Claire Ballentine
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Reporter for @wealth covering personal finance. Duke Class of 2018. Lover of running, books, dogs and alpacas. Opinions are my own. cballentine@bloomberg.net
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Articles by Claire Ballentine
Points Guy Says Trump’s Rate Cap Idea Ends Credit Card Heyday
For the past 15 years, Brian Kelly has helped travelers navigate the bewildering world of credit card and airline perks. A former recruiter for , he runs the Points Guy website, which has 11 million viewers each month. Now, Kelly is worried. President is taking aim at the credit card industry. In mid-January he demanded on interest rates for one year. Trump also that businesses must pay to banks when customers use credit cards at checkout.
The Points Guy says Trumps rate cap idea ends credit card heyday
(Bloomberg Markets) -- For the past 15 years, Brian Kelly has helped travelers navigate the bewildering world of credit card and airline perks. A former recruiter for Morgan Stanley, he runs the Points Guy website, which has 11 million viewers each month.Now, Kelly is worried. President Donald Trump is taking aim at the credit card industry.
How the Trump Administration Is Putting the Squeeze on Student Borrowers Original
Photographer: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images (Bloomberg) -- The era of student loan leniency in the US is officially over. During the Covid-19 emergency, mandatory payments on federal student loans were paused to shield borrowers from the financial repercussions of missed bills. Even after the economy recovered, multiple extensions and a grace period meant they could get away with ignoring their debts. President Donald Trump’s return to office has brought that period to a close.
Biggest Market Moves in 2025 and What to Expect in Year Ahead
2025 brought us tariff panic, an artificial intelligence boom and cockroaches in credit markets. What will 2026 have in store? Happy (almost) new year, everyone. I’m Claire Ballentine, and I’m filling in for Charlie Wells this week.
¿Divorciarse después de los 50? Hay un asesor financiero especial para ello
Bloomberg — Cuando Betsy Goldstein inició los trámites de divorcio a los 53 años, se encontró con una compleja red de formularios fiscales, cuentas de jubilación y escrituras de vivienda, asuntos financieros de los que no se había preocupado durante más de dos décadas de matrimonio. Por si fuera poco, era 2020, la pandemia estaba en pleno apogeo y, de repente, había mucho en juego. “Realmente necesitaba que me ayudaran”, recuerda.
Investing in Private Assets Like OpenAI: Risks and Benefits for Retail Traders
At family gatherings this year, there’s one company that’s almost certain to come up in conversations about investing: OpenAI. Happy holiday season, everyone. I’m Claire Ballentine, and I’m filling in for Charlie Wells this week.
Divorcing After 50? There's A Special Financial Advisor For That
When Betsy Goldstein began divorce proceedings at age 53, she found herself confronting a complex web of tax forms, retirement accounts and housing deeds—financial matters she hadn’t bothered with during more than two decades of marriage. As if that weren’t enough, it was 2020, the pandemic was in full force and the stakes were suddenly high. “I really needed hand-holding,” she recalls.
Older Americans Divorcing in Droves Fuels Wealth Advice Bonanza Original
When Betsy Goldstein began divorce proceedings at age 53, she found herself confronting a complex web of tax forms, retirement accounts and housing deeds — financial matters she hadn’t bothered with during more than two decades of marriage. As if that weren’t enough, it was 2020, the pandemic was in full force and the stakes were suddenly high. “I really needed hand-holding,” she recalls.
Divorcing After 50? There's a Special Financial Adviser for That
So-called gray divorces have grown more common even as divorce rates in younger age groups decline. And more wealth is at stake. (Bloomberg) -- When Betsy Goldstein began divorce proceedings at age 53, she found herself confronting a complex web of tax forms, retirement accounts and housing deeds — financial matters she hadn’t bothered with during more than two decades of marriage. As if that weren’t enough, it was 2020, the pandemic was in full force and the stakes were suddenly high.
Burry Says He's 'Active In Markets' After Fund Is Deregistered
Michael Burry said that while his hedge fund firm Scion Asset Management may be deregistered, he’s still active in markets. “This last go-around was always essentially a friends and family fund,” he wrote in an email to Bloomberg News on Tuesday. “I didn’t market it or treat it like most do, and I wasn’t trying to grow assets by acquiring investors I didn’t already know.
