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Office landlords are getting squeezed
Your remote working gain is a commercial landlord’s pain: Owners of offices across America are under threat from high vacancies, and expensive financing. Here’s why you should care.
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US stocks rose on Monday to kick off the shortened holiday week
• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was removed by the board, and replaced by former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear. Altman is now slated to lead a new advanced AI team at Microsoft, the shares of which rose 2.1%.
• Citigroup is kickstarting significant organizational changes, including senior-level and lower-level layoffs.
• OPEC+ is expected to announce additional production cuts at its meeting this weekend, leading oil prices to rise 2.3% on Monday.
• The New York Stock Exchange is closed Thursday, and Friday will be a shortened trading session.
What to be on the lookout for today
• It’s a busy day of earnings with retailers Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, Lowe's, and Urban Outfitters reporting. Also, look for major tech reports from NVIDIA, Baidu, and HP Inc.
• The Fed will publish its latest meeting minutes, and we’ll get existing home sales data.
Know your rights against debt collectors
If you’ve fallen behind on your bills, debt collectors might start calling. And calling. And mailing. Debt collectors buy delinquent debts at reduced prices, and try to recover the full amount from the borrower.What debt collectors can and cannot do
• They CAN’T harass you. It’s illegal for debt collectors to call incessantly and to use false or unfair practices to recover a debt. However, that doesn’t get you off the hook for the debt.
• They CAN negotiate. Debt buyers tend to buy debts on the cheap, and can be willing to settle for smaller amounts than what’s owed. Make sure to get any agreements you make in writing.
• They CAN’T seize your paycheck. Debt collectors have to work with borrowers to recover unpaid funds. They likely cannot seize paychecks or bank accounts, unless it’s been court ordered.
Today’s top stories
Argentina’s new president wants to swap pesos for prosperity President-elect Javier Milei plans to bring greater economic stability to the South American country by adopting the U.S. dollar. Read more >> A word to describe just how over inflation we all are 'Choiceful' is the new buzzword of corporate America, describing consumers who are more careful in their spending, and CEOs who have to manage balance sheets in uncertain times. Read more >> What happens when you’re late on your credit card payment Nobody wants to go into debt, but missing a credit card payment can happen easily. Here’s what happens when you’re late on your payment. Read more >>Not-So-Breaking News
- McDonald’s is increasing its minority stake in its China business. The fast food giant is hoping to capture increased demand in its fastest-growing market.
- Hundreds of OpenAI employees are threatening to quit unless the board resigns, following the unexpected firing of CEO Sam Altman.
- SpaceX’s new Starship rocket successfully reached space before self-destructing. No people were harmed and the company is considering the launch a success.
- U.S. regulators are probing Kia and Hyundai over 16 separate recalls that have affected 6.4 million vehicles. The recalls are related to brake fluid leaks that could result in fires.
- GM-owned robotaxi company Cruise saw the exits of its CEO and chief product officer, after a recent 950-vehicle recall and suspension of all robotaxi operations.
Financial planner tip of the day
"The first step to tackling high interest debt is understanding your overall debt load. List out all debt including balance, payment, and interest rate. Any debt with an interest rate greater than 7% is considered high, so separate those out and develop a plan to pay them down."
Brian Walsh, CFP® at SoFi