The 2026 midterm elections was a decisive victory for Democrats, who won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. With Republicans retaining the White House, the election results bring a period of divided government starting in January.
Wall Street's initial reaction has been enthusiastic. As of this writing (Nov. 4), the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) surged more than 1,500 points during morning trading, while the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) and Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) also rallied.
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 »
Beneath the broader market's gains, investors are undoubtedly repositioning their portfolios. Artificial intelligence (AI) hyperscalers like Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta Platforms are surging, while many semiconductor stocks and data center operators are plunging.
The contrasting performance reflects uncertainty about how the election could affect AI and adjacent industries. For investors wondering whether to change their portfolios following the election, Warren Buffett's advice about mixing politics and investing is particularly relevant.

#election

Although the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has been the hottest trend in decades on Wall Street, it's not the only catalyst lifting the broader market. Investor euphoria for high-profile stock splits has also played an important role.
A stock split allows a public company to alter its share price and outstanding share count by the same factor without affecting its market cap or underlying operating performance. Within a span of just eight days, two historic AI stock splits were announced by Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Sandisk (NASDAQ:SNDK), which are set to undertake their first-ever forward splits, respectively.
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 »
Image source: Getty Images.
Until recently, Mark Zuckerberg's Meta was the only member of the "Magnificent Seven" that hadn't split its stock. That changed with the company's Oct. 21 quarterly report, which unveiled the creation of a new class of stock.

#signal

Bill Ackman says Pershing Square (NYSE:PS) owns about 10% of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and sees 10x potential in the stocks.
Ackman calls a release "a political imperative" and says a president can do it by executive order, even if midterms go against the President.
Taxpayers get paid first: Treasury's senior preferred stake carries a $238 billion liquidation preference, and warrants cover 80% of common stock.
Read More: Learn 7 ways to generate income with a $1,000,000+ portfolio (sponsor)
Bill Ackman says the White House has a historic trade within reach. "It will be the greatest real estate deal of all time," the founder of Pershing Square (NYSE:PS) said of releasing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government conservatorship. The Motley Fool's report of Pershing Square's third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, Nov. 3 noted he estimated the move would create half a trillion dollars of value, 80% of it held by taxpayers. He called that estimate conservative.

#taxpayers #learn

For the first time in 60 years, Warren Buffett watched someone else lead Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRKA)(NYSE: BRKB) annual meeting. That doesn't mean Buffett was absent from that May 2 event, though. He was there on the sidelines and had time to field questions in an unofficial capacity.
In a CNBC interview that day, Buffett was asked whether stocks felt expensive. His answer was that he had never seen people more in the mood to gamble and that "prices for an awful lot of things will look very silly."
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 »
Warren Buffett is and always has been a long-term investor. But if things are about to get "silly," should investors adjust their portfolios?
More than 1,000 new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have launched in 2026 so far. A lot of them involve leverage, ultra-short-term options, and ridiculously high yields. In other words, they're the kinds of products that don't resemble anything that Warren Buffett would consider.

#warren #years

For questions about this article or underlying research, email helptrefis.com.
Between October 6 and November 4, 2026, NVIDIA (NVDA) stock fell 16.3% while the S&P 500 lost 1.6%. Anyone thinking of buying wants to know whether that drop is a chance or a warning. The answer depends less on demand, which management says is larger than NVIDIA can supply, than on what meeting that demand will cost the company. First, how strong is NVIDIA's business right now?
NVIDIA's Sales Growth Has Sped Up Four Quarters Running
The latest results show a very strong business. Revenue rose 105.9% from a year earlier to $96.2 billion in fiscal Q2 2027, the quarter that ended July 26, 2026. Growth had been 62.5% in fiscal Q3 2026, and it accelerated in each quarter after that. That 62.5% was itself up from 55.6% in fiscal Q2 2026. NVIDIA also keeps an unusual share of its sales as profit. Its operating margin over the last twelve months was 65.2%, against 18.7% for the S&P 500.
Investors pay 25.1 times NVIDIA's earnings over the last twelve months, against 22.8 for the S&P 500. A multiple only a little above the broader market reflects profits that more than doubled in a year. Net income over the last twelve months was $193 billion, against $86.6 billion a year earlier. If profits fell back, the same share price would mean a higher multiple.

