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When you think about what it means to be rich, specific images may come to mind. Perhaps you imagine someone on a yacht wearing a Rolex while enjoying champagne and caviar.
But when you try to define what it means to be "rich," the concept becomes more abstract; there's no set dollar amount or single physical ******* et that definitively makes you rich.
In fact, whether or not you're considered rich is largely relative to the value of your income and ******* ets when compared to the wealth of other people around you. For example, when determining if your salary qualifies as lower or upper income, The Pew Research Center considers how much you earn in comparison to people living in your area with the same family size.
Read more: These are the 10 wealthiest states in the U.S. by income

#disclosure #rolex #Research #center

SCHD yields 3.82% with principal at risk daily, while VIG targets dividend growers built to outpace inflation over a long horizon.
Qualified dividends face tax rates between 0% and 20%, compared to up to 37% for savings interest, a gap that can exceed the difference in yields.
High-yield savings protect dollars with FDIC coverage up to $250,000, but rates float and can drop the moment the Fed cuts.
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High-yield savings rates were holding steady on Oct. 8, 2026, according to Forbes. They are holding at a higher level than a month ago because the Federal Reserve raised its target range in September. Online banks use the federal funds rate's upper bound to price their accounts, and it moved from 3.75% to 4.00% on Sept. 16, 2026 and was unchanged as of Oct. 7. On that date the 4-week Treasury bill, the closest market benchmark for overnight cash, yielded 3.95%. Typical banks pay much less. The FDIC national average 12-month CD rate was 1.73% as of Sept. 1, 2026, and top online banks routinely pay a multiple of that average. Rates differ from bank to bank, so the posted APY at your own bank is the number that applies to you.

#savings #sept

Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe have often been compared to one another – and there's now an official reason for that.
It turns out the White Lotus alum, 29, and the late Hollywood icon – who died in 1962, aged 36 – are related.
New research from global family history platform MyHeritage has found that Sydney and Monroe are 9th cousins, once removed.
The connection comes through their paternal lines – Sydney's father, Steven Sweeney, and Marilyn's biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford.
©2002 RAMEY PHOTO

#sydney #sweeney #marilyn #hollywood

The 10-year Treasury yield recently hit its highest level in 24 years at 5.3%. That high yield has income-seeking investors wondering whether to load up on Treasuries while they're at a historically high level.
Here's a look at how much passive income you can generate over the next 10 years on Treasury bonds compared to another popular income-focused investment: the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT:SCHD).
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ***** ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Image source: Getty Images.
A 10-year Treasury bond is a fixed-income investment backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. It's a global financial benchmark that influences the rates of almost all consumer and corporate credit, including mortgages.

#treasury #missed #year #investors

Meghan Markle has turned the launch of her latest As Ever holiday collection into another royal fashion debate. The ***** ss of Sussex modeled a sleek black turtleneck with fitted black pants while posing inside a kitchen for the lifestyle brand's new campaign. However, critics quickly compared the image to a strikingly similar photograph of Princess Diana. The side-by-side pictures prompted accusations of "Diana cosplay," with one commenter declaring that Meghan "never misses a trick."
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As Ever unveiled the campaign image while announcing that the first chapter of its holiday collection was available to shop. In the photograph, Meghan leaned against a kitchen counter with her legs crossed, wearing a fitted black turtleneck and coordinating slim-cut pants. She pulled her hair back into a relaxed updo and smiled away from the camera.
"The Holiday Collection: Chapter One is now open," the brand announced. "Discover our first arrivals of the season, with thoughtful gifts and new favorites for everyone on your list."

#diana

Doctors discuss COVID, flu and RSV vaccines recommended this year.
As the weather turns colder, it also means respiratory virus season is upon the United States.
In its annual outlook report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it expects the 2026-27 respiratory virus season to have a similar number of peak hospitalizations from influenza, COVID-19 and RSV compared to last season.
Public health specialists told ABC News the best way for people to protect themselves against these viruses is to get vaccinated.
Flu vaccine

