Inflation came in at 2.7% for 2025—down from 3% earlier but still above the Fed's 2% target—yet consumers still feel squeezed because food prices rose 3.1% with groceries up 2.4% and restaurants up 4.1%, while shelter costs remain sticky at 3.2% annual growth accounting for over one-third of CPI, and the cumulative 20%+ price increase since 2020 means households still feel behind even with wages rising 3-4%, making it critical to push for raises matching 3-4% inflation, lock in lower borrowing costs selectively, invest in diversified portfolios with inflation protection, and build emergency funds as prices likely won't return to 2019 levels.

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Elon Musk said people shouldn't save for retirement because AI and robotics will create abundance making goods essentially free with "universal high income" in 10-20 years, but this ignores current reality where Americans face high inflation and affordability crises—making it critical to keep maxing 401(k)s and IRAs, investing in low-cost index funds, and letting compounding work rather than betting on speculative predictions from billionaires with no consequences if they're wrong.

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Core inflation came in at 2.6% annually—below expectations—keeping the Fed on hold while shelter costs remain sticky; Federal Reserve Chair Powell faces criminal investigation sparking Fed independence concerns though stocks rallied to new highs; JPMorgan beat earnings on strong trading revenue despite Trump's proposed credit card rate cap; Delta projected 20% profit jump in 2026 citing strong travel demand; and Apple announced Siri will get AI upgrade using Google's Gemini models in another win for Google against OpenAI.

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President Trump proposed capping credit card rates at 10% for one year starting January 2026—potentially saving Americans $100 billion annually with individual savings around $700 on a $5,000 balance.

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President Trump announced plans to ban large institutional investors like Wall Street funds and REITs from buying additional single-family homes, promising to codify it with Congress after firms like Blackstone bought tens of thousands of homes post-2008 crisis.

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Warren Buffett stepped down as Berkshire Hathaway CEO at 95 after 60 years, delivering a 19.9% compound annual return versus the S&P's 10.4%

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Electric vehicle sales plateaued at 7-10% of U.S. new car sales with Ford taking $20 billion in write-downs after federal tax credits expired, creating killer EV deals for buyers with home charging while hybrids absorb most electrification demand without range anxiety, and investors should avoid concentrated bets on government-dependent EV stories and stick to diversified portfolios as the transition happens slower than predicted.

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Silver surged 170% in a year—briefly touching $80—driven by Fed rate cuts, genuine physical supply deficits, and exploding industrial demand with solar panels accounting for 29% of use, but investors should avoid chasing parabolic moves at all-time highs and keep precious metals at only 5-10% of a diversified portfolio rather than panic buying based on FOMO or fear.

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Americans spent over $1 trillion during the 2025 holidays with 37% taking on an average of $1,223 in new debt at 20%+ interest rates, with many still carrying balances from previous years, making it critical to aggressively pay down debt using avalanche or snowball methods and start a holiday sinking fund by saving $91 monthly to have $1,000 available next December without going into debt.

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