#fiscal #fell

Several flights across Europe have faced bomb threats, officials have said.
An Aer Lingus Airbus A320 plane which departed Dublin on Thursday morning issued an emergency alert, diverted and landed at Evreux air base in northern France.
Meanwhile, Finnish airline Finnair said there was a bomb threat against one of its planes travelling from Helsinki to the Italian capital on Thursday. It was escorted by air force jets and landed as scheduled.
It comes just days after eight European flights, including two departing from the UK, were targeted by suspected bomb threats. No explosives were found on any of the planes after searches.
A statement from Aer Lingus confirmed that flight EI402 from Dublin to Rome "diverted to Normandy this morning as a security precaution."

#dublin #threats

Investors are worried. CNN's Fear and Greed Index is at "extreme fear." Inflation remains persistently high, with the ongoing Iran war and tariffs not helping matters. Stock market valuations are frothy by most metrics.
In times of uncertainty, many investors look to safe havens. Utility stocks rank high on the list. But if the stock market crashes, will utility stocks really protect your portfolio?
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 16x 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 »
Arguments for buying utility stocks as a defensive portfolio move make sense. Consumers don't stop using electricity, natural gas, or water during an economic downturn or stock market sell-off.
There's also historical precedent for utility stocks protecting against a market crash. For example, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) sank almost 50% from its peak in early 2000 by October 2002 when the dot-com bubble burst. The Nasdaq-100 index plunged more than 80%. Meanwhile, shares of NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) and The Southern Company (NYSE: SO), both large electric utility providers, jumped more than 20% during the same period.

#utility #Stock #fear #high

Apple stock bought at $25.02 in 2016 now sits at $352.64, leaving a $92,905 embedded gain inside a $100,000 position.
A single filer with zero 2026 income can sell up to $65,550 of long-term gains at 0% federal tax by combining the standard deduction and the 0% bracket.
The gift strategy beats inheritance outright only when the embedded gain is $65,550 or less, with the crossover basis sitting at $34,450 on a $100,000 position.
At the national average savings rate, $40,000 earns about $150 a year. In one of today's top-rated high-yield accounts, the same balance earns $1,200 or more. See the current best rates, side by side.
A 66-year-old widow bought shares of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) in November 2016 at a split-adjusted $25.02. Ten years later the stock trades at $352.64, a 1309.61% gain. Her position is now worth $100,000.

#gain #Apple #Stock #year

Meghan Markle is facing renewed scrutiny following reports that she is preparing to film in Australia. After the **** ss of Sussex and Prince Harry relocated to the UK at the end of August, reports of an upcoming work stint in Australia have led royal commentators to question how the family will manage the transition.
Meghan Markle is set to appear on Junior MasterChef Australia's upcoming season, which will film in Australia in 2027. However, it has not been confirmed whether Prince Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will be joining her. The Sussex children recently changed schools in the UK after their security team raised concerns about their previous commute. The possibility of another move has now prompted questions about how the family's arrangements could work during Meghan's filming commitment.
On The Sun's Royal Exclusive, the **** ss of Sussex was criticized for the possibility of relocating her kids again. "Career-wise for her, it's, you know, it's good news," host Sarah Hewson said. She continued, "What about for the kids who they've just brought over to the UK, got settled in a new school. Is that going to change anything or do we think the kids will be going?" The Sun's royal editor Matt Wilkinson shared his thoughts. "The children thing is a really interesting thing because we know that they've already changed schools once," he said.
Wilkinson added, "They said they were coming back to the UK for the children's schooling. So these are unanswered questions…" The royal editor was unsure whether it would be "an exceptionally long period for Meghan and Harry." He wondered if the Sussexes will take their kids to another school. "Is it going to be another um you know, traffic crisis outside of school in Sydney or Melbourne or something? But yeah, I would really like a little kind of welcome break…," Wilkinson said.
Hewson felt Harry could take the kids for a trip to Australia if it occurs during school days. "[They could] take the kids to go out and see mum while she's working," the royal correspondent explained.

