February 04, 2026 12:42 PM EST
Why Sky-High Tariffs Haven’t Derailed the US Economy—Yet
FROM 17 minutes ago
Some economists forecast that tariffs would lead to ruin for the U.S. economy. Instead, the economy is growing faster than it has in years, surprising them. So what happened?
“If you walked 100 economists in a room one year ago and informed them of these developments today, I suspect virtually all would project the U.S. economy would be stagnant at best and cratering at worst,” said Ben Harris, director of economic studies at the Brookings Institution, during a recent panel discussion on tariffs and other economic policies from President Donald Trump.
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After taking office early last year, Trump enacted a series of import taxes that fundamentally changed how the U.S. trades with other countries. Harris noted the average tariff rate jumped to 28% in April, up from 2.4% on election day. The Tax Policy Center estimated that, after negotiations, the current average tariff rate is now 17%.
But the impact from tariffs, so far, has been muted. Inflation has remained above the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2% for nearly four years, but is still well below the highs notched in 2022. Gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter expanded at its fastest pace since 2023, and other economic measurements have also shown solid growth.
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 12:11 PM EST
Chipotle Stock Could Benefit From the Company’s ‘Conservative’ 2026 Targets
FROM 48 minutes ago
Chipotle’s burrito is undoubtedly bruised.
Sales at the chain rose last year, but most of that came from new store openings. Transactions fell, offsetting a higher average check; all told, same-store sales finished 2025 in the red. This has been bad news for the onetime highflying stock, which has lost about a third of its value over the past 12 months.
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) shares aren’t getting hit too hard today, the first session after it released its latest quarterly results. The stock was recently down a bit less than 1% as broader markets were mixed.
Michael Nagle / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Is that a mark of confidence, or concern? It’s hard to say. The company said it expects 2026 same-store sales to come in flat. It also said it’s sticking with previously announced plans to open as many as 370 new restaurants, most of them in the U.S.
“It’s still very early in the year, and consumer trends have been really tough to predict,” CFO Adam Rymer said on a conference call late Tuesday, a transcript of which was provided by AlphaSense. “We wanted to be conservative in our full-year guide to account for this.”
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 11:42 AM EST
Casino, Gambling Stocks Surge as Online Sports Revenue Powers BetMGM Results
FROM 1 hr 17 min ago
A jump in sports betting revenue is lifting shares of BetMGM’s owner on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.
Shares of MGM Resorts International (MGM) soared 12% Wednesday while those of Entain surged 10% in London trading after their co-owned BetMGM reported strong fiscal 2025 results.
BetMGM’s Online Sports revenue jumped 63% year-over-year to $903 million, while its iGaming increased 24% to $1.83 billion. The company reported EBITDA of $220 million, swinging from a loss of $244 million in fiscal 2024, and net income of $175 million, up from a loss of $291 million.
“BetMGM’s meaningfully improved profitability and material EBITDA generation now sees us returning cash to our parent companies and marks a clear inflection in our growth trajectory,” BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said. “Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the strong underlying metrics and health of the business continue to reinforce our confidence in our outlook as we enter the next phase of growth.”
Shares of casino operators Wynn Resorts (WYNN) and Las Vegas Sands (LVS) were up about 5% and 4%, respectively, while those of sports gambling firms DraftKings (DKNG) and FanDuel parent Flutter Entertainment (FLUT) advanced a respective 4% and 3%.
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February 04, 2026 11:13 AM EST
Not Everyone Can Claim the New Car Loan Interest Deduction: What You Need To Know
FROM 1 hr 46 min ago
If you purchased a new car in 2025, you may be able to deduct part of your loan payment from your taxes.
A new tax credit in the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” allows taxpayers to deduct part of the interest paid on a car loan from their 2025 taxes. Taxpayers can subtract up to $10,000 from their taxable income, reducing the amount they owe.
However, only car loans for new vehicles that underwent final assembly in the United States qualify. In 2025, about 30% of the vehicle models for sale in the U.S. finished assembly in the country, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Hyoung Chang / The Denver Post
Taxpayers can use the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s VIN Decoder to find out where a car was finally assembled. The vehicle identification number, VIN, is a 17-character number that can typically be found on the driver’s side of the car’s dashboard or side door. The VIN can also be found on the vehicle’s insurance card or title, and the number must be included when taxpayers claim the car loan interest deduction.
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February 04, 2026 10:04 AM EST
AMD’s Stock Takes a Hit Despite Solid Earnings. What Happened?
FROM 2 hr 55 min ago
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) investors are becoming harder to impress.
Shares of the chipmaker sank over 13% in early trading Wednesday, despite fourth-quarter results that topped Wall Street’s estimates. Record revenue of $10.27 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $1.53 each came in better than expected.
Caroline Brehman / AFP / Getty Images
However, a surprise boost from sales of AMD’s MI308 chip to customers in China may have raised concerns about “more muted growth” across the rest of the company’s AI sales, Wedbush analysts said following the results. The analysts also warned AMD could still face a number of challenges to securing more sales in China amid shifting export restrictions of advanced chips.
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 09:38 AM EST
How to Choose the Best Repayment Plan After SAVE: A Borrower’s Guide
FROM 3 hr 21 min ago
If you’re one of the millions of student loan borrowers currently enrolled in an embattled repayment plan, you will need to make changes to your accounts soon.
In December, the Department of Education announced it will eliminate the Saving on a Valuable Education repayment plan, also called SAVE. The official end date for this income-driven repayment plan, which impacts about 7.4 million borrowers, has not been announced. However, once SAVE is gone, its borrowers will need to find a new repayment plan.