#season #virus #centers

Sydney Sweeney, Marilyn Monroe related, according to new MyHeritage study appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A new study by MyHeritage revealed that Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney is related to the late Hollywood bombshell Marilyn Monroe.
The study (via The Hollywood Reporter) showed that the actresses are ninth cousins, once removed. Sweeney and Monroe share a mutual ancestor, Ezra Perry (c. 1625–1689). According to the study, Perry was an early English settler in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
MyHeritage director of research Roi Mandel called the discovery "incredible." After all, Sweeney has been compared to Monroe in the past. He raved, "Uncovering their shared branch was incredible, it's a powerful reminder that humanity is one vast family tree, and when we dig deep, we uncover how remarkably interconnected we all are."
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#clutchpoints

The 2020s will go down in history as one of the best times to be a stock market investor. After a brief dip in 2022, the benchmark S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has soared by an average of roughly 21% per year -- double its 100-year average annual return of 10%.
That said, history shows us that significant drawdowns often follow periods of unusually elevated stock market gains as the market reverts to its long-running mean. Let's discuss some of the challenges facing this bull market to try to figure out what might come next.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 14x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our ******* ysts, we're only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
By now, most investors have probably heard about the cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio. This metric compares the price of the S&P 500 with its average inflation-adjusted earnings over the past decade. The long time frame smooths out short-term fluctuations, providing a clearer picture of the market's value relative to historical norms.
Right now, the CAPE ratio stands at 40.5, which is well above its average of 17.4. The other two major peaks occurred before the Great Depression in 1929 and during the dot-com bubble in 1999, when it hit its all-time high of 44.19. Both milestones were followed by substantial declines in equity prices over the subsequent years as the speculative bubbles deflated.

#missed #Stock #long #investors

Jaguar has a lot riding on its new vehicle, the Type 01.
Revealed last night in New York, the new EV sedan is the production version of the Type 00 concept. It retains the hard angles, dramatic long hood, and truncated rear end of the concept, but with slightly normalized proportions.
The conversion to a sedan also makes it more palatable to a broader subset of buyers compared to the concept's coupe design. Inside the cabin is another story, with a "brass floating spine" bisecting the interior and bucket-type seating in the back, creating a four-seat grand tourer.
The specs are impressive, and like most EVs, it boasts abundant power. Jaguar said the swooping sedan will pump out 1,016 hp, hit 0 to 62mph in 3.2 seconds, and have an estimated range of 450 miles.
Read more: How to find the best luxury car insurance

#jaguar #inside #Riding #last

Social Security acts as a financial safety net for many retirees, but it's not enough for most. These government checks were never designed to cover all living expenses. Social Security is a supplemental income source that can keep up with expenses if you combine it with savings.
That's why many people are encouraged to save up before retirement, and the math proves it. Your life in retirement will be very different if you just live on Social Security compared to having $500,000 in savings alongside your government checks. Let's break it all down below.
The average monthly Social Security benefit for retired workers as of mid-2026 was $2,085.98, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). At that rate, you will not pay any taxes on Social Security, ******* uming you do not have any other income sources. You won't even have to worry about state income taxes.
However, that's where the advantages end if you rely exclusively on Social Security. Per Apartment List data, the national median rent was $1,390 in August. That median rent leaves you with less than $700 for groceries, transportation, healthcare, utilities, insurance, debt and miscellaneous purchases.
For most people, the average Social Security is not enough. High-earners can max out their benefits at $5,181 per month if they earned a high salary for most or all of their 35 highest-earning years and wait until 70 to tap into Social Security, per the SSA. That monthly amount offers more room for financial flexibility, but the average is insufficient for most people unless their spouse earns a similar check or they live very frugally.

#income #financial

Kylie Brewer has posted a video on TikTok saying that the people mocking "handouts" want the money without any effort, and the system that would supposedly reward them has been created for some particular white groups.
"This is not something, like, to shame them for their income or anything like that, but that's why they get so p***** off about 'handouts,' because they think that they should be getting everything," Brewer said.
According to Brewer, the racists know that the country favors white people.
"They see the way that America is advantaged towards white people," she explained. "They literally understand that, even though they will deny it to your face. And they want some; they want the money."
The opinions these people form about the country depend on how well they perform compared to Black and brown people.