#harry

Archaeologists have finally cracked the code to the famed Ann Francis shipwreck’s brass combination treasure lock. However, the 16th century relic didn’t open after hours of painstaking trial-and-error. Researchers at Cardiff University and Amgueddfa Cymru, the National Museum of Wales, relied on highly detailed CT scanning equipment to peer inside the mechanical device and learn the code without touching the lock itself.
“It’s not every day you get to solve a 400-year-old mystery,” David Williams, a Cardiff University biomechanics engineer, said in a statement.
The lock’s combination was lost on December 28, 1583, when the merchant ship Ann Francis sailed into a powerful storm during a return voyage from Spain. The exact crew number is unclear, but all of them (around 14 sailors) reportedly drowned after veering off-course and wrecking along the coast of southern Wales. Unfortunately, at least one other death is likely directly tied to the Ann Francis. Archival evidence suggests locals later accused a “detestable woman” named Mother Gabley of being an “execrable witch” and casting the foul weather responsible for the maritime tragedy. While Mother Gabley’s fate remains unknown, she would have almost certainly been hanged under the recently passed “Act Against Conjurations, Enchantments and Witchcrafts” if brought to trial.
The Ann Francis remained missing for 415 years, until metal detectorist Peter Hughes rediscovered the wreckage while surveying southern Wales’ Margam Beach in 1998. Hughes and archaeologists subsequently spent more than 20 years scouring the area for the ship’s remains. By 2017, preservationists had documented over 800 gold and silver coins from Germany, Spain, and Portugal along with artifacts like compasses, ship equipment, and cutlery.
Still, the wreck’s most famous remnant is the brass combination lock still in working condition after four centuries buried in sand. It’s possible the lock was used to guard those coins, or potentially other valuables that didn’t survive exposure to the elements. Regardless, the lock has remained close with no hints to its four-letter combination for hundreds of years.

#francis #ship #years

Rihanna has dressed her kids in matching Savage x Fenty PJs, and the cozy photos are already winning hearts. Set against a starry sky and a snowy backdrop, the striped looks give the campaign a dreamy, bedtime feel. What makes the campaign even more memorable is that the tiny pieces are exclusive to three little models, with Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's kids, clearly stealing the spotlight.
Savage x Fenty shared the images on Instagram with a playful caption. It credited the "Sweet Satin Dream" to Rihanna "and the gang." It then added a note: "The tiny satins are exclusive to RZA, Riot, and Rocki."
The campaign marks a first of sorts, as it is the singer's first photo shoot with all three of her children. Her sons, RZA and Riot, are four and three years old, respectively. Her daughter Rocki is the youngest and is one year old.
The photos also promote the brand's collection of holiday-themed onesies. The styling of the campaign is soft and cohesive. Rihanna wears pale pink and deep burgundy striped satin pajamas, with a matching striped sleep mask pushed up on her head. Her children wear the same print in smaller sizes. The baby's set has a ruffled, romper-style cut, while the older two wear ****** on-up tops and trousers.
The set is designed around a nursery with pictures showing a deep blue, star-dotted backdrop, a large paper penguin and a hot-air balloon carrying a bunny. Rihanna and the kids lie on patchwork quilts and fluffy white snow that cover the floor.

#kids #striped

LONDON (AP) — World leaders who have sparred with the "America first" President Donald Trump greeted the rout of his Republican Party in the U.S. midterm elections with a measure of relief Wednesday, allowing themselves to hope for a less combative U.S. foreign policy.
But that hope was seasoned with the expectation that American voters' rebuke would not necessarily end the U.S. conflict with Iran or change Trump's policies on tariffs or his lukewarm-at-best support for Ukraine and America's European allies.
Progressive politicians cast the results as part of a trend of liberal comebacks around the world, following recent defeats for populists on the right in Hungary, Brazil and Serbia.
Spain's social democratic Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wrote on X that Americans had voted "Against hate. Against machismo. Against climate denialism and against the privileges of the elites."
"It happened in Brazil. It just happened in the US. And it will happen soon in Spain," wrote Sánchez, who faces an election Nov. 29.