Investopedia / Photo Composite by Elizabeth Guevara / Getty Images
Student loan borrowers can use the Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator to compare repayment plans. Borrowers can enter their income, family situation, and loan balance into the tool to see their monthly payments under each offered repayment plan, when they would finish payments, and how much interest they would accrue over their repayment term.
Here is an overview of the current and future repayment plan options.
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 08:40 AM EST
The Super Bowl Isn’t for Days. The Excitement Around the Ads Is Already Here
FROM 4 hr 19 min ago
Companies are encouraging football fans to do some pregaming.
Brands are teasing Super Bowl commercials, encouraging those who can’t wait for the Seattle Seahawks to take on the New England Patriots next weekend—or for the glitzy ads and elaborate half-time show associated with the championship. The Super Bowl, one of the most-watched television events around, generates millions of dollars in ad revenue from firms looking to get in front of its audience.
Kevin Carter / Getty Images
Brands selling everything from software to snacks are trying to build buzz for their Super Bowl LX ads before they air. Real estate listing company Redfin released footage of musician Lady Gaga performing the theme song from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for its upcoming ad. Svedka vodka shared a clip of a dancer teaching choreography to a robot slated to perform in a commercial. Budweiser, a Big Game advertising fixture, published an entire 60-second ad—starring a young Clydesdale horse and baby bald eagle—ahead of Sunday’s broadcast.
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 08:09 AM EST
AI Has Eliminated Entry-Level Jobs But These Graduate Careers Are Still Flourishing
FROM 4 hr 50 min ago
Recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree, but having a hard time finding a job? Going to graduate school in these fields may lead you to some better prospects.
This year, the labor market has been slow to add workers, with tariffs stifling many companies’ abilities to hire. Additionally, a significant factor contributing to the slowing labor market, particularly for recent college graduates, is the growing presence of AI in the workforce. Those factors have pushed many students to turn to graduate school instead of immediately entering the labor market.
Maskot / Getty Images
However, some graduate degree programs may offer you better job prospects than others.
Of those with a graduate degree, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors are expected to be in high demand over the next several years, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lawyers and career counselors are also projected to have plenty of jobs to choose from.
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 07:48 AM EST
Millions of Legal Immigrants Are About to Lose Access to Government Loans for Small Businesses
FROM 5 hr 11 min ago
The Small Business Administration is cutting off lending to any business with any amount of non-citizen ownership, excluding more than 5 million business owners from federal loans.
Starting March 1, the SBA will no longer lend to businesses if any of their ownership is not a citizen, down from the 5% foreign ownership currently allowed. The move, announced Monday, is the latest step in President Donald Trump’s efforts to cut off legal immigrants from government funding and services. Before Trump took office again in 2025, the SBA gave out loans to businesses as long as they were at least 51% owned by citizens or lawful permanent residents. (Illegal immigrants were already excluded.)
Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg / Getty Images
By removing the ability of lawful permanent residents to receive loans, the SBA is potentially affecting millions of businesses.
The SBA does not publicize how much of the $44.8 billion its two largest programs lent in fiscal 2025 went to noncitizen business owners. However, according to the Census Bureau, noncitizens make up a significant percentage of small business owners: in 2023, 5.2 million owner-operators were not citizens, or 15.9% of all non-employer businesses in the country.
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 07:23 AM EST
Texas Instruments Calls $7.5B Acquisition of Silicon Labs ‘Significant Milestone’
FROM 5 hr 36 min ago
Texas Instruments CEO Haviv Ilan believes the company’s roughly $7.5 billion acquisition of Silicon Laboratories is a “significant milestone.” Silicon Labs shareholders are rejoicing.
Silicon Labs (SLAB) stock soared 25% in premarket trading after Texas Instruments (TXN) acquired the smaller semiconductor firm for $231 per share.
“The acquisition of Silicon Labs is a significant milestone that strengthens our long-term embedded processing strategy,” Ilan said. “Silicon Labs’ leading embedded wireless connectivity portfolio enhances our technology and IP, enabling greater scale and allowing us to better serve our customers.”
Desiree Rios / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Texas Instruments, whose shares declined 3%, plans to fund the transaction with a combination of cash on hand and debt financing. It sees the deal closing in the first half of 2027 and expects it to be accretive to its earnings, minus transaction-related costs, in the first full year post-close.
The Financial Times had reported yesterday that Texas Instruments was in advanced talks to acquire Silicon Labs.
February 04, 2026 06:50 AM EST
100% Stocks? One Expert Makes the Case for an All-Equity Portfolio in Your Working Years
FROM 6 hr 9 min ago
Investing for retirement often means balancing growth with stability. For many investors, it makes sense to hold a portion of their portfolio in conservative assets, such as bonds, to reduce volatility and risk.
However, James Choi, a professor of finance at Yale, suggests that people should keep 100% of their portfolios in stocks for most of their working lives.
Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty Images
In a recent podcast episode of the ‘Behavioral Divide with Hal Hershfield’, Hershfield asked the economist what financial advisors could learn from academics. Choi explained that traditional financial advice is often too conservative when it comes to asset allocation.
“The reason is that a lot of the advice out there does not take into account the biggest economic asset that working people have: their working capital. In other words, the future stream of wage income and Social Security retirement benefits they have coming to them,” Choi said. “The thing to realize is that shocks to your labor income or Social Security benefits are uncorrelated with the stock market’s return.”
Read the full article here.
February 04, 2026 06:23 AM EST
Stock Futures Tick Higher After Indexes Tumble
FROM 6 hr 37 min ago
Futures contracts connected to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were fractionally higher.
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S&P 500 futures pointed up 0.1%.
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Nasdaq 100 futures were 0.3% higher.
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