#brewer #money #TikTok

The 10-year Treasury yield recently touched its highest level in roughly two decades, north of 5.3%, per CNBC.
When the 10-year Treasury yield rises, stocks can become less attractive because investors can earn higher yields on safer bonds, and higher borrowing costs can weigh on companies and their growth. At the same time, older bonds with lower interest rates lose market value compared with newer, higher-yielding bonds.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
In short, this yield is the interest rate the U.S. government pays to borrow for 10 years and is a key benchmark for global borrowing costs and economic outlook.
Here's a difference that matters. A Treasury note pays you the same coupon in year 10 that it pays you in year one. A growing dividend you can find in a stock doesn't sit still. It compounds. Buy the right business today, and the income it hands you a decade from now can be meaningfully larger than what it pays this year, on top of whatever the stock itself is worth by then.

#treasury

Taylor Swift is reportedly generating nearly twice as much jersey search demand as her husband, Travis Kelce. This is according to a new study conducted across the US. The findings highlight how strongly Swift's connection to the NFL star continues to influence interest in football merchandise.
A new ******* ysis by Casino.guru found that searches for a "Taylor Swift jersey" account for around 77% of the search demand recorded for the most-searched NFL player jersey in the country. The figure would place Taylor Swift among the five most in-demand jersey searches if her name were compared directly with NFL players, the study said.
The research also found a notable gap between Swift and Travis Kelce. Searches for Swift's jersey were nearly twice as high as searches for Kelce's jersey across the US. "Search demand for Taylor Swift jerseys is also nearly twice as high as it is for husband Travis Kelce jerseys across the U.S.," Casino.guru data ******* yst Max Barlow wrote in the study. He added that the search volume would "place her inside the top five most in-demand jerseys if compared directly with NFL players."
According to the ******* ysis, Swift also generated more than twice the jersey interest of the state's leading NFL player, Jaxson Dart. However, the study measured online search volume to estimate potential sales interest rather than using audited retail sales figures.
The latest figures contrast sharply with the surge in Kelce's jersey sales after Swift attended one of his games in 2023. Swift watched Kelce play from a suite at Arrowhead Stadium on September 24, 2023. After her appearance, Fanatics told the ******* ociated Press that Kelce entered the NFL's top five jersey sellers. His merchandise sales jumped nearly 400% across Fanatics' sites, according to NPR. Before the surge, Kelce ranked around 19th among NFL jersey sellers.

#jersey #taylor #twice #travis

Henry Phipps built Bessemer Trust in 1907 to professionally manage irrevocable trusts for his five children, and this structure is one that estate lawyers still replicate today.
The 2026 GST exemption hits $15 million per person, letting dynasty trust ******* ets skip transfer taxes across grandchildren and beyond.
Trusts hit the 37% federal tax rate on retained income above just $16,000, compared to $640,600 for individual filers, which makes professional trustees essential.
Building a portfolio and living off one are two completely different skills, and almost ******* ody teaches the second. This problem is what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps, and it is free today. Read more here. (Sponsor)
Henry Phipps co-founded Carnegie Steel with Andrew Carnegie, then spent decades deciding what to do with the money. In 1907, he formed Bessemer Trust as a family office with a staff devoted solely to his family's affairs, and he set up trusts for his five children. The trusts came with professionals hired to run them, and that's the part worth studying. An estate lawyer can still build a modern version, usually called a dynasty trust. Whether a family needs one depends mostly on the size of its estate.

#trust #henry #carnegie

A federal judge has granted final approval to AT&T's $177 million settlement resolving lawsuits over two 2024 data breaches that exposed personal information belonging to millions of customers.
U.S. District Judge Sidney Fitzwater in Dallas approved the settlement Oct. 2, along with $59 million in attorneys' fees for lawyers who negotiated the deal, according to Reuters. The settlement faced dozens of objections, including arguments that the amount was inadequate compared to a $350 million settlement in separate litigation involving T-Mobile.
For AT&T customers who filed valid claims, the amount they receive depends on which data breach affected them, what information was exposed and whether they can document financial losses. Most customers receiving the tiered cash payments are expected to get far less than the settlement's advertised maximums.
Customers could receive between about $6.50 and $40 through the tiered payment system, according to court documents. Here's what to know.
The settlement has two funds totaling $177 million: $149 million for customers affected by the first data incident, known as AT&T 1, and $28 million for customers affected by the second incident, known as AT&T 2.

