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53 US equities

Updated February 27, 2026

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Updated February 27, 2026

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Updated February 27, 2026

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Portfolio Updates

BRK-BFebruary 27, 2026

BRK-B Analysis: Berkshire Hathaway's Q4 Earnings Preview — What to Watch as Abel Takes the Stage

DELLFebruary 27, 2026

DELL Analysis: Dell's Blowout Q4 and AI Server Doubling Guidance Make the Bull Case Hard to Ignore

CRWVFebruary 27, 2026

CRWV Analysis: CoreWeave's 18% Post-Earnings Plunge Exposes the High-Wire Act of AI Infrastructure Spending

NFLXFebruary 26, 2026

NFLX Analysis: After a 40% Drawdown, Netflix's Warner Bros. Bid Puts a Streaming Empire at a Crossroads

NVOFebruary 25, 2026

NVO Analysis: Novo Nordisk's 50% Price Slash Creates a Deep-Value Puzzle for GLP-1 Investors

AMDFebruary 25, 2026

AMD Analysis: Meta's $100 Billion AI Chip Deal Reshapes the Bull Case — But at What Price?

GiltsFebruary 27, 2026

What Are UK Gilts — How British Government Bonds Work and Why US Investors Should Care

GoldFebruary 27, 2026

How to Invest in Gold — ETFs, Physical Bullion, Mining Stocks, and Futures Compared

TreasuriesFebruary 27, 2026

How Treasury Bonds Work — T-Bills, T-Notes, T-Bonds, and TIPS Explained

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Finance401k contribution limits 2026IRA contribution limitsRoth IRA limits

401(k) and IRA Contribution Limits for 2026 — Everything You Need to Know

Every year, the IRS adjusts contribution limits for retirement accounts based on inflation, and 2026 brings several important changes that could affect how much you can save. Whether you're maximizing your 401(k) through your employer, funding a Roth IRA on your own, or running a small business with a SEP IRA, understanding these limits is the first step toward building a tax-efficient retirement strategy. The numbers matter more than most people realize. The difference between contributing $23,500 to a 401(k) versus the old $23,000 limit may seem small in a single year, but compounded over a 30-year career at a 7% average annual return, that extra $500 per year grows to over $47,000 in additional retirement savings. With the Federal Reserve having cut rates from 4.33% in August 2025 to 3.64% in January 2026, the economic backdrop is shifting — and making the most of tax-advantaged accounts has rarely been more important. Here's a comprehensive breakdown of every retirement account contribution limit for 2026, including catch-up provisions for workers aged 50 and older, income phase-out ranges for Roth IRAs, and strategies for maximizing your savings across multiple account types.

February 27, 2026Read Analysis
Financesocial securityretirement benefitsclaiming age

How Social Security Works — Benefits, Claiming Age, and What to Expect in 2026

Social Security is the single largest source of retirement income for most Americans, providing monthly benefits to more than 67 million people. Yet despite its central role in retirement planning, many workers approaching retirement age have only a vague understanding of how their benefits are calculated, when they should start claiming, and how much they can actually expect to receive. The program enters 2026 with a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment that bumps the average monthly retirement benefit to approximately $1,976 — welcome relief for retirees navigating an economy where the Consumer Price Index has risen from 319.7 in February 2025 to 326.6 in January 2026. But COLA adjustments are only one piece of the puzzle. Your claiming age, earnings history, and strategic decisions about when to file can mean the difference between receiving $1,400 per month and well over $4,000. Understanding how the system works is the foundation of any serious retirement plan. Whether you're decades away from retirement or actively deciding when to file, this guide breaks down everything you need to know about Social Security in 2026 — from how benefits are calculated to the trust fund's long-term outlook and the claiming strategies that can maximize your lifetime income.

February 27, 2026Read Analysis
FinanceRoth IRATraditional IRAIRA comparison

Deep Dive: Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA — Which Is Right for You in 2026

Choosing between a Roth IRA and a Traditional IRA is one of the most consequential decisions in retirement planning — and it ultimately comes down to a single question: do you want your tax break now, or later? With the Federal Reserve having cut rates to 3.64% as of January 2026 and inflation moderating near 2.5%, the interest rate environment adds a new dimension to this choice. Both account types let you invest up to $7,000 in 2026 ($8,000 if you're 50 or older), but the tax treatment differs fundamentally. A Traditional IRA gives you a tax deduction upfront — your contributions reduce your taxable income in the year you make them, and your investments grow tax-deferred until you withdraw them in retirement. A Roth IRA flips that equation: you contribute after-tax dollars today, but your money grows tax-free and you pay zero tax on qualified withdrawals in retirement. Neither is universally better. The right choice depends on your current income, your expected retirement tax bracket, and how many years your money has to compound. This guide breaks down every meaningful difference — contribution rules, income limits, withdrawal flexibility, required minimum distributions, and conversion strategies — so you can make an informed decision based on your specific financial situation in 2026.