#nchez #wrote #happened #donald

I've been writing about Social Security for well over a decade. And I've found that there's a lot of misinformation about the program and how it works.
Some people, for example, think all Americans are entitled to Social Security once they reach a certain age and that everyone receives the same monthly benefit. In reality, Social Security benefits are earned by paying taxes on wages. And the amount of Social Security you get in retirement depends on your earnings history and your filing age.
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 »
Image source: Getty Images.
Another big Social Security myth I hear all too often is that it's more than feasible to retire on those monthly benefits alone. I'm here to tell you that if you go that route, you might sorely regret it.

#i 've #monthly #americans

Anyone familiar with Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA) (NYSE: BRKB) probably knows it owns a bunch of individual stocks largely hand-picked by former CEO Warren Buffett, or more recently, with some input from current CEO Greg Abel.
Have you ever thought about how these holdings are taxed though? It's not like a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund, which require a yearly reckoning. As a C corporation, Berkshire's stock holdings are taxed much like an individual investor's are. That is, the capital gains tax bill is incurred for the tax year in which the ****** et is sold.
Missed AI's "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 16x 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 »
Regardless, there's a pretty big future tax liability sitting on Berkshire's books right now. Just don't worry about it if you're a shareholder. It's unlikely you'll even notice when the time comes to sell any of these positions.
As of the middle of this year, Berkshire Hathaway was sitting on $323.8 billion worth of individual stocks, including Coca-Cola, Apple, and American Express. It only paid a total of $106.5 billion for these picks over the course of the past many years, however, translating into unrealized net gains of $217.3 billion that will eventually become realized, taxable gains. For perspective on that figure, Berkshire's total market cap at the time was $1.1 trillion. All of these numbers have changed somewhat since then, although not by much.

#individual

Dutch Bros Executive Chairman Travis Boersma sold 2.39 million shares worth about $106.4 million.
Dutch Bros' Q3 revenue rose 30% to $549.8 million, but EPS missed Street estimates.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment jumped to 'extremely bullish' from 'bearish'.
Dutch Bros Inc. (BROS) stock plunged overnight as third-quarter (Q3) earnings miss and a $106.4 million stock sale by Executive Chairman Travis Boersma rattled investors, overshadowing revenue growth even as retail traders doubled down on the coffee chain's long-term potential.
Dutch Bros stock traded over 15% lower overnight. The stock had registered gains for the past three weeks.

#bros #Stock #executive #travis

Kate Middleton has reportedly had enough of the friction with Queen Camilla. While observers have long speculated that Prince William and Kate maintain reservations regarding Camilla's history within the family, the Prince and Princess of Wales have historically maintained a cordial public relationship with the Queen. A new report claims that dynamic has shifted, with Middleton reaching her limit as behind-the-scenes tensions escalate into an outright royal standoff.
Kate Middleton is reportedly gearing up for a fresh battle against Queen Camilla and appears unwilling to back down. Although Kate and Camilla stood together at a state banquet held in honour of the Sultan of Oman last week, it seems that things are not quite as they appear.
According to a latest report by Heat World, William and Kate have started increasing their public appearances and their willingness to be photographed. This is reportedly not going down well with Camilla, who is starting to feel the heat.
A source attached to the outlet revealed that the Queen is very nervous about what the future holds for her when William and Kate take over the crown. This has seemingly led to explosive tensions with King Charles, who has found himself stuck between his wife and son.
Camilla feels that William and Kate have been too eager to step in and take charge of the royal throne. The Queen Consort worries that they are looking to push her out. The source also claimed that Camilla believes Kate has deliberately excluded her from meetings, limiting her involvement in royal decisions.

