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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 4h

As the partial government shutdown drags on through its eighth day, a big question is what could force Democrats and Republicans in Washington to make a deal that reopens federal agencies.

Here’s a rundown of key pressure points:

More airport delays and missed pay: 4 things that could make Washington end the shutdown

As the partial government shutdown drags on through its eighth day, a big question is what could force Democrats and Republicans in Washington to make a deal that reopens federal agencies.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 6h

It’s unclear how long the government will remain shut down after the Senate again rejected proposals to temporarily fund the government Monday, but financial experts have tips to help furloughed employees bridge the gap without derailing their long-term financial health.

Furloughed by the government shutdown? Take these 4 steps to protect your financial future.

As the government shutdown drags on, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are bracing for their first missed paycheck on Friday.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 23h

Americans cut back on the use of credit cards in August in another sign of caution, as households grapple with stubborn inflation, a tougher job market and lingering economic uncertainty tied to U.S. tariffs.

Credit-card spending falls again — Americans aren’t confident in the economy

Americans cut back on the use of credit cards in August in another sign of caution, as households grapple with stubborn inflation, a tougher job market and lingering economic uncertainty tied to U.S. tariffs.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 1d

Investor interest in gold has stayed strong, with increasing numbers of first-time buyers, despite record-high prices for the precious metal that topped $4,000 an ounce on Tuesday.

Why record-high gold prices aren’t scaring away first-time investors

Investor interest in gold has stayed strong, with increasing numbers of first-time buyers, despite record-high prices for the precious metal that topped $4,000 an ounce on Tuesday.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 1d

"If you look at it just from a strategic asset-allocation perspective, you would probably have something like 15% of your portfolio in gold, because it is one asset that does very well when the typical parts of the portfolio go down," said Ray Dalio.

Ray Dalio says investors should have 15% of their portfolios in gold. Here’s what others think of his advice.

The hedge-fund billionaire says today’s economic times remind him of the 1970s.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 1d

October has a reputation for volatility, largely for two reasons: On Oct. 19, 1987, the S&P 500 fell by 20.5% in a selloff that has been remembered as ”Black Monday.”

In October 2008, the index fell by nearly 17% as the global financial crisis spread.

Three scenarios that could spook stocks in October, according to a Wall Street veteran

As Halloween decorations start to appear in storefronts and on front porches across the U.S., one Wall Street veteran has decided to take a closer look at three scenarios that could spook markets as the fourth quarter gets underway.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 1d

Here’s what anyone buying or selling a home should expect from the big moves in the residential real-estate industry right now — and why they should pay close attention.

Goodbye Zillow surfing? How megamergers in the real-estate industry could impact home buyers.

Three years of terrible home sales have made the residential real-estate industry more territorial. That could be bad news for home buyers and sellers.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 2d

U.S. shoppers are expected to keep spending online at record levels this holiday season, but spending growth itself might slow and the discounts might not be as steep as retailers and customers try to stay ahead of tariffs and inflation.

This holiday season, online deals might be ‘a little weaker,’ as sales slow and shoppers navigate tariff fears

U.S. shoppers are expected to keep spending online at record levels this holiday season, but spending growth itself might slow and the discounts might not be as steep as retailers and customers try to stay ahead of tariffs and inflation, according to Adobe.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 2d

Gold’s climb to record highs has become somewhat of a steady march this year, but there doesn’t appear to be anything that can soon stop the precious metal from reaching the key psychological level of $4,000 an ounce.

Gold’s on the verge of reaching $4,000. What’s behind its seemingly unstoppable rally.

Gold’s rally has the “weight of global uncertainty behind it,” says one asset manager.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 2d

"Even when I go to restaurants, just a neighborhood restaurant, it seems like it’s $100 a person for your Tuesday-night restaurant. Everything seems a lot more expensive. But the bottom line is, they have to charge that, and even that is not even enough," says chef Bobby Flay.

Does it seem like more restaurants are charging $100 per person? Chef Bobby Flay says it should be even higher.

The celebrity chef says restaurants have to be so expensive right now to survive: ‘Most people are breaking even or less’

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 2d

Bitcoin hit a new all-time high on Sunday, briefly topping the $125,000 level, as investors seek safe havens amid the uncertainty caused by the government shutdown.

Bitcoin hits new high above $125,000 as investors seek safety

Bitcoin hit a new all-time high on Sunday, briefly topping the $125,000 level, as investors seek safe havens amid the uncertainty caused by the government shutdown.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 2d

The U.S. economy is very close to falling into a damaging contraction, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.

Zandi estimates that 22 states plus the District of Columbia are now experiencing persistent economic weakness and job losses that are likely to continue.

Are we in a recession? Yes — if you live in one of these 22 states.

The U.S. economy is very close to falling into a damaging contraction — and many states are already in a recession, according to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 5d

The U.S. economy was forecast to show a paltry 51,000 increase in new jobs before the employment report was postponed. The unemployment rate was expected to hover at the current level of 4.3%.

