Here is SMI's weekly Roundup! We hope you find these articles to be informative and interesting.
Stocks go down too (Ben Carlson, A Wealth of Common Sense). "Even when the stock market is up, there are plenty of bad days."
Gold hits record $4,300 as analysts see more upside ahead (Financial Express). The consensus forecast is for gold to continue rising sharply. (Of course, even consensus forecasts can be wrong.)
The long bond yield is heading below 4% and gold to $6,000 by next spring, predicts Bank of America (MarketWatch via Morningstar). Speaking of unreliable forecasts, earlier this year, BOA predicted higher rates for long-term bonds.
9 truths about investment returns (Jim Dahle, The White Coat Investor). "The only returns that matter are after-tax, after-fee, and after-inflation."
Wealth for yourself vs. wealth for others (Nick Maggiulli, Of Dollars and Data). A young man learns a life lesson: "A lifestyle of endless consumption has slowly lost its luster.... My work, my writing, and my aspirations will increasingly revolve around the people that I love and support."
U.S. budget deficit edged lower in 2025 as tariffs, debt payments both saw new records (CNBC). September, the final month of the federal fiscal year, actually saw a record surplus of $198 billion.
Big changes are coming for 2026 Medicare plans. What you need to know. (Wall Street Journal). The 2026 enrollment period is underway. Expect higher prices and fewer options.
As tuition soars, so has 'behind-the-scenes' discounting, 'The Price You Pay for College’' author says (CNBC). It seems odd, but the model for higher education is "high-tuition, high-aid," where colleges both raise tuition and boost grant aid.
Sticker shock: Car prices top $50K for first time in US, Kelley Blue Book says (Yahoo! Finance). Also, the $20,000 market for cars is now "extinct."
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