Have you recently attempted to contact your local Social Security Administration (SSA) office? If you got through immediately and someone helped you with your issue, count yourself fortunate. If you had a tough time reaching someone who could assist you, you're not alone. Here's why it's become more difficult to get help when you need it from your local SSA office. Personnel cuts In 2025, the Trum...
Have you recently attempted to contact your local Social Security Administration (SSA) office? If you got through immediately and someone helped you with your issue, count yourself fortunate. If you had a tough time reaching someone who could assist you, you're not alone. Here's why it's become more difficult to get help when you need it from your local SSA office. Personnel cuts In 2025, the Trump administration slashed 12% of all SSA employees. While 12% may not seem like a dramatic reduction, frontline workers -- the people tasked with helping Social Security beneficiaries find the answers they need -- were hit heavily by the cuts. The SSA purge resulted in 7,000 fewer employees, many of whom worked directly with the public. It would be unfair to fault remaining workers. The SSA has fallen into an "all hands on deck" situation, with remaining employees expected to continue their jobs while picking up the slack for those who are now gone. Training takes time Another reason you may struggle to get help is that some of the remaining workers are being trained to cover the desks of those who've been cut, and training takes time. Imagine learning a new job in a bureaucratic system with frequently changing rules. That's what some SSA employees are up against. Like diving into the deep end to learn how to swim, there are sure to be challenges along the way. Although SSA employees are likely doing their best, it may not feel like enough if you've decided that you have enough money to retire -- as long as you receive Social Security benefits. The number of beneficiaries continues to grow Despite fewer SSA employees available to assist them, the number of Social Security recipients remains over 70 million and grows by the day. According to CBS News, the number of people claiming Social Security has jumped 17%, compared to last year. With more people seeking help and fewer people available to provide it, finding the answers you need may be trickier than ever. In-person appoi...
Key Points The S&P 500 Shiller CAPE ratio is at its highest level since the dot-com bubble burst in 2000. Some investors fear that soaring valuations driven by artificial intelligence (AI) stocks are unsustainable. While there is some overlap between AI and the internet era, smart investors understand that these two periods are quite different. 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index › The new...
Key Points The S&P 500 Shiller CAPE ratio is at its highest level since the dot-com bubble burst in 2000. Some investors fear that soaring valuations driven by artificial intelligence (AI) stocks are unsustainable. While there is some overlap between AI and the internet era, smart investors understand that these two periods are quite different. 10 stocks we like better than S&P 500 Index › The new year is only 2 months old, yet investors have experienced more drama than they probably were anticipating. As of this writing on Feb. 25, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) and Nasdaq Composite are about breakeven on the year. This performance hasn't come without some overpronounced surges that were swiftly followed up with intense sell-offs. Major factors influencing the stock market in 2026 include the direction of monetary policy from the Federal Reserve, interpretations of macroeconomic indicators such as inflation, geopolitical tensions across the globe, and, of course, rising fears over an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble. 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 » The main theme? Uncertainty is driving the stock market right now. Let's take a look at one particular metric that could signal where stocks are headed in 2026. While history suggests further selling could be on the horizon, I have a contrarian view that buying the dip right now may prove to be a wise choice. This stock market signal hasn't happened since the year 2000 There are loads of ways to assess valuation. Many look at ratios such as price-to-earnings (P/E) or price-to-sales (P/S) and compare these multiples to historical levels, or benchmark against a set of peers in the same industry. While this analysis can be useful, it also has some flaws. Namely, P/E and P/S ratios tend to be static -- only accounting for the last year or...
(RTTNews) - French stocks are deep down in negative territory on Monday due to heavy selling across the board due to an escalation in Middle East tensions and rising inflationary concerns. Brent crude futures were up $103.25 a barrel (up 11.5%) a little while ago, after surging to a nearly four-year high above $119.50 a barrel earlier. Tensions in the Gulf escalated following reports of explosions...
(RTTNews) - French stocks are deep down in negative territory on Monday due to heavy selling across the board due to an escalation in Middle East tensions and rising inflationary concerns. Brent crude futures were up $103.25 a barrel (up 11.5%) a little while ago, after surging to a nearly four-year high above $119.50 a barrel earlier. Tensions in the Gulf escalated following reports of explosions at Al Udeid Air Base, the largest United States military installation in the Middle East. Bahrain's state oil company has declared force majeure on its shipments after Iranian strikes in the region set the largest oil facility on fire. The benchmark CAC 40, which fell to 7,768.11, a more than 5-month low, was down 150.99 points or 1.89% at 7,842.50 a few minutes ago. Thales, up 0.7%, is the lone stock from the CAC 40 to trade in positive territory at present. ArcelorMittal is plunging nearly 6.5%. Unibail Rodamco, Schneider Electric, Michelin and Societe Generale are down 3%-3.7%. Airbus, Accor, Stellantis, Legrand, Veolia Environment, BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, Bouygues, Eurofins Scientific and Eiffage are declining 2%-2.7%. Orange, STMicroelectronics, Kering, Safran, EssilorLuxottica, Vinci, Air Liquide, Saint-Gobain, L'Oreal, Sanofi, Engie and Carrefour are also down sharply. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
jetcityimage/iStock via Getty Images I last wrote about Alto Ingredients, Inc. ( ALTO ) around a year ago . At the time, shares in the industrial alcohol and ethanol fuel company were trading for around $1.70 per share. This represented a steep discount to its tangible book value of $2.88 per share, not to mention the likely underlying value of Alto's facilities. Despite a plethora of issues, the ...
