Personal finance
Goldman Sachs offers its newest option for downside protection in volatile markets
Goldman Sachs Asset Management is trying to serve more investors looking for downside protection from market turmoil. Bryon Lake helped the firm launch its newest buffer exchange-traded fund this month: the Goldman Sachs U.S. Large Cap Buffer 3 ETF. “I’m an investor. You’re an investor. The folks watching are investors, and there’s an incredible amount […]
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Americans lost $5.7 billion to investment scams in 2024, FTC says. Here’s how to protect yourself
Key Points Americans reported losing $5.7 billion to investment scams in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The typical victim lost more than $9,000 on average. “Pig-butchering scams” are a common investment fraud whereby scammers develop a relationship with victims, entice them to invest money and then swindle them. There are three common signs […]
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The U.S.-Canada trade war could signal a shift in economic ties, experts say
President Donald Trump signed several executive orders at the start of his second term that lay out a blanket 25% tariff on Canadian goods imported into the United States, with some exceptions such as energy. Canadian energy will carry a lower tariff of 10%. The bulk of these tariffs went into effect at midnight on […]
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Trump sued by 20 states to halt the ‘dismantling’ of Education Department
A security guard walks past the U.S. Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C., March 12, 2025. Nathan Howard | Reuters A group of Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration Thursday over its moves to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and its termination of nearly half the agency’s staff. […]
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Here’s the inflation breakdown for February 2025 — in one chart
Key Points The consumer price index rose 2.8% in February from 12 months earlier, a deceleration from January. Steel and aluminum tariffs took effect Wednesday. Economists fear that an escalating trade war could stall or reverse progress on inflation. Eggs saw by far the highest inflation rate among other categories in February. Source
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Tariffs are ‘lose-lose’ for U.S. jobs and industry, economist says: ‘There are no winners here’
Key Points President Donald Trump has pursued an economic agenda of broad tariffs on U.S. trading partners, including Canada, China and Mexico. Tariffs aim to protect targeted domestic industries. They end up costing U.S. jobs on a net basis, after accounting for retaliation and higher production costs for many businesses, economists said. Source
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DOGE layoffs may ‘overwhelm’ unemployment system for federal workers, report finds
Key Points The Trump administration — with the help of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, which the president says is headed by Elon Musk — has fired tens of thousands of federal workers. The scale of cuts will likely be flood the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) with claims and […]
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A market hedge traders use if volatility spikes and the sell-off gets worse
The Cboe Volatility Index (known as the “VIX”) measures the market’s expectation of volatility over the next 30 days as implied by a weighted strip of S & P 500 Index options. When investors are nervous, options premiums, and therefore the VIX tends to spike, reflecting heightened uncertainty. A very high reading often signals panic […]
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California pauses home energy rebate program amid Trump funding freeze
Key Points California paused an energy rebate program for consumers who make their homes more energy efficient, due to a federal funding freeze imposed by the Trump administration. The Home Energy Rebate program was created by the Inflation Reduction Act, which President Biden signed in 2022. The law offered consumers up to $8,000 of Home […]
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Canada, Mexico tariffs create ‘ripple effects’ on consumer prices, economist says
Key Points President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. He put a lower 10% tariff on Canadian energy, and another 10% levy on China. Canada and Mexico are the largest trading partners of the United States. Businesses are expected to raise prices for consumer goods as a […]
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