Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Millions of seniors got a once-in-a-lifetime benefit boost last year as a result of the Social Security Fairness Act. This increased benefits for government workers who receive a pension based on work not covered by Social Security. If you’re among them, you likely saw your monthly benefit increase by hundreds of dollars. Some even saw…

“The most exciting ‘Hold’ in history,” declared the journalist sitting next to me. Indeed. The Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England has voted unanimously to keep interest rates at 3.75% – warning that the war in the Gulf is putting upward pressure on prices across the UK. Not so long ago, everyone in…

Although the tech sector has led the stock market over the past decade or so, it’s had a rough start this year. Through March 16, the S&P 500‘s tech sector is collectively down over 6%, and none of the “Magnificent Seven” stocks are up year to date. Regardless of the sluggish start, plenty of tech…

The three biggest ETFs in the world right now are the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 1.38%), the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV 1.36%), and the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY 1.40%). Combined, they manage a whopping $2.27 trillion. Since they all track the same index, it could be assumed that they’re…

The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged this week amid uncertainty caused by the Iran war. Analysts predict the Fed will adopt a cautious, wait-and-see approach to monitor potential oil market disruptions and their economic impact. The Federal Reserve will likely keep interest rates unchanged this week, but analysts will watch for…

A big moment to reveal likely path aheadpublished at 11:15 GMT 11:15 GMT Faisal IslamEconomics editor Previous expectations of a cut to interest rates have diminished, since the rapid rise in energy prices due to hostilities in the Gulf. Most economists and the markets expect a hold, but this is an important moment for the…

All of the positive economic talk out of this week’s Federal Reserve meeting had a negative impact on investors, who have now taken expectations for even one interest rate cut this year off the table. In his post-meeting news conference, Fed Chair Jerome Powell took an upbeat view of current conditions, even with what he…

Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) is up 33% over the past year, Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) has gained 31%, and Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) is up 31%, all outpacing the S&P 500’s 20% return, driven by concentrated holdings in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft that have surged in sustained demand. AI capital spending…

Have you claimed Social Security and are now thinking about getting a job? If so, there are some important rules about working while collecting Social Security that could affect the amount of benefits you get. Depending on the circumstances, you could either see your benefits temporarily decline or permanently increase as a result. Here’s an…

<!–> WASHINGTON – The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced it would keep interest unchanged and predicted at least one rate cut later this year. This is the second time the Fed kept rates on hold, which is currently at 3.6%.  –> Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference following the Federal Open…