unions, focusing on small and midsize banks, with about 10% of revenue generated internationally [10] Current Market Status - Analysts have set an average target price of $100.0 for Fiserv, with a consistent outperform rating from Mizuho [12][13] - The current trading volume stands at 2,217,875, with Fiserv's price at $67.31, reflecting a decrease of -0.94% [15]

Today is the last Friday of 2025. I hope your Christmas Day celebrations were merry and joyful. Next up: New Year’s Eve and 2026. As I considered what to write for today’s commentary on unusual options activity, it occurred to me that I would be writing before Christmas Day, so I needed a subject that was backward-looking yet still interesting to readers. More News from Barchart I like to look back from time to time to see how past option strategies played out, regardless of their success. Accountabil ...

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The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.04%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) is down -0.12%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is up +0.09%.  March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) are up +0.04%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) are up +0.11%. The S&P 500 index today edged to a new record high.  Stocks are seeing support from year-end optimism and today’s -1.0 bp decline in the 10-year T-note yield.  Stocks also have support from confidence about the US economic outlook after Tu ...

Many people are dealing with credit card debt, bank accounts are strained and many need a confidence boost when it comes to their finances. Rather than avoiding the topic, take a few small steps to improve your money situation. These quick wins can help you rebuild your confidence and feel more in control of your finances. Check Your Credit Report for Errors Errors on your credit report could damage your score. According to a 2024 survey headed up by Consumer Reports and WorkMoney, 44% of consumers fou ...