｢世紀の空売り｣バーリ氏、市場での活動継続－ファンド登録抹消後も
2008年の金融危機前に米住宅市場の崩壊に賭けた「世紀の空売り」で有名なマイケル・バーリ氏は、自身が率いるヘッジファンド会社サイオン・アセット・マネジメントが米証券取引委員会（SEC）への登録を抹消した後も市場での活動を続けていると明らかにした。 バーリ氏は18日にブルームバーグ・ニュース宛ての電子メールで「今回の活動は実質的には友人や家族のためのファンドだった」と指摘。「他の多くの運用会社のようにマーケティングをしたり、面識のない投資家を勧誘して運用資産を拡大しようとしたりはしなかった。かつてサイオン・キャピタルを立ち上げた際に経験した問題を再び抱えたくなかった」と説明した。 その上で「自分の資金を運用し、市場で積極的に活動している」と強調した。 SECのサイトに掲載された届け出によると、サイオン・アセット・マネジメントの登録抹消は11月10日に行われた。バーリ氏はSECの登録ステータスがTerminatedになっているスクリーンショットを添え、「11月25日からは、もっといいことに取り組むつもりだ」とソーシャルメディアに投稿した。...
Burry Says He’s ‘Active in Markets’ After Fund Is Deregistered
Michael Burry (Bloomberg) -- Michael Burry said that while his hedge fund firm Scion Asset Management may be deregistered, he’s still active in markets. “This last go-around was always essentially a friends and family fund,” he wrote in an email to Bloomberg News on Tuesday. “I didn’t market it or treat it like most do, and I wasn’t trying to grow assets by acquiring investors I didn’t already know.
Michael Burry’s Scion Fund Is Deregistered, SEC Filing Shows
(Bloomberg) - Michael Burry’s Scion Asset Management has terminated its registration status with the SEC. The change took place on Nov. 10, according to a filing on the SEC website.
DIY Indexing Boom Opens To Retail Masses With $1,000 Minimum
Public Holdings Inc. is offering retail investors the chance to build their own bespoke index with built-in tax advantages for a minimum investment of $1,000. The Tiger Global-backed investing platform is embracing the increasingly popular direct-indexing strategy that allows investors to choose which stocks in a benchmark to hold, instead of simply owning shares of a fund that tracks a specific gauge, like the S&P 500 Index.
DIY Indexing Boom Opens to Retail Masses With $1,000 Minimum
Public co-founders Leif Abraham and Jannick Malling (Bloomberg) -- Public Holdings Inc. is offering retail investors the chance to build their own bespoke index with built-in tax advantages for a minimum investment of $1,000. The Tiger Global-backed investing platform is embracing the increasingly popular direct-indexing strategy that allows investors to choose which stocks in a benchmark to hold, instead of simply owning shares of a fund that tracks a specific gauge, like the S&P 500 Index.
Predcarinska mrzlica kupovanja avtomobilov
Bliss Bednar je bila s svojim Volkswagnovim atlasom iz leta 2023 povsem zadovoljna. Resda ni bil najbolj razkošen avto, kar jih je kdaj vozila, toda ob načrtovanju prenove doma in vse višjih stroških gradnje, ki so že načenjali njen proračun za preurejanje notranjosti, je upokojena učiteljica iz osrednjega Teksasa načrtovala, da bo do nadaljnjega ostala kar pri svojem SUV-ju s tremi vrstami sedežev.
Tricolor’s Sudden Downfall Renews Fear of Subprime Consumer Pain Original
For years, the most financially strapped Americans have been falling steadily behind on their car payments and other loans too. And yet the US economy has trucked along, seemingly oblivious. This week, it got a wake-up call. , which built its business selling used cars and making loans to low-income and undocumented immigrants, filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, potentially saddling and leading authorities to probe .
Tricolor’s Sudden Downfall Renews Fear of Subprime Consumer Pain
A Tricolor dealership in Houston, Texas. (Bloomberg) -- For years, the most financially strapped Americans have been falling steadily behind on their car payments and other loans too. And yet the US economy has trucked along, seemingly oblivious. This week, it got a wake-up call.
Tricolor's Sudden Downfall Renews Fear Of Subprime Consumer Pain
For years, the most financially strapped Americans have been falling steadily behind on their car payments and other loans too. And yet the US economy has trucked along, seemingly oblivious. This week, it got a wake-up call. Tricolor Holdings Inc., which built its business selling used cars and making loans to low-income and undocumented immigrants, filed for bankruptcy Wednesday, potentially saddling major financial institutions with losses and leading authorities to probe allegations of fraud.
Taylor Swift Engagement to Travis Kelce Kicks Off Busy Fall Wedding Season
Billionaire Taylor Swift will have no problem paying for her wedding. But you might. I’m Claire Ballentine filling in for my colleague Charlie Wells, and this week we’re taking a look at the costs associated with planning a wedding.