February 27, 2026Read Analysis
Finance401k401(k)retirement

What Is a 401(k) — How It Works, Contribution Limits, and Employer Matching in 2026

The 401(k) is the cornerstone of retirement saving for more than 70 million American workers. Named after a section of the Internal Revenue Code that took effect in 1978, employer-sponsored 401(k) plans have grown into the dominant vehicle for building long-term wealth — holding roughly $8.9 trillion in assets as of late 2025, according to the Investment Company Institute. Whether you are just starting your career or approaching retirement, understanding how these accounts work is one of the most consequential financial decisions you will make. For 2026, the IRS has set the employee contribution limit at $23,500 for workers under 50, with catch-up contributions of $7,500 available for those aged 50 and older — bringing the maximum employee deferral to $31,000. A new "super catch-up" provision under the SECURE 2.0 Act now allows workers aged 60 to 63 to contribute an additional $11,250 in catch-up contributions, for a total employee deferral of up to $34,750. These limits, combined with the Federal Reserve's ongoing rate-cutting cycle — the federal funds rate has fallen from 4.33% in August 2025 to 3.64% in January 2026 — make it an important time to revisit your retirement savings strategy. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about 401(k) plans: how contributions work, the power of employer matching, tax advantages, investment options, and the rules around withdrawals and rollovers. We will also cover how the 401(k) compares to other retirement accounts like IRAs and Roth 401(k)s, so you can make the most informed decisions about your financial future.

February 27, 2026Read Analysis
Financemergers and acquisitionsM&Ahostile takeover

Deep Dive: How Mergers and Acquisitions Work — From Hostile Takeovers to Strategic Buyouts

When Paramount Global offered $111 billion for Warner Bros. Discovery in February 2026 — topping Netflix's rival bid after months of competitive negotiations — it marked the largest media deal in history. But beyond the headlines, the mechanics of how mergers and acquisitions actually work remain opaque to most investors. How do companies decide what another business is worth? What is the difference between a hostile takeover and a friendly merger? And why do some deals create enormous shareholder value while others destroy it? Mergers and acquisitions, collectively known as M&A, represent one of the most powerful forces in corporate finance. In 2025, global M&A deal volume exceeded $3.5 trillion as falling interest rates and robust corporate cash balances fuelled a wave of consolidation. With the Federal Reserve cutting rates from 4.33% in early 2025 to 3.64% by January 2026, the cost of financing acquisitions has dropped significantly, making debt-funded deals more attractive and igniting bidding wars across sectors from media to technology. For individual investors, understanding M&A is essential. A takeover announcement can send a target company's stock soaring 20-40% in a single session, while the acquirer's shares often decline as markets weigh the risks of integration and overpayment. This guide explains how the entire process works — from the initial strategic rationale through valuation, deal structure, regulatory approval, and post-merger integration — so you can evaluate any deal's impact on your portfolio.

February 27, 2026Read Analysis
NewsPakistan Afghanistan wardefense stocksgeopolitical risk

Developing: Pakistan Declares 'Open War' on Afghanistan — What the Escalation Means for Defense Stocks, Oil Prices, and Emerging Market Risk

Pakistan declared "open war" on Afghanistan on Friday after the two South Asian neighbors exchanged overnight airstrikes and ground attacks in the most significant military escalation between them in decades. Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said Pakistan's "patience has run out" after the Afghan Taliban launched what it called retaliatory strikes on Pakistani military installations, triggering Pakistani bombing raids on Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia province. The fighting represents a sharp departure from the fragile ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey in October 2025, which had held despite sporadic border skirmishes. Both sides claimed heavy casualties — Pakistan's military spokesperson said 274 Taliban fighters were killed across 22 targeted sites, while the Taliban claimed 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 army posts destroyed. The BBC, CBS News, NBC News, and Fox News all report that independent verification of these claims has not been possible. For financial markets, the conflict introduces a new source of geopolitical risk in South Asia — a region where nuclear-armed Pakistan shares a 1,615-mile border with Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. The implications extend from defense sector spending to oil supply route concerns and emerging market contagion, arriving at a moment when global investors are already navigating elevated uncertainty from the U.S.-Iran nuclear standoff and ongoing Russia-Ukraine tensions.

February 27, 2026Read Analysis
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