#million #settlement #information

You might wonder where your monthly Social Security check stands compared to everyone else's. The average monthly benefit for retired workers is $2,071.30 as of December 2025, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). That amounts to about $24,855.60 per year, but this single figure covers a massive range of ages and circumstances.
Age
Overall
Men
Women

#Social #december #administration #women

The US trade deficit jumped to more than $100 billion in August as importers wrestled with a new round of President Trump's tariffs and continued to bring in billions of dollars' worth of components for AI data centers.
The total gap: $105.6 billion, a 13.8% increase from July's revised $92.8 billion deficit, the highest level since early 2025, when importers stocked up ahead of Trump's "Liberation Day" and a later four-month surge in imports that pushed average monthly trade deficits north of $120 billion.
Imports rose in August by 4.3%, compared with a 1.4% increase in exports. The US brought in $420.8 billion in total imports in August against $315.2 billion in exports.
In an **** ysis, Capital Economics said the "sharp rise in imports suggests third quarter GDP growth will be well below our current forecast of 4.0%," suggesting that the final annualized figure could be closer to 2.5%."
"The relatively broad-based rise in goods imports mean net trade was still a drag overall," the group added.

#billion #imports #total #increase

Costco is famously rooted in Washington state, with its headquarters in Kirkland (which is also the name of its signature brand) and its first official store operating out of Seattle's industrial SoDo neighborhood. But did you know that the wholesale club behemoth can trace its true origins much further south, and to a famous connection? As it turns out, a line can be drawn from Costco to Howard Hughes, the famous movie producer, aviator, and eccentric business tycoon.
Among his many properties, Hughes once owned a rather large warehouse in San Diego, California, that was eventually turned into an early wholesale store called Price Club. It went on to merge with Costco in the 1990s, forever cementing the Costco-Hughes connection. Sure, it may not be the strongest celebrity-Costco connection ever, and Hughes himself never set foot inside one of the chain's stores, but it's one that Costco can be proud to have as part of its storied history nonetheless.
Read more: 9 Store-Bought Canned Chili Brands Ranked Worst To Best
Bettmann/Getty Images
While it's unclear exactly how long Howard Hughes' San Diego building served as a hangar, or if any remodeling was done prior to its wholesale club days, what is known is that it reopened as Price Club in the summer of 1976 after being purchased by local businessman Sol Price and his son, Robert. It looks pretty similar today compared to old photos of the building in its Price Club days and as an aviation hangar, with its vaulted ceilings and massive walls. The coolest part though? If you're a history buff in San Diego, you can actually go shop at the Costco that once housed Hughes' airplanes (assuming you're also a Costco member, of course). The store sits on Morena Boulevard, at the exact same address as its preceding incarnations.

#price #connection #famous

Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
According to average rates from the Zillow lender marketplace, fixed and adjustable mortgage rates are moving in different directions compared to Monday, following a shift in rate-hike expectations.
The current 30-year fixed rate today, Tuesday, October 6, 2026, was unchanged at 7.40%, the 15-year fixed rate increased 6 basis points to 6.72%, and the 5/1 ARM decreased 11 basis points to 7.29%.
Read more: Weekly survey of mortgage lenders with the lowest rates: Two lenders hit 8%
Here are the current mortgage rates today, Tuesday, October 6, 2026, according to the latest Zillow data:

#rate #year

Wealthy baby boomers have spent decades building their fortunes—and the foundations, donor-advised funds, and giving traditions that come with them. But as the $124 trillion Great Wealth Transfer gets underway, a growing share of the older generation isn't so sure their kids will carry on tradition the way they hope.
Fewer than half of wealthy Americans (47%) believe the next generation is prepared to take on family philanthropic causes, down from 55% in 2024, according to research from Bank of America released last week. The share of parents who believe their children share their commitment to giving back fell even more sharply to 65% from 76%. The bank surveyed more than 1,430 wealthy individuals in the U.S. aged 21 or older with at least $3 million in investable ******* ets, excluding primary residence.
The confidence gap in philanthropy mirrors a broader anxiety wealth advisors have noticed about whether heirs are ready for any of it.
"This is a very real concern I'm hearing from ultra-affluent families right now," Tom Thiegs, managing director of leadership and legacy at Ascent Private Capital Management with U.S. Bank, told Fortune of parents' fears that wealth could dampen their children's drive. Trent Von Ahsen of Cedar Point Capital Partners also told Fortune his clients are leaning on mentorship and phased wealth transfers rather than lump-sum inheritances.
But the irony is younger donors are, by several of the study's measures, more engaged donors than older generations. Gen Z and millennial donors support an average of 12 charitable causes, compared with eight among wealth donors overall. They're also roughly twice as likely to use a donor-advised fund, and 87% say honoring their family's philanthropic tradition is important. Meanwhile, 86% say it's equally important to establish their own charitable identity.