Millions of Americans Are Ignoring Their Student Loan Bills
By Claire Ballentine Aug. 14, 2025 Some borrowers say they are prioritizing essentials such as housing or groceries, while others refuse to pay as a form of protest. Americans with a collective $1.6 trillion in student loans are required to make payments again after five years of pandemic-era leniency measures, but only a third of those receiving bills are actually paying them.
Millions of Americans Are Ignoring Their Student Loan Bills
Student loans are the last thing Stephen Jakubowski is worried about. The 32-year-old doesn’t have a job right now. And he can barely afford his rent and groceries, not to mention the payments on his credit card debt and personal loans. With his budget stretched, Jakubowski is ignoring his $10,000 in federal loans from a roughly two-year stint at San Diego Christian College more than a decade ago, joining millions of other former students who are skipping the bills.
How Private Equity And Crypto Could Reshape 401(k)s
President Donald Trump’s Aug. 7 executive order aimed at making it easier to include alternative assets such as private equity and cryptocurrency in 401(k) retirement plans has the potential to give savers access to bigger investment returns, but it also introduces more risk. Many Americans expect to rely in their later years on retirement savings plans, including employer-sponsored plans such as 401(k)s and 403(b)s.
Millions of Americans Are Ignoring Their Student Loan Bills
Student loans are the last thing Stephen Jakubowski is worried about. The 32-year-old doesn’t have a job right now. And he can barely afford his rent and groceries, not to mention the payments on his credit card debt and personal loans. With his budget stretched, Jakubowski is ignoring his $10,000 in federal loans from a roughly two-year stint at San Diego Christian College more than a decade ago, joining millions of other former students who are skipping the bills.
Millions Of Americans Are Ignoring Their Student Loan Bills
Student loans are the last thing Stephen Jakubowski is worried about. The 32-year-old doesn’t have a job right now. And he can barely afford his rent and groceries, not to mention the payments on his credit card debt and personal loans. With his budget stretched, Jakubowski is ignoring his $10,000 in federal loans from a roughly two-year stint at San Diego Christian College more than a decade ago, joining millions of other former students who are skipping the bills.
Millions Of Americans Are Ignoring Their Student Loan Bills
Student loans are the last thing Stephen Jakubowski is worried about. The 32-year-old doesn’t have a job right now. And he can barely afford his rent and groceries, not to mention the payments on his credit card debt and personal loans. With his budget stretched, Jakubowski is ignoring his $10,000 in federal loans from a roughly two-year stint at San Diego Christian College more than a decade ago, joining millions of other former students who are skipping the bills.
Student Loan Payments Due: Millions of US Borrowers Are Skipping Their Bills
Student loans are the last thing Stephen Jakubowski is worried about. The 32-year-old doesn’t have a job right now. And he can barely afford his rent and groceries, not to mention the payments on his credit card debt and personal loans.
How Private Equity and Crypto Could Reshape 401(k)s
President Trump signed an executive order allowing 401(k)s to offer investments in private assets. (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s Aug. 7 executive order aimed at making it easier to include alternative assets such as private equity and cryptocurrency in 401(k) retirement plans has the potential to give savers access to bigger investment returns, but it also introduces more risk.
Inversionistas apuestan por Europa y logran retornos similares a las acciones meme
Bloomberg — El reciente regreso del frenesí de las acciones meme a los mercados llevó a inversionistas minoristas amantes del riesgo a aprovechar los picos fugaces en las acciones de Krispy Kreme y Kohl’s, en su búsqueda de ganancias que superen al S&P 500. Ver más: Buffett resiste el golpe de Kraft Heinz y los aranceles: ¿cuánto dinero tiene en efectivo?
Retail Traders Bet Big on Europe and See Meme Stock-Like Returns
Major stock indexes in Europe are finally rivaling the S&P 500 after decades of underperformance. (Bloomberg) -- The recent return of meme-stock froth to markets saw risk-loving retail traders riding the fleeting spikes in shares of Krispy Kreme and Kohl’s as they hunt for gains that can beat the S&P 500.
Trump Pressures Powell on Rates: Will a Cut Mean Cheaper Houses, Mortgages?
The Federal Reserve decision to leave rates unchanged Wednesday once again rankled President Donald Trump, who in recent weeks has repeatedly argued that lower interest rates will unlock the frozen housing market. I’m Claire Ballentine filling in for my colleague Charlie Wells, and this week we’re examining the idea that a Fed rate cut would make homes more affordable.
US Housing Market’s Price Growth Slows for Fourth Straight Month
Potential buyers have stayed on the sidelines due to a combination of elevated prices and high mortgage rates. (Bloomberg) -- Home-price growth in the US decelerated in May for the fourth consecutive month. A national gauge of prices rose 2.3% from a year earlier, according to data from S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller. That was the smallest increase since July 2023 and comes after a 2.7% annual increase in April.
