Benzinga

01/16/2026

In its 2026 outlook released on Jan. 15, ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood declared the U.S. economy a “coiled spring” poised for a powerful rebound, forecasting a “golden age” for U.S. equities comparable to the boom of the 1980s.

Wood argues that the “rolling recession” of the past three years—triggered by the Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hikes—has wound the economy tight. With deregulation, tax cuts, and falling interest rates now converging, she predicts this tension will result in a surge of GDP growth and wealth creation.

Drawing parallels to her early career, Wood termed the current environment “Reaganomics on steroids.” She posits that the combination of fiscal stimulus and pro-business deregulation will unleash capital spending, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.

According to Wood, this backdrop creates a perfect storm for innovation-led growth, benefiting the ARK Innovation ETF (BATS:ARKK) and the broader S&P 500 tracking SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY).

She projects that real GDP growth could accelerate to 6-8%, driven not by inflation, but by a 4-6% surge in productivity that suppresses unit labor costs.

Read more: https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/26/01/49958024/cathie-wood-calls-us-economy-coiled-spring-in-2026-outlook-predicts-golden-age

01/16/2026

While it seems that some of the most vocal figures in media and business don’t believe in retirement, most Americans still view it as a key life milestone worth working toward.

Real estate mogul Grant Cardone, who is 67 years old, posted on X last year that he’ll never retire, citing three reasons: love for work, a sense of purpose, and the thrill of deadlines. “Work gives me a sense of purpose and contribution,” he wrote. “I do better when there are challenges to be resolved by some time. I like ‘can we do it?'”

Podcast host Ben Shapiro has expressed similar views. “No one in the United States should be retiring at 65 years old. Frankly, I think retirement itself is a stupid idea unless you have some sort of health problem,” he said on “The Ben Shapiro Show” in 2024. Shapiro argues that Americans need purpose more than they need rest. “If you are mentally and physically healthy, taxpayers should not pay you to retire at 65,” he doubled down in a post on X. “When Social Security was created, life expectancy was 64. Today, it’s 78.”

Despite those arguments, most Americans disagree.

According to a 2024 survey by Wealth Enhancement Group, 77% of U.S. adults said they felt happy or grateful when thinking about retirement. Among those already retired, 90% said they didn’t regret the decision. A third even said it had been better than they expected.

Read more: https://vist.ly/4mzfa

01/16/2026

Tucker Carlson once asked Dave Ramsey a question that many people believe has an obvious answer: If you pay off your credit card every month, what’s the problem?

Ramsey’s response was blunt. “That’s the great lie… most people don’t.” He said most Americans talk about having financial discipline, but few actually follow through. According to Ramsey, 78% of credit card users carry a balance month to month. That means they’re paying steep interest and racking up debt they can’t afford.

Ramsey doesn’t use credit cards at all. For over 30 years, he’s relied entirely on debit cards—no borrowing, no points, no interest. He believes debit cards do the same job as credit cards, just without the risk of falling into debt. The issue, he says, isn’t just math—it’s psychology.

People spend more with cards, especially when using mobile payments like Apple Pay. “You just moved your phone around like you returned a text,” he said. With cash, the pain of spending is real. You feel it.

Ramsey argues that credit cards are pushed on consumers with decades of polished marketing. But at the end of the day, he says, they don’t build wealth—just profits for the credit card companies.

01/16/2026

A Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) employee suspended for heckling President Donald Trump has received close to $800,000 in GoFundMe donations.

During Trump's visit to the automaker's facility in Dearborn, Michigan, the president was seen making an obscene gesture with his middle finger and also mouthing "f— you" towards a heckler, who has been identified as TJ Sabula, a 40-year-old worker at the facility, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

Sabula, who is a member of the United Auto Workers union, criticized Trump's handling of the investigation into convicted s*x offender Jeffrey Epstein and reportedly called him a "pe*****le protector." Sabula has since been suspended from work until Ford completes an investigation into the incident, the report suggests.

01/15/2026

Elon Musk Says AI Just Passed Humans

01/15/2026

Cathie Wood dumps $38M worth of Tesla stock: Here's what she bought instead

Ark Invest, led by Cathie Wood, made significant trades on Wednesday, involving Tesla Inc., Broadcom Inc., and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

01/15/2026

US Navy sailor sells crushing military secrets

A former American Navy sailor who sold ship manuals and sensitive information to a Chinese intelligence officer has been sentenced to over 16 years in prison, US officials said. Image by MEEGAN M. REID/KITSAP SUN/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

01/15/2026

Annual commercial aircraft deliveries show Boeing reaching its strongest level in years, though overall output remains below Airbus.

01/15/2026

Earth's Atmosphere Blasting Moon With Gasses

Tiny bits of Earth's own atmosphere have been streaming across space and raining onto the moon for billions of years, guided by the planet's magnetic field and solar wind, a new study finds. Image by Bill Anders/NASA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

01/15/2026

Starlink, the satellite internet service provider by Elon Musk's commercial space flight company SpaceX, has unveiled new residential plans for the U.S.

The company has unveiled new pricing for the residential plans on Wednesday, offering the 100 Mbps plan for $50/month. The company is also offering a 200 Mbps plan for $80/month, while the Residential Max plan is offered for $120/month and comes with a Starlink Mini Travel kit.

The company had earlier unveiled the new 100 Mbps plan for $40/month late last year, offering unlimited data and free installation, as well as no limit on upload speeds.

01/15/2026

Goldman Sachs Q4 Trading Revenue Hits Record, Takes Loss On Apple Card Exit

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) reported mixed Q4 FY25 results with lower net revenue and higher expenses.

01/15/2026

President Donald Trump stated that he has no intention of dismissing Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, amid an ongoing criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.

Trump, in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, said the administration was currently in "a little bit of a holding pattern" with Powell and was still determining its next steps, but declined to provide details, saying it was "too soon, too early."

The president also indicated that he is considering former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh or National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett as potential replacements for Powell. He also ruled out U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for the role, stating that Bessent wants to remain in his current position.

Trump stated that he would announce the next Fed Chair over the “next couple of weeks.”

Read more: https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/26/01/49927083/trump-rules-out-powells-removal-despite-doj-probe-too-soon-too-early