#advised

U.S. homeowners paid about $633 more on average in property taxes in 2024 compared to 2019, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. Here's what's driving the increase and which states are hit the hardest.
Property taxes are largely determined by a home's ***** sed value and the local tax rate.
The ***** sed value is a dollar amount ***** igned to your home by your local county ***** sor to help determine the property tax. It's not the same as the market value, but it incorporates it.
A higher home market value can mean a higher ***** sed value, which would directly increase its property taxes. And the average market value for a single-family home in the U.S. is $362,210 according to February Zillow estimates — a nearly 55% increase since 2019.
Higher property tax rates may also be behind an increase in real estate taxes. Local governments can raise the rate to cover increases in operational and service costs.

#local #home #average

Kate Middleton is said to be people's favorite, but she might not be able to outshine one royal family member. According to a royal expert, the Princess of Wales has her own unique ways of handling situations compared to the late Princess Diana. It was said that Prince William's mother had raised the bar too high when it came to charity work and fashion. Hence, Middleton has been compared to her mother-in-law several times.
Kate Middleton could reportedly be under "pressure" because of the late Princess Diana's legacy in the royal family. Royal Expert Ingrid Seward talked about her new book, "Catherine & Diana: The Inside Story of how the Princesses of Wales Shaped the Modern Monarchy," with The Royal Observer. She opened up about her thoughts on the Princess of Wales's similarities and differences with Diana.
Seward believes that the former Princess of Wales' legacy might put "pressure" on Middleton's role in the monarchy. Whether it's about fashion or charity projects, Diana had caught attention every time. During the conversation on "Palace Unfiltered," Seward agreed with the journalist, claiming Middleton's role was the "most pressurized."
"It is a really pressurized, or it's become, let's say, a really pressurized position, and I think that is because of the glamour that Diana gave to this role, and no one's ever outshone her." Furthermore, the expert noted that Middleton has, however, never tried to overshadow her mother-in-law. She reportedly once said that she would "make the role my own."
"And what Catherine's been so clever to do is she's just been different. She hasn't tried to outshine her," the author said. Moreover, Seward addressed Middleton's fashion sense, which also seemed to have often drawn attention.

#expert

Chris Rock dished the big "problem with wokeness" is it turned its true believers into coldhearted prudes who are unwilling to forgive people for supposed transgressions, no matter how big or small.
The comedy icon weighed in on the "Woke 1.o era" during a Saturday interview with The New York Times in which he compared it to the Old Testament… or what Jews simply refer to as the Bible.
Rock said it was "great" that society became more concerned with how "marginalized" people are treated in recent years, but he said the movement has gone way too far and become ruthless.
"The problem with wokeness is we're in the Old Testament right now, okay," Rock said. "The Old Testament has no forgiveness. The Old Testament didn't work, so they had to write a remix called the New Testament."
The Interview co-host David Marchese followed up by saying there has been a lot of talk about it lately, especially after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) declared "Woke 1 was crazy!" back in August.

#people

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's security dispute is in the news again after two men were spotted near the new school their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are enrolled in.
The two men, said to be European paparazzi, were described by the Sussexes' spokesperson as exhibiting "extraordinarily reckless" behavior and compared it to the recent security incident at RAF Fairford.
As Prince Harry and Meghan's request for taxpayer-funded police protection is pending RAVEC review, a royal author has branded the way they have handled the recent paparazzi story a "cynical strategy."
Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM / MEGA
Royal author Robert Jobson believes that the way Harry and Meghan have publicly discussed their security incidents could make it hard for the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (RAVEC) to leave their security arrangements as is.