‘I Can Get Real Gains’: Meme Traders Risk It All to Beat S&P 500
A Kohl's Corp. department store in Lexington, Kentucky. (Bloomberg) -- A self-described “conservative" investor bet $20,000 on Opendoor Technologies Inc. A 20-year-old student threw $2,000 down on Kohl’s Corp. options. Another retail trader picked his targets on advice from ChatGPT. Meme-stock froth returned to markets this week, as retail investors piled into the heavily shorted stocks of struggling companies.
Meme stock mania returned in full force this week, but for some names, the gains are vanishing quickly. I’m Claire Ballentine filling in for my colleague Charlie Wells this week. I’ve been following meme stocks for a while now, and I remember when this was brand-new back in 2021 (check out the time I spent 11 hours on Reddit for a story). This time, hordes of everyday investors piled into heavily shorted companies like Kohl’s and Opendoor, along with GoPro, Krispy Kreme and Beyond Meat.
Po GameStop maniji prihaja nova meme vročica | Bloomberg Adria
Štiri leta po tem, ko je WallStreetBets uvedel novo obdobje trgovanja, mali vlagatelji kupujejo močno na kratko izpostavljene delnice podjetij, kot sta Opendoor in Kohl's. Delnice so dosegle najvišje vrednosti v zgodovini. Klepetanje na WallStreetBets je v porastu. Trgovci na drobno preplavile poceni delnice. Ni leto 2021 in delnice tega trenutka niso GameStop, AMC Entertainment Holdings ali zdaj propadla družba Bed Bath & Beyond.
Повторно будење на мем-акциите: Пазарна еуфорија во 2025 година
Берзите се на рекордни нивоа, активноста на страницата „Волстрит бетс“ (WallStreetBets) на Редит експлодира, а малите инвеститори масовно вложуваат во евтини акции. Но ова не е 2021 година – овој пат во центарот на вниманието се ОТ (Opendoor Technologies) и „Колс“ (Kohl’s), наместо „Гејмстоп“ (GameStop), АМЦ (AMC) или банкротираната БББ (Bed Bath & Beyond). Сличностите се очигледни: инвеститори аматери повторно се фокусираат на силно „шортувани“ акции со ниски цени, надевајќи се на брза добивка.
El frenesí por las acciones de bajo precio crece en medio del auge de Kohl’s
Bloomberg — Las acciones están en máximos históricos. Las conversaciones en WallStreetBets se están disparando. Los operadores minoristas están inundando las acciones de bajo precio. No estamos en 2021, y las acciones del momento no son GameStop Corp. (GME), AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (AMC) ni la ahora quebrada Bed Bath & Beyond. En la locura por las acciones meme de 2025, las empresas del momentoson Opendoor Technologies Inc. (OPEN) y Kohl’s Corp. (KSS).
Meme Stock Fever Is Spreading Like It’s 2021 With Kohl’s Soaring (1)
Stocks are at all-time highs. Chatter on WallStreetBets is surging. Retail traders are flooding into low-priced shares. It’s not 2021, and the shares of the moment aren’t , or the now-bankrupt Bed Bath & Beyond. In 2025’s meme stock mania, the companies du jour are Opendoor Technologies Inc. and Kohl’s Corp.
Kohl's Stock Price Surges With Opendoor as Meme Stock Mania Takes Hold
Kohl’s Shares Surge as Retailer Gets Meme Treatment July 22, 2025 at 6:10 PM UTC Updated on July 22, 2025 at 8:23 PM UTC Stocks are at all-time highs. Chatter on WallStreetBets is surging. Retail traders are flooding into low-priced shares. It’s not 2021, and the shares of the moment aren’t GameStop Corp., AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. or the now-bankrupt Bed Bath & Beyond. In 2025’s meme stock mania, the companies du jour are Opendoor Technologies Inc. and Kohl’s Corp.
Meme Stock Fever Is Spreading Like It’s 2021 With Kohl’s Soaring
Stocks are at all-time highs. Chatter on WallStreetBets is surging. Retail traders are flooding into low-priced shares. It’s not 2021, and the shares of the moment aren’t , or the now-bankrupt Bed Bath & Beyond. In 2025’s meme stock mania, the companies du jour are Opendoor Technologies Inc. and Kohl’s Corp.
Private Assets May Soon Be An Option In 401(k)s. Should Your Client Invest?
