In this article I use AAII’s A+ Investor Stock Grades to provide insight into three healthcare stocks. With the healthcare sector projected for significant growth, should you consider the three stocks of Cardinal Health (CAH), Pediatrix Medical Group (MD) and Tenet Healthcare (THC)? Healthcare Stocks Recent News The U.S. healthcare services sector is poised for significant expansion, fueled by technological innovations including artificial intelligence (AI). AI is increasingly being applied in areas such as diagnostics, personalized medicine and improving operational efficiency. Precedence Research forecasts that the global AI healthcare market will grow from $26.69 billion in 2024 to $613.81 billion…

How AI Is Transforming Online Shopping This Holiday Season If there’s anyone who should be worried about artificial intelligence making their jobs obsolete, it’s elves. From personalized gift-giving recommendations to more targeted marketing campaigns to stronger security measures, AI is stepping in as our secret holiday helper, enhancing holiday shopping from product discovery to checkout. Though in-store shopping still makes up the majority of total retail spending, online shopping is increasing at a faster pace. On Black Friday, online retail sales grew 14.6%, while in-store sales grew 0.7%, and the Mastercard Economics Institute expects online retail sales to grow 7.1%…

Welcome to NerdWallet’s Smart Money podcast, where we answer your real-world money questions. In this episode: Learn how to think about major homebuying decisions like shopping for title agencies, managing home equity, and when to buy a house with cash.How do you choose the right title agency for your home purchase? Should you buy a house outright with your savings or take on a mortgage? Hosts Sean Pyles and Sara Rathner discuss the pros and cons of these key housing decisions to help you make smarter choices. They’re joined by housing Nerd Kate Wood to demystify title agencies, offering tips…

The latest development in a heated years-long legal battle between Utah-based brokerage Alpine Securities and its regulator, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), has added more uncertainty over the future of market regulation. On November 22, a three-judge panel in the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that while FINRA can move forward with its expedited proceeding to expel Utah penny stock clearing firm Alpine Securities from membership, it cannot do so without approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The move hamstrings one of the most prominent financial regulatory bodies in the United States, especially at a time when…

Saving for big dreams—a house, car or wedding—doesn’t mean surviving on ramen, but it does take thoughtful planning. Inflation is driving up costs, so being a savvy saver is crucial. Start by watching your savings and debt: through high-yield savings accounts, which currently pay close to 5%, reducing credit card debt, with APRs higher than 23%, is a good first step toward reaching your financial goals. Juggling multiple savings goals? Balance is key. Save 20% for a new car or 10% for a used one, but don’t ignore other dreams—small contributions keep progress alive. It’s about momentum, not perfection. Let’s…

The battle to get here was certainly an uphill one, but people are generally feeling better about the economy and their finances than they once did. On top of that, the economy has been easing into an ideal, Goldilocks-like position — not running too hot or cooling too quickly. Throughout 2024, consumer sentiment data showed people were fairly positive about the economy and their own finances, even if there’s remaining frustration over elevated prices compared to four years ago.Looking ahead, households are feeling more optimistic about their personal finances in the next year, as the share of those expecting to…

In October TD Bank pled guilty to both civil and criminal charges including conspiring to violate the Bank Secrecy Act related to money laundering. As a condition of the settlement, TD Bank will pay a $1.8 billion criminal penalty which when added to the civil fines brings the total to $3 billion dollars that the bank will pay to settle these charges. The terms of the settlement require TD Bank to cooperate in full with the continuing investigation of the Justice Department into the activities of TD Bank’s officers, directors and employees in regard to the money laundering violations that…

Our nation’s student debt crisis is a multi-faceted issue with several factors that make it considerably worse over time. Rooted in the problem is the rising costs of higher education, which are difficult for families to estimate or plan for. There are also more and more college degrees that have a negative return-on-investment (ROI) each year, which leave students paying huge sums for degrees that don’t lead to higher earnings or better job opportunities. There’s also a problem when it comes to both federal and private student loans, both of which can allow students or their families to borrow considerable…

Let’s start with a question. Do you agree with this statement? People, in general, are more often SOLD goods and services rather than BEING A THOUGHTFUL CONSUMER. In today’s US economy, goods and services are largely made up of layers of sales processes. The further removed from the original source, the more layers and fees become involved. If you purchase a used car directly from the person selling it, you will likely get the best deal because the seller doesn’t have to pay any commissions or have a facility to maintain. If the owner of the car has a dealership…

Millions of borrowers may see big increases to their monthly student loan payments next year, as several key Biden administration initiatives are imperiled or will expire in 2025. Many borrowers with federal student loans have been in income-driven repayment, or IDR, plans. IDR plans use formulas applied to a borrower’s income and family size to calculate their payment amount, with annual adjustments. Typically, a borrower may qualify for student loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years in repayment. However, many borrowers in IDR plans may be in for an unexpected jump in their monthly payments next year. And for some,…