#harry #royal #meghan

Perms, shoulder pads and sequins, the 1980s had some memorable style signatures that were worn by Hollywood icons like Maureen O'Hara, Shelley Winters and Doris Day, who were all in their sixties during this era.
But when you compare their style to how 60-something stars like Julianne Moore and Sandra Bullock look today, it couldn't be more different! Let's take a look…
1/12
Peggy Lee continued to perform during her sixties in the 1980s, and always maintained her signature glamorous look with a platinum blonde wig, animal print outfits and sequin embellishments. She even bedazzled a cane she used for mobility issues with sequins!
Now 65, actress Julianne Moore could easily be mistaken for being much younger with her gorgeous auburn hair and youthful style such as this double denim ensemble.

#look #moore #sixties #hollywood

Opening a Bible that once belonged to Thomas Jefferson, staff at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2011 discovered a reddish-blond hair pressed between the pages. That hair, suspected to have belonged to Jefferson himself, launched a DNA investigation spanning more than a decade that’s now providing a long-missing puzzle piece regarding Jefferson’s relationship with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman in his household.
After spending years reconstructing DNA fragments, scientists have revealed the most compelling evidence to date that Jefferson, a founding father of the United States, also fathered children with Hemings — a relationship that has been long rumored but never definitively proven. How that investigation unfolded is documented in the book “History by a Hair: Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings & Solving a 200-Year-Old Mystery,” written by Richard Kurin, a distinguished scholar and ambassador-at-large at the Smithsonian, and published on September 22.
Kurin is also senior author of a paper describing the methods that connected the former US president to Hemings’ descendants, which involved delving deep into the genetics of the Jefferson and Hemings family trees. The paper, published September 21 on the preprint platform bioRXiv, has not yet been peer-reviewed.
In addition to testing the hair found in the Bible, the researchers also collected genetic material from multiple confirmed samples of Jefferson’s hair, held in the collection of the Smithsonian. They compared that with DNA from descendants of multiple lineages: Jefferson and his wife Martha, Jefferson’s brother Randolph, and two of Hemings’ sons, Eston and Madison. (Hemings had four children who lived to adulthood, but only Eston and Madison claimed Jefferson as their father).
Matches in the DNA suggest the chance that Thomas Jefferson fathered at least one of Sally Hemings’ children was 99.96%.

#jefferson #children #bible #history

For the recently reported second quarter, PicS N.V. (NASDAQ:PICS) outperformed relative to its previous guidance across all profitability metrics. The total account base for the company went up to 70.4 million during the second quarter, showcasing a 10% jump from the prior year. Moving on to the bottom line figures, the adjusted earnings before tax, without factoring in costs ******* ociated with stock-based compensation came in at R$291 million for the quarter. This represented a 2.1% outperformance relative to the company's R$285 million guidance. Similarly, compared to the R$245 million projection, adjusted net income for the period actually stood 15.5% higher at R$283 million.
welcomia/Shutterstock.com
The second quarter concluded with strong financial and operating momentum for PicS. The company recorded a 9% annual and 2% sequential growth in its client base, which went up to 45.4 million active users. The total credit portfolio jumped to R$31.9 billion, exceeding management's guidance by 3%. This outperformance came due to a higher number of mature credit card cohorts, and accelerated origination within secured and partly secured categories. An additional factor that accounted for the credit portfolio growth was management's measured expansion into higher risk areas such as newer platform credit and private payroll lending.
Managerial revenue rose to R$3,730 million, topping guidance by 3.6%, and net interest income reached R$2,002 million, 5.4% above projections, boosted by growing credit income. Total cash in totaled R$136.4 billion, up 17% from a year earlier and 9% from the previous quarter, with customers bringing in an average of approximately R$45.4 billion to the platform each month. Total deposits climbed to R$35.8 billion, a 45% yearly jump and 10% quarterly rise.
Some concerns related to the company's loan portfolio emerged during the quarter. Non-performing loans more than 90 days overdue increased to 9.8% of the credit portfolio during the quarter, up 93 basis points sequentially. Stage 3 exposure, which includes a broader set of credit-impaired loans, reached 12.9% of the total credit portfolio.

