Retirees and those approaching retirement would do well to stay on top of changes to Social Security and changes to tax laws -- and changes related to both Social Security and taxes. Here's a look at some recent Social Security changes to know about, along with some changes related to taxes. Six recent Social Security changes If you're wondering whether recent changes are good or bad, it's actuall...
Retirees and those approaching retirement would do well to stay on top of changes to Social Security and changes to tax laws -- and changes related to both Social Security and taxes. Here's a look at some recent Social Security changes to know about, along with some changes related to taxes. Six recent Social Security changes If you're wondering whether recent changes are good or bad, it's actually a mixed bag. 1. Good Your benefits went up, as they do in most years, via cost of living adjustments (COLAs). The latest increase, for 2026, was 2.8%. So if you were collecting, say, $2,000 per month in 2025, you'll gain an extra $56, for $2,056, in 2026. 2. Bad That 2.8% increase is smaller than the 9.7% increase in the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B, which is going from $185 in 2025 to $202.90 in 2026. Many retirees have their Medicare premiums automatically deducted from their Social Security checks, so those checks could end up smaller than they were in 2025. 3. Not great The maximum earnings that will be taxed for Social Security are up -- from $176,100 in 2025 to $184,500 in 2026. So if you're a relatively high earner, more of your income will be taxed for Social Security. For most people, though, all their earnings will be taxed, as they usually are. Recent Social Security changes related to your tax bill 4. Good The vast majority of states -- fully 42 of them -- do not tax Social Security benefits. And that number was 41 last year. As of 2026, West Virginia has joined the ranks. (Note, though, that the federal government does tax some Social Security benefits.) 5. More good The recent "big, beautiful bill" coming out of Washington introduced a $6,000 tax deduction for every eligible senior aged 65 and older. So even if you do have to be taxed in your state on your Social Security benefits, you can offset that with this deduction. It's in effect from 2025 through 2028, and it applies regardless of Social Security. 6. Bad It's wrong to think that Socia...
monsitj/iStock via Getty Images Gold ( XAUUSD:CUR ) ( GLD ) continues to weaken sharply, defying its traditional safe-haven role amid escalating Middle East tensions. The technical structure has deteriorated significantly, with momentum now at extreme levels. The yellow metal has fallen nearly 20% over the past month, trading around $4,238 at press time. Silver ( XAGUSD:CUR ) also fell more than 1...
monsitj/iStock via Getty Images Gold ( XAUUSD:CUR ) ( GLD ) continues to weaken sharply, defying its traditional safe-haven role amid escalating Middle East tensions. The technical structure has deteriorated significantly, with momentum now at extreme levels. The yellow metal has fallen nearly 20% over the past month, trading around $4,238 at press time. Silver ( XAGUSD:CUR ) also fell more than 10% at one point. Momentum has deteriorated significantly, with the 14-day RSI for gold at 22.2, deep in oversold territory, signaling intense selling pressure and possible near-term exhaustion. Trend confirmation from moving averages reinforces the bearish setup, with gold trading below all key levels from short-term to long-term. Notably, the 50-day moving average (~4,588) sits well above current price levels, alongside the 20-day (~$4,475) and 100-day (~$4,770), highlighting sustained downside pressure and a fully aligned bearish trend across timeframes. "Despite the escalation of the Iran war, gold prices have fallen around 14% since the conflict began, highlighting how macro factors, particularly interest rates, the US dollar and cross ‑ asset positioning, continue to dominate short ‑ term price dynamics. This pattern is consistent with previous shock episodes, where liquidity needs tend to outweigh safe-haven demand in the early stages," ING Economic and Financial Analysis said . Adding to the bearish tone, gold equities are also under pressure on a year-to-date basis, reflecting broader weakness across the sector: Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited ( HMY ): -33.1% NovaGold Resources ( NG ): -16.8% DRDGOLD ( DRD ): -15.7% Barrick Mining ( B ): -14.7% Equinox Gold ( EQX ): -14.6% B2Gold ( BTG ): -13.1% Fortuna Mining ( FSM ): -12.6% Eldorado Gold ( EGO ): -12.6% Gold Fields ( GFI ): -10.5% Pan American Silver ( PAAS ): -9.9% Triple Flag Precious Metals ( TFPM ): -8.0% AngloGold Ashanti ( AU ): -6.2% Kinross Gold ( KGC ): -5.8% Newmont ( NEM ): -4.1% Gold and Gold Minin...
