Every weekend, I recap “news you can use” from the week — a handful of quotes from major (and often expensive) financial news sources — so you can stay up to date on the news that affects your money without spending a dime and in less than a minute.

Here’s an overview of what happened this week.

Corporate insiders are sending warning signals about the stock market (July 31, MarketWatch):

Corporate insiders are more bearish than they have been in decades.

That’s worrisome, since insiders presumably know more about their companies’ prospects than the rest of us do. In July, they sold far more of their companies’ shares than they bought.

U.S. economy slowed to 1.5% growth rate in Q2; June core inflation at 3.3% (July 30, CNBC):

Economic growth was weaker than expected in the second quarter while inflation in June held well above the Federal Reserve’s goal, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Key areas of the economy continued to show improvement: Personal spending rose 2.1% after eking out a 0.4% gain in the first quarter, while a key indicator of underlying demand called final sales to private domestic purchasers posted a robust 3.9% increase.

Mortgage Rates Jump to a One-Year High (July 30, Wall Street Journal):

The 30-year fixed rate averaged 6.66% this week, up from 6.58% the week prior, according to Freddie Mac. That marked the fourth consecutive week of rising rates, as intensifying conflict in the Middle East pushed up inflation expectations and a divided Federal Reserve sowed doubt about the path of interest rates.

Meta Falls After Defending AI Bets to Skeptical Investors (July 29, Bloomberg):

The social media giant also reported the lowest free cash flow in years, a sign of ballooning expenses for AI bets, including data centers and smart glasses, which could amount to $145 billion this year.

“I get that this is a big investment and it’s a big bet,” Zuckerberg said. “We see the technology working. We’re happy with the trajectory of the lab. I’m excited about the products that are coming. And we believe that this is going to be a big thing.”

Fed Holds Steady but Three Officials Vote for Rate Increase (July 29, Wall Street Journal):

The Fed held its benchmark rate steady, in a range of 3.5% to 3.75%, in a 9-3 vote. The rate-setting panel issued the same policy statement as it did in June, when it also held rates steady. The decision left Chairman Kevin Warsh’s vow to end the run of above-target inflation to rest for a second straight meeting on words rather than action.

Home prices rose 1.6% in May as high mortgage rates and prices pose ‘significant headwind’ (July 28, Yahoo Finance):

Although national measures of home price appreciation remain sluggish, price trends have diverged around the country. Home prices in many Midwestern and Northeastern cities are still rapidly appreciating, while prices are flat or falling in much of the Southeast and West.

Nasdaq 100 Is Approaching a Correction as Chips Selloff Worsens (July 28, Bloomberg):

The losses are deepening as signs of progress in China’s advanced chipmaking industry compound worries about the sustainability of the AI spending boom.

Oil prices see largest one-day declines in two months after U.S. and Iran pause strikes (July 27, MarketWatch):

The West Texas Intermediate crude contract for September delivery fell more than 5% to $84.06 a barrel, while the front-month contract for Brent crude shed 5.9% to $87.08 a barrel.

The pullback in oil prices came after the U.S. carried out no strikes on Iran for the third night in a row. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told NBC on Sunday that President Donald Trump is giving “some space” for peace talks.

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Every weekend, I recap “news you can use” from the week — a handful of quotes from major (and often expensive) financial news sources — so you can stay up to date on the news that affects your money without spending a dime and in less than a minute.

Here’s an overview of what happened this week.

Trump Unveils New Tariffs Designed to Withstand Legal Scrutiny (July 24, Wall Street Journal):

The new levies target 60 economies, or more than 80 countries, that Greer’s office says represent about 99% of U.S. trade. Countries that have laws on the books to combat forced labor were given a 10% tariff, while those without such statutes were given a 12.5% tariff.

US New Home Sales Rise for First Time in Three Months (July 24, Bloomberg):

The median sales price fell 2.7% from a year earlier to $398,300, marking the fifth month in the last six of year-over-year declines. Sales in the South, the country’s biggest homebuying region, rose 9.9% to 412,000, the highest level since November.

Global oil prices top $100 after Houthis claim strikes on Saudi Arabian tankers (July 23, MarketWatch):

This follows the Iran-backed rebel group’s threat to target Saudi Arabian shipping and block access through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait — and it “effectively hems in” Saudi Arabia into a conflict in which its Persian Gulf neighbors are “already having to deal with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran,” said David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation.

US Initial Jobless Claims Fall to Lowest Level Since 1969 (July 23, Bloomberg):

Initial claims fell by 22,000 to 187,000 in the week ended July 18, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 210,000 applications.