#royal #prince #heat

Mckenna Grace has been bringing some serious glamor to her latest press appearances. The actress stepped out in a striking gold ensemble while promoting "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping" in Spain. Her appearance on the Spanish television show "La Revuelta" was all about making a statement. She wore a daring outfit that perfectly complemented the occasion, featuring a micro minidress with a slit and a cutout.
For the appearance, McKenna Grace wore a stunning Sau Lee Caspian Jacquard Print Dress that combined a body-hugging silhouette with several eye-catching details. The metallic gold micro minidress featured a textured jacquard finish. This shimmered under the studio lights, giving the outfit a luxurious appearance.
However, the most striking feature was the massive cutout across the chest. The dress featured a halter-style neckline that wrapped around her neck before opening into a dramatic asymmetrical cutout. A small slit along one side of the skirt added another playful detail. This allowed the minidress to reveal even more of her legs as she moved around the television set.
Grace paired the gold number with sheer black tights and glossy black pointed-toe heels. The darker accessories created a striking contrast against the shimmering fabric while keeping the attention on the dress. Her blonde hair was styled into a sleek, low ponytail with a neat side part. She completed the look with gold-toned statement earrings from Sonia Petroff, which complemented the metallic finish of the outfit.
The Sau Lee dress also seemed particularly fitting for her upcoming film. Its rich golden color and textured appearance subtly echoed the extravagant fashion **** ociated with the Capitol in "The Hunger Games" universe. While the outfit was not presented as a direct reference to the franchise, its dramatic silhouette felt appropriate for the dystopian world.

#Gold #striking #cutout

Chris Sullivan shocked former "This Is Us" co-stars Mandy Moore and Sterling K. Brown with a confession about his "biggest" role to date: the GEICO "Hump Day" camel.
During Tuesday's episode of the "That Was Us" podcast, Sullivan told his co-hosts that the insurance company had decided to bring back his commercial, in which he voiced a camel declaring it's "Hump Day" over and over again.
"They brought my commercial, back by the way. Hump Day," he noted after Wednesday being called "Hump Day" was mentioned by his peers.
"What?" a genuinely confused Moore asked, prompting Sullivan to say, "You know I'm the GEICO camel?"
"You're what? You're the GEICO camel?" the "Candy" singer responded in disbelief. At this moment, Brown admitted this was news to him too, noting, "You know what? I don't think I knew that either, but like now that you say it."

#sullivan #you 're #commercial

Tuesday's midterm vote is behind us, and chip stocks came into it bruised. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) ended Election Day at $518.52. That was around 22% under the fund's highest close ever, set on June 22, but it still left the fund up about 44% in 2026.
What have chip stocks usually done over the 12 months after a midterm vote?
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 »
I went back to the PHLX Semiconductor Index, a widely watched chip benchmark with daily data going back far enough to cover the past eight midterms. For each one, I compared the index's close on Election Day to its close on the same date a year later, on price alone.
The record's impressive. But I think where chip stocks start this time is a reason to lower expectations.

#election #midterm

Prince William and Prince Harry have each paid a tribute to Princess Diana, though not side by side. Both brothers backed their late mother's charity with personal messages to the winners of The Diana Award, while also extending her legacy through the causes they champion. Their separate letters, however, say plenty about the ongoing feud between the two.
According to People, the Prince of Wales, 44, and the Duke of Sussex, 42, wrote congratulatory letters to the newest winners of The Diana Award. The letters, however, went out separately. Each of the 198 recipients, drawn from 44 countries, received one from each prince.
According to the charity, the winners were recognised for creating "positive change in their communities and beyond." Dr. Tessy Ojo CBE, the charity's chief executive, also praised the group. "These young people are proof that, whatever their background or circumstances, the desire to make a difference is universal," she said.
However, reports from Page Six suggest that the common gesture does not appear to signal a thaw. The brothers last appeared together at a public engagement in July 2021, when they unveiled a statue of Diana at Kensington Palace on what would have been her 60th birthday. Since then, they have seemed distant at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and at a 2024 memorial service for their uncle.
While they are now in the same country again, they are not believed to be in contact. Harry has spoken about the rift. "I want it to work out. Of course I do," he said, while also admitting that reconciling is hard. The escalation of tensions can be traced to 2020, when Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down as senior working royals.