jetcityimage/iStock via Getty Images I last wrote about Alto Ingredients, Inc. ( ALTO ) around a year ago . At the time, shares in the industrial alcohol and ethanol fuel company were trading for around $1.70 per share. This represented a steep discount to its tangible book value of $2.88 per share, not to mention the likely underlying value of Alto's facilities. Despite a plethora of issues, the stock appeared well-positioned for a comeback for two reasons. First, at the time, there was the potential for increased shareholder activist involvement. Second, there was also the perception that the then-incoming Trump administration would implement policies more favorable to the U.S. ethanol industry. Almost immediately after publication, my bull case for ALTO appeared poorly timed at best, foolhardy at worst. Within a month, Alto Ingredients shares tanked by more than 50%, and for months, they languished at a price well below my recommended entry point. That said, flash forward to late 2025, and the Alto Ingredients bull case started out of nowhere to finally play out. A management-led turnaround, along with the emergence of favorable policy changes, kicked off what has become a mega-rally for shares. Data by YCharts The question now is whether current prices, just under $4.50 per share, mark that it's time to sell or if there's merit in letting a position "ride," potentially to even loftier price levels. Alto Ingredients: Recap and Recent Developments In a nutshell, my prior bull case was at Alto Ingredients, distressed but undervalued and could unlock its intrinsic value through one means or another. Turns out, though, that "means" did not strongly entail the aforementioned activist pressure. It may have had something to do with a more favorable regulatory backdrop, but for slightly different reasons than those mentioned in my initial write-up. Instead, a key driver for Alto's strong performance, particularly over the past four months, had a lot to do with several ad...
A proposed law to restrict paedophiles’ parental rights in England and Wales is too weak because it does not protect children of theirs born after their conviction, parliament will hear this week. Under the victims and courts bill, a parent convicted of serious sexual offences against any child and who is sentenced to four or more years in prison will lose parental responsibility but they could co...
A proposed law to restrict paedophiles’ parental rights in England and Wales is too weak because it does not protect children of theirs born after their conviction, parliament will hear this week. Under the victims and courts bill, a parent convicted of serious sexual offences against any child and who is sentenced to four or more years in prison will lose parental responsibility but they could come out of jail and have other children who would not be protected. An amendment to end this anomaly has been tabled by the crossbench peer and former family court judge James Meston, and will be debated in the House of Lords on Tuesday. The move to restrict parental responsibility came after the BBC reported the case of a mother, Bethan (not her real name), who spent £30,000 in legal fees to stop her paedophile ex-husband having contact with their daughter. Bethan said: “This amendment will prevent the formation of a deeply unfair two-tier system, where children born before the paedophile parent’s conviction are safe from abuse, but younger siblings, born even a day after conviction, are still under the control of, and highly likely to be abused by, the paedophile. “If a paedophile retains parental rights over even one child in a family, then they have control over that entire family unit, and can use that control to terrorise their ex-partner and children. This amendment closes a large loophole and prioritises the safety of all children.” In a debate in parliament last year, the minister for victims, Alex Davies-Jones, said the government “cannot bind future children or children yet to be born” but “should they be at risk, the normal route to strip parental responsibility in the family courts will still exist”. Lord Meston said a blanket ban risked being found to interfere with article 8 of the European convention on human rights, which protects the right to respect for family life. But he said his amendment overcame this obstacle because it “allowed the door to remain – a...
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukrainian drone experts will arrive in the Middle East this week to help Gulf states under attack from Iran. In recent days, Iran has fired a number of Shahed drones across the Middle East - and some air defences in the region have struggled to cope. Ukraine has spent the last four years inventing cheap but effective ways of defending their skies from similar ...
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukrainian drone experts will arrive in the Middle East this week to help Gulf states under attack from Iran. In recent days, Iran has fired a number of Shahed drones across the Middle East - and some air defences in the region have struggled to cope. Ukraine has spent the last four years inventing cheap but effective ways of defending their skies from similar Russian strikes, and now some countries have come knocking on their door to ask for help. The BBC's Diplomatic Correspondent, James Landale, is in Ukraine and has been to see the latest anti-drone technology the country has to offer.
As global markets reel from escalating Middle East conflict and a surge in crude prices above $100 per barrel and heightened concerns about global shipping delays caused by tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Investors are likely seeking stable options, particularly focusing on dividend stability amidst these uncertainties. Looking for staples-strength income? We’ve screened the sector for its most ...
As global markets reel from escalating Middle East conflict and a surge in crude prices above $100 per barrel and heightened concerns about global shipping delays caused by tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Investors are likely seeking stable options, particularly focusing on dividend stability amidst these uncertainties. Looking for staples-strength income? We’ve screened the sector for its most resilient payout profiles. Below are the household names currently leading the market in yield. B&G Foods ( BGS ) - Dividend Yield - 13.89% Flowers Foods ( FLO ) - Dividend Yield - 10.88% United-Guardian ( UG ) - Dividend Yield - 7.92% Conagra Brands ( CAG ) - Dividend Yield - 7.36% The Kraft Heinz Company ( KHC ) - Dividend Yield - 6.52% Altria Group ( MO ) - Dividend Yield - 6.37% Energizer Holdings ( ENR ) - Dividend Yield - 6.21% Universal Corporation ( UVV ) - Dividend Yield - 6.19% The Campbell's Company ( CPB ) - Dividend Yield - 6.05% General Mills ( GIS ) - Dividend Yield - 5.51% More on consumer staples tickers: The Campbell's Company: Bad News Priced In Ahead Of Q2 Earnings (Rating Upgrade) B&G Foods, Inc. (BGS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript The Campbell's Company Is A Tasty Risk To Reward Prospect Berkshire Hathaway has no immediate plans for its Kraft Heinz stake - report Most and least shorted large-cap consumer staples at February end