Mortgage rates are rising again, but homebuyers are seeing some advantages (July 22, CNBC):

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances, $832,750 or less, increased to 6.69% from 6.65% …

“For those who want to keep the analysis simple, fuel prices do a good enough job explaining the move. In fact, August gasoline futures also just hit their May 19th highs this week–perfectly aligning with the round trip in rates,” wrote Matthew Graham, chief operating officer at Mortgage News Daily.

There’s a mathematical formula to determining when Trump will TACO — and here’s when a pivot is expected (July 22, MarketWatch):

The term TACO — “Trump always chickens out” — has become a popular, if not always reliable, method to forecast the next turn from the mercurial American president, who’s now leading a new fight against Iran that few see as winnable.

So analysts at a geopolitical advisory firm have created a mathematical formula, using Trump’s well known sensitivity to financial-market moves.

“Extrapolating linearly would suggest that a TACO could happen as early as July 22 and ‘should’ happen no later than July 30 (unless conditions materially improve, which seems unlikely) – with history suggesting July 26 as most likely,” they said.

US 30-Year Yield Raises Alarm in Longest Run Above 5% Since 2007 (July 22, Bloomberg):

Behind the sustained rise in long-dated yields is growing concern about a deteriorating fiscal picture, just as a deluge of issuance to fund artificial intelligence infrastructure is flooding the corporate debt market. That’s stirring comparisons to the era of “bond vigilantes,” popularized in the 1980s when investors dumped government debt, driving yields higher to enforce fiscal discipline.

Global oil prices settle at one-month high despite new Iran ceasefire proposal, as blockade on Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthis keeps market on edge (July 20, MarketWatch):

Prices had taken a dive into the red on Monday early morning after a report of a 10-day ceasefire proposal between the U.S. and Iran sparked a sharp decline in energy prices, but oil later gave back those losses after Houthi militants in Yemen declared a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia.

Miami Is Losing Its Claim to a Cheaper Cost of Living Than NYC (July 20, Bloomberg):

Miami’s cost of living has surpassed New York’s, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis’s latest annual price-comparison report, which examined 2024 data.

What’s more, Miami’s private-school tuition, insurance costs and even restaurant spending are higher than they were a year ago.

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Every weekend, I recap “news you can use” from the week — a handful of quotes from major (and often expensive) financial news sources — so you can stay up to date on the news that affects your money without spending a dime and in less than a minute.

Here’s an overview of what happened this week.

Economic outlook is worsening and Trump is getting blamed, CNBC survey finds (July 17, CNBC):

Amid the angst over rising prices for food and other goods, President Donald Trump’s approval rating is just 40%, with high negatives on his handling of the economy and the war with Iran.

However, the news isn’t much better for Democrats. The party has just a 4-point edge on which party should control Congress.

China’s Moonshot Unveils AI Model That Narrows Gap With US Firms (July 17, Bloomberg):

Chinese AI pioneer Moonshot touted a model that performs on par with some of the top-tier platforms from OpenAI and Anthropic PBC, the latest sign that the Asian country’s artificial intelligence labs are closing a technology gap with the US.

Retail Sales Rose Less Than Expected in June as Gasoline Prices Fell (July 16, Barron’s):

Retail sales rose 0.2% in June from May, the Census Bureau reported Thursday. Compared with a year ago, retail sales were up 6.7%.

That’s slightly below the estimates of economists surveyed by FactSet, who called for a rise of 0.3% month over month in June. May’s retail sales, meanwhile, were revised up to 1.0% month over month.

US Producer Prices Come in Tame as Pipeline Pressures Abate (July 15, Bloomberg):

The producer price index excluding food and energy increased 4.7% from a year earlier, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data out Wednesday, below the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey. Overall PPI inflation slowed in large part due to a 12% drop in gasoline prices.

However, with the Middle East conflict heating up again, the reprieve may prove short-lived.

Blockbuster Stock Sales Are Threatening to Overwhelm the Bull Market (July 14, Wall Street Journal):

Markets don’t collapse because of old age. Even high prices aren’t usually enough alone to cripple a bull. But one way stocks can slow is when new issuance overwhelms investors, as supply outstrips demand.

Already this year, $344.7 billion of new shares have been sold to investors—more than the full-year totals in 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022, according to Dealogic, which includes public offerings, follow-ons and convertible bonds in its totals.

Consumer prices rose 3.5% annually in June, less than expected as energy prices eased (July 14, CNBC):

The consumer price index, a broad measure of costs for goods and services across the U.S. economy, was lower than expected across the board. CPI fell a seasonally adjusted 0.4% for the month, bringing the annual inflation rate down to 3.5%.

Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had been looking for a drop of 0.2% and an inflation rate of 3.8%, following the 4.2% reading in May. The monthly drop in headline inflation was the biggest since April 2020.

China’s Economy Grows at Weakest Pace Since 2022 (July 14, Wall Street Journal):

China’s gross domestic product expanded 4.3% in April to June from a year ago, according to official data released Wednesday, down from 5.0% in the first quarter of the year.

This week’s data underscores the bifurcated state of the Chinese economy. Though outbound trade continues to exceed expectations, weak domestic demand is dragging on growth. A crash in the property sector has drained family savings and made many unwilling to spend.

The stock-market rally now hinges more on AI than oil (July 13, MarketWatch):

Oil has been back in the spotlight with Iran tensions flaring back up, but investors are more focused on the start of another crucial quarterly earnings season.

That means the U.S. and Iran could keep threatening each other, but it’s a risk that’s unlikely to hold the stock market’s attention for long.

US and Iran Trade Fresh Strikes, Dispute Whether Hormuz Is Open (July 12, Yahoo Finance):

Over the weekend, Tehran said the strait would now be closed “until further notice.” Central Command disputed that, saying that waterway was still open to all vessels and the US military is prepared to ensure freedom of navigation.

See Also:

20 Incredible Remote Jobs That Offer the Ultimate Flexibility

Every weekend, I recap “news you can use” from the week — a handful of quotes from major (and often expensive) financial news sources — so you can stay up to date on the news that affects your money without spending a dime and in less than a minute.

Here’s an overview of what happened this week.

World oil demand set for first annual decline since 2020, IEA says (July 10, CNBC):

World oil demand is set to decline by 1 million b/d year-on-year in 2026, which would mark its first annual decrease since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the IEA said in its latest oil market report.

The IEA’s forecast rests on the assumption of a ceasefire and the gradual reopening of Hormuz, an outcome that looks increasingly uncertain as the U.S. and Iran traded hostilities this week.

JPMorgan Builds AI Agents That Beat 60/40 Portfolio in Backtests (July 9, Bloomberg):

Researchers at the bank built an array of AI-powered investing agents that shift between stocks and bonds depending on changing market conditions. In backtests spanning the past two decades, the best-performing system topped a traditional 60/40 portfolio — 60% in stocks and 40% in bonds — by 0.7 percentage point a year with lower volatility

US Existing Home Sales Dip as Affordability Concerns Linger (July 9, Bloomberg):

Contract closings fell 2.4% to an annualized rate of 4.09 million last month, data released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors show. That fell short of the 4.2 million median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg.

Both existing home sales and contract signings, which take place a month or two earlier than closings, had been trending up in recent months. However, with mortgage rates frozen near 6.6%, affordability remains a key challenge for Americans hoping to buy.

Obamacare Insurers Seek Big Rate Hikes, Again (July 8, Wall Street Journal):

Some of the biggest Obamacare companies are seeking hefty premium increases for 2027, often for the second year in a row. In Washington state, Centene is asking for a 28% hike, after boosting rates by 35% in 2026. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Illinois wants 15%—on top of a 28% increase this year.

10-year Treasury yield jumps to 4.57% as jumping oil prices reignite inflation fears (July 8, CNBC):

U.S. Treasury yields rose on Wednesday, led higher by soaring oil prices, after President Donald Trump said at the NATO summit in Turkey that he thinks the ceasefire with Iran is over.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury note — the main benchmark for mortgages, auto loans and credit card debt — was last seen more than 3 basis points higher at 4.571%.

Iran war will leave an inflation scar on the U.S. through 2027, IMF says (July 8, MarketWatch):

The IMF predicts U.S. inflation won’t return to, nor approach, the Federal Reserve’s goal of 2% until the end of 2027 — assuming an end to the Iran war.

The growth rate of the U.S. economy has been largely unaffected, however. The IMF predicted gross domestic product would expand at a 2.3% pace in 2026 and 2.2% in 2027, similar to its prior forecast.

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Oil prices jump as Iran attacks vessels in Hormuz strait, US revokes license allowing Iran to sell oil (July 7, Yahoo Finance):

Oil prices jumped during Tuesday’s trading session after attacks by Iran against ships moving in and around the Strait of Hormuz once again derailed confidence in safe passage through the critical waterway.

Futures on Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose by roughly 5% to trade above $75.50 per barrel. Those on US benchmark WTI crude ticked up by a similar 5% to reach $72.