Three ETFs may provide unique and multi-faceted protection against a variety of risks associated with the Iran war at a time when investors shift to defense.
Three ETFs may provide unique and multi-faceted protection against a variety of risks associated with the Iran war at a time when investors shift to defense.
Just_Super/iStock via Getty Images Canadian stocks have been showing signs of strength in the first quarter, supported in part by the energy sector. But with economic concerns lingering, is that momentum sustainable? Jennifer Nowski, Managing Director, Co-Head of Canadian Equity Portfolio Management at TD Asset Management, breaks down what’s driving Canadian markets and what rising oil prices coul...
Just_Super/iStock via Getty Images Canadian stocks have been showing signs of strength in the first quarter, supported in part by the energy sector. But with economic concerns lingering, is that momentum sustainable? Jennifer Nowski, Managing Director, Co-Head of Canadian Equity Portfolio Management at TD Asset Management, breaks down what’s driving Canadian markets and what rising oil prices could mean for energy-related stocks. Transcript Greg Bonnell - Canada's equity markets have been holding up relatively well this year, even as investors navigate rising oil prices and uncertain trade dynamics. For a closer look at how energy markets, trade tensions, and sector trends are shaping up in Canadian equities, we're joined now by Jennifer Nowski of TD Asset Management. Jennifer, welcome to the program. Jennifer Nowski - It's good to be here. Greg Bonnell - We're not even three months into the year yet -- early days. TSX, though, is up roughly 4% year-to-date. What's driving this performance? And how would you describe the current trading environment? Jennifer Nowski - Yeah, so the TSX has really benefited year-to-date from its high exposure to commodities. If you look across Canadian and US equity markets, the strongest performing sector year-to-date is energy. And materials are also up. The TSX has a 37% exposure to these two sectors, where the S&P 500 only has 5.7%. So, as a result, the TSX is up slightly, whereas the S&P 500 is down about 1.9%. Now, of course, this is coming off a very strong 2025 for equity markets globally, including the TSX, which was up 32% last year. Now, in terms of the trading environment, it's early days, but I would describe it as rather choppy. And there's two big areas that the market's debating. The first is the impact of AI and, specifically, concerns around the IT software and services sector and how AI could potentially disrupt those businesses longer run in terms of competition or pricing. So there's been some weakness in that area...
A widely shared post by geopolitical commentator Shanaka Anslem Perera has kicked off a conversation around how the ongoing West Asia conflict could spill over into the global chip supply chain, especially through Taiwan, home to TSMC. In a post on X, Perera argued that the war in the Persian Gulf could indirectly threaten the production of advanced chips that power everything from artificial inte...
A widely shared post by geopolitical commentator Shanaka Anslem Perera has kicked off a conversation around how the ongoing West Asia conflict could spill over into the global chip supply chain, especially through Taiwan, home to TSMC. In a post on X, Perera argued that the war in the Persian Gulf could indirectly threaten the production of advanced chips that power everything from artificial intelligence systems to smartphones. Advertisement TSMC at the centre of global tech supply Perera pointed out that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) produces the majority of the world’s most advanced chips – including processors used by companies like Nvidia, Apple, and AMD. Advertisement He noted that Taiwan, despite its central role in global tech, is heavily dependent on energy imports, with limited domestic reserves. “TSMC manufactures 90 per cent of the world’s most advanced logic chips on an island that imports 97 per cent of its energy,” he wrote, adding that Taiwan holds around 11 days of natural gas reserves. BREAKING. Every Nvidia GPU is made by TSMC. Every Apple processor is made by TSMC. Every AMD chip that matters is made by TSMC. TSMC manufactures 90 percent of the world’s most advanced logic chips on an island that imports 97 percent of its energy and has 11 days of natural gas… https://t.co/OwXYeEb19N pic.twitter.com/TTVuSAgmzY — Shanaka Anslem Perera ⚡ (@shanaka86) March 22, 2026 Energy, helium supply under focus The thread also highlighted concerns around liquefied natural gas (LNG) and helium — both critical for semiconductor manufacturing. Perera said Taiwan depends heavily on LNG supplies from the Middle East, including Qatar, and any disruption there could hit its energy supply. He also flagged helium, a key input in advanced chipmaking, as a possible weak spot, warning that shortages or rising prices could start affecting production. Without helium, he argued, the machines used to manufacture cutting-edge chips would not function. Concern...