President Donald Trump is reportedly poised to sign an executive order that would allow employees to invest in private assets through their 401(k) retirement plans. While no details have been released, it’s a move the industry has long pushed, as it eyes the roughly $12.5 trillion parked in employer-sponsored accounts as a prime growth area.
Private Assets May Soon Be an Option in 401(k)s. Should You Invest? Original
The New York Stock Exchange (Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump is reportedly poised to sign an executive order that would allow employees to invest in private assets through their 401(k) retirement plans. While no details have been released, it’s a move the industry has long pushed, as it eyes the roughly $12.5 trillion parked in employer-sponsored accounts as a prime growth area.
How the End of Student Loan Relief Squeezes Borrowers: QuickTake
The era of student loan leniency in the US is officially over. During the Covid-19 emergency, mandatory payments on federal student loans were paused to shield borrowers from the financial repercussions of missed bills, and even after the economy recovered, multiple extensions and a grace period meant they could get away with ignoring their debt.
Da li je pravo vrijeme za kupovinu dionica? Hoće li rast i dalje trajati?
Stručnjaci, unatoč rekordnim vrijednostima dionica, i dalje vide obećavajuća područja za ulaganje. U samo nekoliko tjedana raspoloženje na tržištu preokrenulo se iz panike u gotovo maniju. U travnju je procjena vjerojatnosti recesije bila veća od 50 posto, a burzovni indeksi naglo su padali. No kad su se raspršili strahovi vezani uz Trumpove trgovinske ratove i gospodarsku politiku, burzovni indeksi rekordno su se brzo vratili na najviše razine svih vremena.
Rekordne američke akcije, ima li smisla kupovati
Podeli vest WhatsApp Viber Link copied Copy link Berze 04. jul 2025, 09:16 Za samo nekoliko nedelja, raspoloženje na tržištu prešlo je iz panike u maniju. Šanse za recesiju u aprilu subile veće od 50 odsto, a američka berza u slobodnom padu. Međutim, nakon što su strahovi u vezi sa trgovinskim ratovima i ekonomskom politikom američkog predsednika Donalda Trumpa popustili, akcije su dostigle rekordnu vrednost.
Je li sada prekasno za kupnju dionica? Hoće li rast još potrajati?
Podijeli vijest WhatsApp Viber Link copied Copy link Burze 04. srpanj 2025, 08:20 Stručnjaci, unatoč rekordnim vrijednostima dionica, i dalje vide obećavajuća područja za ulaganje. U samo nekoliko tjedana raspoloženje na tržištu preokrenulo se iz panike u gotovo maniju. U travnju je procjena vjerojatnosti recesije bila veća od 50 posto, a burzovni indeksi naglo su padali.
Ali je zdaj prepozno za nakup delnic? Se bo rast še nadaljevala? | Bloomberg Adria
Deli novico WhatsApp Viber Link copied Copy link Borza 04. julij 2025, 07:00 Strokovnjaki kljub rekordnim vrednostim delnic še vedno vidijo obetavna področja za vlaganje. V nekaj tednih se je razpoloženje na trgu prevesilo iz panike v skoraj manijo. Aprila je bila ocenjena verjetnost za nastanek recesije več kot 50-odstotna, borzne tečajnice pa so strmo upadale.
El mercado pasa del miedo a la euforia: ¿es momento de comprar o es mejor esperar?
Bloomberg — En cuestión de semanas, el sentimiento del mercado ha pasado del pánico a un entusiasmo casi desbordado. En abril, las probabilidades de recesión superaban el 50% y el mercado bursátil estaba en caída libre. Pero tras disiparse los temores sobre las guerras comerciales y la política económica del presidente, las acciones han vuelto a máximos históricos en tiempo récord.
Wealth Advisers Urge Dip Buyers to Embrace Stocks at Record High
In a matter of weeks, market sentiment has moved from panic to nearly Back in April, recession odds were more than 50%and the stock market was in free fall. But after fears concerning the president’s trade wars and economic policy eased, stocks have return to all-time highs in record time. It took just for the S&P 500 to claw its way out of a bear market to hit an intraday high — igniting animal spirits — but financial advisers surveyed by Bloomberg say everyday investors should tread lightly.
Wealth Advisers Urge Dip Buyers to Embrace Stocks at Record High
In a matter of weeks, market sentiment has moved from panic to nearly Back in April, recession odds were more than 50%and the stock market was in free fall. But after fears concerning the president’s trade wars and economic policy eased, stocks have return to all-time highs in record time. It took just for the S&P 500 to claw its way out of a bear market to hit an intraday high — igniting animal spirits — but financial advisers surveyed by Bloomberg say everyday investors should tread lightly.
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