archivesstsn:Personal Finance

Nov. 1, 2026, 5:03 a.m. ETIf you own stocks, you might be wondering whether the impending midterm elections will be good or bad for the stock market. Does the market flourish after Election Day? Do traders care if a unified government becomes divided, or if one party remains in control? The answer to both, apparently, is yes. Morningstar examined 100 years of U.S. stock returns in election months and found that elections tend to boost the market.  Since 1926, Morningstar found, stocks have done better in November in election years than in non-election years....

Oct. 25, 2026, 5:04 a.m. ETAmericans hold more of their wealth in stocks than real estate for the first time since World War 2, reflecting a possible shift in what defines the American Dream, some financial experts say.U.S. households held nearly half (48.2%) of their financial assets in equities in the three months to June, according to Federal Reserve data. That's up from the trough of 9.5% in 1982 and a record high. Comparatively, real estate lingered in the 20% range, data showed.The flip in favor of U.S. equities underscores...

Updated July 28, 2026, 2:23 p.m. ETBuying a home is a huge milestone people save up most of their lives for, but it's very different from owning a home, according to a survey.Nearly 2 in 3 homebuyers said homeownership has been more expensive than expected, according to business software Jobber's survey of 800 adults who purchased a home in the past two years. Of those, only 44% budgeted for ongoing maintenance, the data showed.Buyers are so focused on homeownership that most budget for the purchase, not the full cost of...