Key Points Regulators just published a new classification scheme for how they will approach cryptocurrencies. Most of the leading coins will be classified as digital commodities. Under the new regulations, coins can transition from one class to another under certain conditions. 10 stocks we like better than Ethereum › Crypto investors have complained for years that their industry was regulated via...
Key Points Regulators just published a new classification scheme for how they will approach cryptocurrencies. Most of the leading coins will be classified as digital commodities. Under the new regulations, coins can transition from one class to another under certain conditions. 10 stocks we like better than Ethereum › Crypto investors have complained for years that their industry was regulated via law-by-ambush: Regulators brought lawsuits first and then defined norms after. Happily, that era appears to have ended on March 17, when the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued a formal classification structure covering most crypto assets, including Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), XRP (CRYPTO: XRP), Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), Cardano, Chainlink, and even Dogecoin. Most of the crypto majors you're familiar with are now considered "digital commodities," but the implications of the new classification format reach further than a single label, and they might open the door to a new golden age of crypto. Here's what you need to know. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » Welcome to the new crypto taxonomy The 68-page document published by the SEC and CFTC addresses a wide array of core cryptocurrency topics, including staking, mining, airdrops, and the provenance of wrapped tokens, all of which are activities that have drawn regulatory scrutiny for years. Although it isn't the same as a new law governing crypto, it's a set of guidelines where regulators explain how they will approach (and police) the sector from here on. The joint guidance establishes five categories for cryptocurrencies: Digital commodities Digital collectibles Digital tools Stablecoins Digital securities The first category is where most investor attention belongs, as the SEC and CFT...
FedEx’s results for its fiscal third quarter were exceptionally strong, beating expectations on revenue and earnings, while expanding margins in key segments, and raising its full-year outlook. This was driven by disciplined operations, strong package demand, and efficiency gains from the accelerating impact of its advanced digital solutions to help control costs and improve service quality. Micro...
FedEx’s results for its fiscal third quarter were exceptionally strong, beating expectations on revenue and earnings, while expanding margins in key segments, and raising its full-year outlook. This was driven by disciplined operations, strong package demand, and efficiency gains from the accelerating impact of its advanced digital solutions to help control costs and improve service quality. Micron also produced record quarterly free cash flow of $6.9 billion and has efficiently scaled its next-generation memory production. With analysts seeing the current memory cycle as the strongest in years, Micron guided its Q3 sales at $33.5 billion, well ahead of expectations of $22.79 billion or 101% growth. Benefitting from a blazing trend of positive earnings estimate revisions, Micron is currently expected to post FY26 EPS of $36.18. More intriguing, analysts project Micron will pass $100 billion in annual sales next year, and FY27 EPS projections are at a whopping $54.78. Reporting results for its fiscal second quarter, Micron’s Q2 sales nearly tripled year over year to a record $23.86 billion from $8.05 billion in the comparative quarter. The surge was fueled by high demand for Micron’s high-bandwidth memory (HBM) products, which are used in Nvidia’s GPUs. More importantly, Micron continued to show strong execution, with Q2 EPS at $12.20, topping expectations of $8.80 by 38.64% and skyrocketing from $1.56 per share a year ago. Explosive demand for AI-related memory products has led to tight industry supply, allowing Micron to command higher prices and deliver stronger margins, with its stock currently boasting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Optimistically, there were a few other standouts that could potentially combat weaker market sentiment after impressively beating EPS expectations. Neither were immune to the volatility in Friday’s trading session, but Micron and FedEx stock may serve as appealing buy-the-dip targets as they posted blowout quarterly earnings on Wednes...