#prince #according #people #side

Bad news for "Star Wars" fans: Adam Driver is squashing any possibility of returning as Kylo Ren to the galaxy.
On a recent episode of "The Rich Eisen Show," Eisen asked Driver if he thought he'd ever play the villain in the franchise again. The "Girls" actor responded: 'Yeah, it's over… No more 'Star Wars.'" We "tried to do one more," said Driver "but they're like, 'No, he's dead,'" referring to Disney studio executives Bob Iger and Alan Bergman, who rejected a screenplay for a standalone movie centered on Kylo Ren that he'd pitched with Steven Soderbergh.
More from Variety
'Misty Green' Review: Chris Rock Tells the Story of a Party-Girl Actress, Brilliantly Played by Rosalind Eleazar, in the Best Movie About Hollywood in Years
Adam Driver Turns Down So Many Marvel Movie Offers That It's 'Become a Tradition' at the Studio to 'Zoom With Him and Then He Passes'

#star #studio #rich

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have to rethink their plans for a lavish home in the UK. The Sussexes reportedly have their sights set on a sprawling country estate for privacy and entertaining. But the £10 million price tag may be putting that plan out of reach. Their property search has now raised questions about what they can comfortably afford.
According to Rob Shuter's Naughty But Nice, the Duke and ***** ss of Sussex have been eyeing a £10 million (approximately $13 million) country property in the Cotswolds. However, an unnamed source claims their budget may not stretch to the kind of estate they want.
"They have champagne tastes, but the bank balance isn't matching the ambition," a source told Rob Shuter. "They want a magnificent country estate where they can entertain, enjoy privacy and live the lifestyle they imagine for themselves. But a £10 million house is simply beyond their reach right now."
Another insider claims their search has met with a roadblock. "Their house hunt has effectively stalled. They haven't found anything they both love that they can realistically afford," another insider revealed to Naughty But Nice. "It's extraordinary that a couple who talk so much about independence are once again relying on a billionaire friend to provide them with somewhere to live."
The couple's existing properties could also factor into their plans. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue to own their $14.5 million Montecito mansion in California. While selling it could potentially free up funds for a UK purchase, the report does not suggest that they are preparing to put it on the market.

#country #prince #meghan

A $310,000 taxable gain from selling an S&P 500 fund pushes a single filer's MAGI to $390,000, triggering $6,355 in annual Medicare IRMAA surcharges two years later.
Selling all at once costs $13,575 in combined surcharges and investment taxes, which is cheaper than splitting the sale over two or three years due to compounding IRMAA brackets.
Rebalancing stocks to bonds inside a traditional or Roth IRA avoids MAGI impact entirely, since those trades never appear on Form 1040.
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Consider a hypothetical 68-year-old who bought an S&P 500 index fund in a taxable brokerage account in 1996. He now wants less stock risk and plans to sell and move into bonds. The 10-year Treasury yielded 4.91% on November 2, so the switch looks reasonable. For a sense of scale, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY) has risen 466.8% in price since November 1999 alone.

#irmaa #november #years #bonds

Midterms tend to be backlash elections, and the president's party almost always loses seats when voters return to the polls to judge his performance in office.
But not all midterms are created equal.
On Tuesday, Democrats comprehensively routed their Republican rivals, regaining control of the U.S. House, U.S. Senate and statehouses across the country. Along the way, they shattered a series of decades-long Republican winning streaks and notched several historic firsts.
So just how big was this year's blue wave (or "blue tsunami")?
The full scale and scope of the Democratic Party's seismic victory is still coming into focus as officials tally every last vote. But here are some key numbers to help you put it into perspective:

#republican #blue #along

Democrats in Congress gained the power Tuesday night to more forcefully investigate President Trump and rein in his agenda, setting up confrontations that are likely to define the final two years of his presidency.
As party leaders on Wednesday celebrated retaking the House and Senate, they vowed to put Trump and his administration on the defensive with subpoenas and hearings, a role that voters made clear they want them to play. But they also said the top priority would be the issue that swept them to power: making life more affordable.
"We are going to work hard to drive costs down with the president or without him, period," Sen. Chuck Schumer, who is poised to become Senate majority leader, said at a news conference.
Schumer's fellow New Yorker and the House Democratic leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, echoed those priorities on CNN: "We ran on affordability, we won decisively on affordability, and now we have a responsibility to govern on affordability."
With power split between the legislative and executive branches, to what degree Washington avoids gridlock will depend on how Trump wields his veto pen and how the Democrats negotiate with him — and how they follow through on pledges to investigate what they called a corrupt administration.