Wall Street forecasts aside, here’s what we know for sure:

No September jobs report, no problem. Here’s what we know about the labor market — and it’s not great.

Hiring has slowed to a crawl, and there’s no sign it will pick up soon.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 5d

The Institute for Supply Management said employment contracted in the service sector for the fourth straight month in September.

The service sector, which employs most Americans, has been more immune to tariffs than the manufacturing sector. But service companies are also pausing hiring.

Jobs in service sector shrink for fourth month on tariff uncertainty, lack of qualified workers

Service sector stalls while price pressures intensify, putting the Federal Reserve in a tough spot.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 5d

Crucial reports on U.S. inflation, job creation and unemployment are set to be delayed a week or more due to the government shutdown — and there’s even a danger that some inflation reports might not be produced at all.

No jobs report today. But that may not be the worst data delay due to the federal shutdown.

Crucial reports on U.S. inflation, job creation and unemployment are set to be delayed a week or more due to the government shutdown — and there’s even a danger that some inflation reports might not be produced at all.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 6d

The Federal Reserve is already staring down the difficult task of determining interest-rate policy in the midst of a sluggish labor market and high inflation. Now the government shutdown could make the central bank’s job even harder.

Government shutdown means Fed lacks crucial data as it considers rate cuts

It’s a bad time for the data to disappear.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 6d

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway says it is acquiring a ‘robust portfolio of operating assets’ from Occidental, a company in which Buffett is the largest shareholder.

As Warren Buffett nears retirement, he’s making his biggest purchase in years

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway says it is acquiring a “robust portfolio of operating assets” in Occidental’s OxyChem.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 6d

Elon Musk can now be considered to have overtaken John D. Rockefeller. Harvard Business School calculated Rockefeller’s wealth of $1.4 billion in 1937 to be worth 1.5% of GDP.

Elon Musk can now be considered richer than John D. Rockefeller

Rockefeller Rich still rolls off the tongue better, but Elon Musk can now be considered the wealthiest person who ever lived after Forbes’ new ranking.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 7d

Air-traffic controllers and many Transportation Security Administration employees, including airport screeners, are classified as essential workers and will continue to work during the shutdown. That doesn’t mean that all air travel will be smooth.

How the government shutdown and TSA could delay your flight

Air-traffic controllers and many Transportation Security Administration employees, including airport screeners, are classified as essential workers. That doesn’t mean that all air travel will be smooth.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 7d

The private sector culled 32,000 jobs last month, according to ADP, the nation’s largest processor of payroll checks.

Monthly employment has fallen three times since June to mark the worst stretch for the labor market since the pandemic.

ADP says businesses cut jobs for third month in four as U.S. labor market weakens

Privately run businesses eliminated jobs in September for the third time in four months, ADP said, in another sign of emerging weakness in the labor market that alarmed the Federal Reserve enough to cut interest rates two weeks ago.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 7d

As the government shutdown feud highlights rising healthcare costs, here’s a breakdown of how much Obamacare, Medicare and job-sponsored plans could increase.

As government shuts down, here’s how much your health insurance could go up next year

Millions of Americans are poised to pay more for their health insurance next year.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 7d

Have travelers decided they’re done with hotels that charge them a daily resort fee?

Certainly, that was the sentiment of one woman who vacationed in Hawaii for her honeymoon at a Marriott property and said she had to pay $500 in fees during her stay.

Hotel guests are slamming resort fees as ‘the biggest scam in travel’

A woman’s complaint on TikTok about being charged $500 in added fees on her Hawaiian honeymoon has gone viral

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 7d

For the first time since 2001, four Major League Baseball players hit more than 50 home runs in a single season.

This wasn’t just a win for these sluggers. The home-run chases among some of the top players in the game may have led to renewed overall interest in the MLB.

Major League Baseball viewership spiked 21% as four players topped the 50-home-run mark for the first time in decades

For the first time in decades, four players topped the 50-home-run mark.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 7d

Texas-based Fermi has lost billions of dollars, has yet to generate revenue and was formed less than a year ago, but investors are still scrambling to buy shares of the energy generator and data-center developer.

Fermi’s IPO to showcase Wall Street fervor for AI — and the Trump effect

Fermi has yet to generate revenue as it readies its IPO of 32.5 million shares at an estimated price range of $18 to $22 each for trading Wednesday.

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MarketWatch @marketwatch.com · 8d

Car buyers have until the end of the day Tuesday to claim a credit worth up to $7,500 for a new EV, or a tax break on used EVs that would pay up to $4,000.

The EV tax credit expires today — and time’s running out to save money on these other green upgrades. Here’s what to do.

Time is not on the side of anyone seeking help from Uncle Sam with their electric-vehicle purchase or their home’s clean-energy upgrades.

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