Institutional investor increases holding in e-commerce giant by nearly 93% in Q4 Got story updates? Submit your updates here. › Fulcrum Equity Management, an investment management firm, grew its stake in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) by 92.7% during the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm now owns 7,126 shares of the e-com...
Institutional investor increases holding in e-commerce giant by nearly 93% in Q4 Got story updates? Submit your updates here. › Fulcrum Equity Management, an investment management firm, grew its stake in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) by 92.7% during the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm now owns 7,126 shares of the e-commerce company's stock, valued at approximately $1.65 million. Why it matters This move by Fulcrum Equity Management signals continued institutional confidence in Amazon's long-term growth prospects, even as the company faces some near-term headwinds like concerns over capital expenditures and valuation. As a major shareholder, Fulcrum's increased stake could influence Amazon's strategic direction. The details According to the 13F filing, Fulcrum Equity Management acquired an additional 3,428 shares of Amazon during the fourth quarter, bringing its total holding to 7,126 shares. This represents a 92.7% increase in the firm's position. Amazon.com now makes up about 1.6% of Fulcrum's overall investment portfolio, making it the 17th largest holding. Fulcrum Equity Management filed the 13F report disclosing the increased Amazon stake on March 23, 2026. The firm acquired the additional 3,428 Amazon shares during the fourth quarter of 2025. The players Fulcrum Equity Management An investment management firm that has increased its stake in Amazon.com, Inc. by 92.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025. Amazon.com, Inc. The e-commerce giant in which Fulcrum Equity Management has boosted its investment. Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›
It comes after 60% of ABC staff rejected management's offer of a 10% total pay rise over three years - 3.5% in the first year and 3.25% in the two years after. Australia recorded an annual inflation rate of 3.8% in January.
It comes after 60% of ABC staff rejected management's offer of a 10% total pay rise over three years - 3.5% in the first year and 3.25% in the two years after. Australia recorded an annual inflation rate of 3.8% in January.
Intel Corporation (ISIN: US4581401001) shares on NASDAQ fell sharply this week, closing Friday at $43.87 USD after dropping over 8%, breaching the critical $44 support level. Investors react to leaked CPU specs and broader semiconductor weakness following Nvidia's GTC conference, with Q1 earnings on April 23, 2026 looming large. DACH investors should watch for U.S. chip policy impacts on European ...
Intel Corporation (ISIN: US4581401001) shares on NASDAQ fell sharply this week, closing Friday at $43.87 USD after dropping over 8%, breaching the critical $44 support level. Investors react to leaked CPU specs and broader semiconductor weakness following Nvidia's GTC conference, with Q1 earnings on April 23, 2026 looming large. DACH investors should watch for U.S. chip policy impacts on European supply chains. Intel Corporation stock on NASDAQ experienced a sharp decline this week, dropping more than 8% to close Friday at $43.87 USD, slipping below the key $44 support level amid broader semiconductor sector weakness. The selloff followed Nvidia's GTC developer conference, which highlighted competitive pressures in AI and diverted attention from Intel's product pipeline leaks that failed to excite investors. For DACH investors, this moment underscores risks in global chip supply chains critical to German automotive and industrial sectors, while U.S. government subsidies offer potential tailwinds. As of: 23.03.2026 By Dr. Elena Voss, Senior Semiconductor Analyst – Covering U.S. tech giants and their ripple effects on European manufacturing, with a focus on Intel's foundry ambitions amid AI-driven market shifts. Post-GTC Selloff Hits Intel Hard The semiconductor sector retreated after Nvidia's GTC event, with Intel Corporation stock bearing the brunt on NASDAQ. Shares plunged over 8% during the week, ending Friday at $43.87 USD on elevated trading volume that points to institutional repositioning rather than retail panic. Technical indicators show the Relative Strength Index near neutral at 43, with the stock now below its 50-day moving average, signaling faded early-2026 bullish momentum. Leaked specifications for upcoming Intel CPUs generated little enthusiasm, as investors shifted focus to fundamentals ahead of Q1 earnings on April 23, 2026. Analysts forecast a minor loss of four cents per share on $12.29 billion in revenue, reflecting ongoing pressure in Intel's c...