#democrats #president #administration #leader

Stocks soared Wednesday as investors reacted to a clean sweep by Democrats in the midterm election.
Stocks were initially down when results started to roll in Tuesday night, in part due to fears of a data center crackdown, but futures turned green later in the evening, and all three major indexes soared on Wednesday.
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 »
It wasn't immediately clear why stocks jumped on the results, though it appeared to be a combination of several factors. Investors were glad to see pushback on the Trump administration validated, including on inflation and the war in Iran. Investors tend to like a divided government, and with Democrats gaining solid control of both houses of Congress, they clearly have that. Finally, President Trump was surprisingly conciliatory, saying he would "absolutely accept the results of the election," and was willing to work with Democrats, which could pave the way to a productive Congressional term.
Among the winning sectors today was housing, which has languished over the last two years due to high mortgage rates and weak housing turnover. The State Street SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (NYSEMKT:XHB) closed up 5.4%, reaching its highest point in more than two months, while Home Depot (NYSE:HD) and Lowe's (NYSE:LOW), the two leading home improvement retailers, were up as well. Home Depot finished up 6.5%, and Lowe's jumped 7.5%.

#home

Ever since I started managing my own household, I'd dreamed of having a membership to Costco.
Friends with memberships told me about the beautiful fruits and vegetables, amazing deals on alcohol and bargains on peanut ****** er and coffee. I ogled Pinterest meal plans where people would extol the value of Costco.
Costco sounded like a foodie paradise. But since it was just my husband and me, I couldn't justify the annual expense of the $65 membership, not knowing whether we'd be able maximize it. Would the membership be worth it, even though we weren't shopping for a big family?
Then, my husband and I adopted a dog, and his foster mom recommended purchasing Costco dog food because of its quality and value. That's when we decided to take the plunge and buy a membership.
Since then, I've enjoyed shopping at Costco as much as I thought I would, although there's been a bit of a learning curve.

#costco #membership #value #husband

When a whole life policy lapses with an unpaid loan, the IRS taxes the entire loan-wiped-against-cash-value gain as ordinary income, even if you received no money.
Carol's $110,000 loan against $60,000 in premiums creates $50,000 of phantom taxable income, costing roughly $11,086 in federal taxes plus up to $1,148 more in Medicare premiums.
Keeping the policy in force until death avoids the tax bill entirely, since death benefits pay off the loan without generating a 1099-R.
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Picture a Form 1099-R showing up in January from an insurance company Carol hasn't thought about in years. She's 71. Decades ago she bought a whole life policy, borrowed against it when money got tight, and then put it out of her mind. The form says she took a distribution. She never got a check, but the tax is still hers to pay.

#policy #income #form

Recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show that Berkshire Hathaway purchased an additional $27 million in one of its top 20 holdings, SiriusXM (NASDAQ:SIRI).
The purchases were made between Oct. 30 and Nov. 3 for an average price of roughly $29 per share.
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 »
The satellite radio company Sirius now accounts for 1.1% of Berkshire's massive, roughly $368 billion equity portfolio, and Berkshire controls over 37% of Sirius's outstanding shares.
Berkshire has owned a significant stake in Sirius for quite a while, but when Liberty Media split off Sirius XM and two of its tracking stocks in 2024, Berkshire went in again, purchasing another $1.2 billion of Sirius stock in early 2024.

#roughly

Over the last few years, the stock market has become concentrated among a relatively small cohort of technology companies. These companies have an unusually strong influence over the direction of the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), making investor sentiment toward artificial intelligence (AI) particularly important to the broader market's performance.
As of Nov. 3, a little more than one-third of the S&P 500 is composed of the "Magnificent Seven" stocks -- Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and Tesla. This concentration is important heading into Friday, Nov. 6, when two potentially market-moving events are scheduled.
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 »
The October jobs report is scheduled to publish before the opening bell, while billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk will take the stage at a major investment conference later that afternoon. Here's why I'm predicting Nov. 6 could become a consequential trading day on Wall Street.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release the October employment report at 8:30 a.m. ET on Nov. 6. This report provides investors with several important economic indicators, including nonfarm payroll growth, the unemployment rate, and changes in average hourly earnings. These figures can offer clues about the health of the American economy and the Federal Reserve's next moves on interest rates.

#NVIDIA #signal #october #market