#million #credit #quarter #Portfolio

When Christmas rolls around, my wife puts out a very small tree and some stuffed ornaments we bought a few years ago at Target. That's a pretty modest approach to decorating for the holidays compared to many of our neighbors.
At the house we just moved out of, some homes added tasteful lights, others opted for religious displays, and a few opted for a whole lot of inflatables. In some cases, the spending was significant, although many of the items were reused year after year.
Decorations are a small but meaningful part of holiday spending.
Americans planned to spend an average of $1,172 on travel, $632 on gifts, $351 on entertaining, and $227 on decorations, according to a BMO survey conducted before the 2024 holiday season.
Getting those items may be more of a challenge this year, as Gordon Companies, which runs a number of Christmas-themed websites and lists Target, Kohl's, Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, Lowe's, and Michaels as retail partners, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

#christmas #decorations #opted #items

On September 9, 2026, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone and the biggest change to the iPhone's design in nearly 20 years, at the first product launch event led by new CEO John Ternus since he succeeded Tim Cook on September 1. The book-style, passport-shaped device opens into a 7.6-inch display, Apple's largest ever, starts at $1,999 for the 256-gigabyte model and rises to $3,199 for 2 terabytes of storage. This makes it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold, with availability set for October 23.
The iPhone Duo gives Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) a new premium growth opportunity in a mature smartphone market. Apple entered the foldable market with the $1,999 Duo. It creates a new high-end product category within its largest hardware franchise. ******* ysts expect Apple to take a real share of the foldable market. The firm's brand strength and large installed base could help speed up use of foldable smartphones.
The Duo creates a materially different iPhone experience that could encourage upgrades and attract Android users. The device opens to a 7.6-inch display, supports side-by-side multitasking, and offers a tablet-like experience in a pocketable design. Apple also shows the Duo's ******* anium frame, custom hinge, A20 Pro chip, and Apple Intelligence features. It gives customers several reasons to pay a substantial premium for the new form factor.
The launch solidifies Apple's hardware innovation strategy under new CEO John Ternus. The Duo represents Apple's most significant iPhone redesign since the iPhone X. It gives Ternus an opportunity to reignite enthusiasm around the company's hardware portfolio. The product also expands Apple's ability to monetize its ecosystem through higher-value hardware, services, and accessories as customers spend more time using a larger, more versatile iPhone.
The $1,999 starting price could keep the Duo a niche product. Reuters reported that the global foldable market could account for less than 3% of smartphone sales in 2026. ******* ysts expect only about 6 million Duo units as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) enters the category. Even strong market share would turn into a relatively small contribution compared with Apple's broader iPhone business.

#iphone #aapl

On September 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) is recalling 201,976 Jeep vehicles in the U.S., including certain Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models. It happened after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found a software error that can prevent the tire-pressure monitoring system from detecting low tire pressure or alerting the driver, raising crash risk.
Dealers will update the affected radio-frequency hub software free of charge. The recall is the latest in a year that has already included a 1.5-million-vehicle Ram seat-belt recall, a 955,000-vehicle camera-glitch recall in August, and more than 1 million Wranglers and Gladiators recalled in June for fire risk.
The recall should carry a relatively limited direct financial burden because Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:STLA) can fix the defect with a software update. The recall covers 201,976 Jeep vehicles, but Stellantis does not need to replace a physical component. A software-based remedy should reduce parts and labor costs and allow dealers to complete the repair relatively quickly, limiting the recall's immediate impact on earnings and cash flow.
Stellantis has already begun rebuilding its financial performance, giving investors a stronger foundation to absorb another recall. Second-quarter net profit reached €293 million compared with a €1.87 billion loss a year earlier. Revenue surged 13% to €43.5 billion. The business also generated €1 billion in industrial free cash flow during the quarter, showing real improvement as CEO Antonio Filosa executes his turnaround plan.
Strong North American demand shows the recall has not yet undermined demand for Stellantis' key Jeep and Ram products. Second-quarter North American shipments increased 38% to 445,000 vehicles. It was backed up by refreshed models, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee and the Ram 1500. So the company enters this recall with improving volumes and strong demand for several of the brands that matter most to its North American turnaround.

#software