Why the US-Iran peace deal remains the key market risk factor for the rest of the year (July 6, Yahoo Finance):

While Americans celebrate falling oil prices, the tenuous US-Iran peace agreement in the Persian Gulf remains the single largest risk for markets in the second half of the year, according to Oxford Economics chief global economist Ryan Sweet.

“A peace deal that holds would produce a cascade of easing conditions: energy disinflation, central bank optionality, looser financial market conditions and relief for emerging markets,” Sweet wrote to clients on Monday. “However, an agreement without a follow-on peace deal would be volatile and impossible to sustain.”

Big Tech Has Suddenly Flipped on the AI Jobs Wipeout Scenario (July 5, 2026, Bloomberg):

A year ago, the message from many business leaders was that AI was going to wipe out jobs. For the past month or so, tech CEOs have been striking a more optimistic tone.

“They may have noticed that the labor market is genuinely not changing (i.e., imploding) as rapidly as they expected,” said David Autor, a professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “They may have realized it was simply bad business to say that your great new product will destroy the economy.”

The stock market is about to suffer a ‘snapback’ and will lose much of this year’s gains as ‘speculation is hitting extreme levels,’ BofA warns (July 5, Yahoo Finance):

The S&P 500 just notched its best quarter since 2020 and is up about 9% so far this year, but it’s mostly downhill from here, according to Bank of America.

In a note on Tuesday, analysts reaffirmed their year-end price target of 7,100 for the broad market index, representing a 5% drop from the week’s closing level.

Every weekend, I recap “news you can use” from the week — a handful of quotes from major (and often expensive) financial news sources — so you can stay up to date on the news that affects your money without spending a dime and in less than a minute.

Here’s an overview of what happened this week.

Here Are the Key Takeaways From the US Jobs Report for June (July 2, 2026, Bloomberg):

Hiring slowed sharply in June even as the unemployment rate fell to 4.2%. Nonfarm payrolls increased 57,000 and data for the previous two months were revised lower by a net 74,000.

Investors scaled back bets on a Federal Reserve interest-rate increase this year.

Businesses added 98,000 jobs in June, ADP says. Labor market is on the mend, but it’s still not great. (July 1, MarketWatch):

ADP is a lead act of sorts for the official U.S. employment report due Thursday — a day early this month because of the July 4 holiday. Economists predict a 115,000 increase in new jobs in June based on information collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Michael Burry Cites ‘Beginning of the End’ With New AI Short Bets (July 1, Wall Street Journal):

Tesla, Caterpillar, semiconductor manufacturer Applied Materials and an ETF tracking chip makers are among the latest bearish bets announced by Burry, one of the heroes of Michael Lewis’s financial-crisis saga, “The Big Short.”

Known for his idiosyncratic personality, Burry has gained a huge following online for correctly betting against the U.S. housing market during the 2008-09 financial crisis.

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Small-cap stocks enjoy their best first half in 35 years. Here’s what’s driving it (June 30, CNBC):

The Russell 2000 Index has surged more than 21% this year, putting the benchmark on track for its best first-half performance since 1991.

“It’s both a valuation catch-up story and a fundamental story,” said Amy Zhang, portfolio manager at Alger. “The valuation gap was so wide that a truck can drive through it. At the same time, fundamentals are improving in small-caps and I think that’s why it’s causing the broadening trade.”

US Consumer Confidence Inches Up, Helped by Lower Gas Prices (June 30, Bloomberg):

The Conference Board’s gauge of confidence increased 0.6 point to 91.2 after a downward revision to the prior month, data released Tuesday showed.

The report shows that cheaper gas resulting from a truce in the Middle East helped assuage some of the anxiety Americans have expressed about the economy in recent months. However, views of job opportunities deteriorated and consumers expect little improvement in the coming months.

AI turbocharged the stock market. Now it’s firing up the economy. (June 29, MarketWatch):

AI investment significantly boosted the U.S. economy, adding 0.8 percentage point to GDP in the first quarter of 2026 and 0.7 percentage point in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The AI boom has propelled the stock market, with the S&P 500 skyrocketing 65% and Nvidia’s stock leaping 362% in three years.

The Trillion-Dollar Borrowing Binge Lifting the Stock Market to Risky Heights (June 28, Wall Street Journal):

U.S. margin debt, or what investors borrow from their brokerages to buy securities, rose 54% to a record $1.4 trillion in May from a year earlier, according to Finra data.

The risks of buying leveraged funds are well-advertised: a 30% drawdown in the underlying stock can turn into a 90% wipeout for the fund. But Wall Street sees a broader problem emerging: These funds, along with other forms of leverage, can also affect how the individual stocks behave.