Off The Front Page

For years, Graham Stephan was held up as an example of what successful real estate investing looked like. He bought properties after the housing crash, locked in low mortgage rates, renovated rundown homes and built a portfolio of seven rental properties across Southern California. On paper, it looked like a huge success. According to him, one property he bought for $59,500 is now worth about $400,000.

When politicians talk about the economy, they often focus on policy proposals, legislation and long-term plans, but billionaire Mark Cuban thinks many voters are focused on something much more down-to-earth: whether they can afford everyday life. Speaking at last month’s WelcomeFest, Cuban argued that political parties, particularly Democrats, spend too much time talking about policy details and not enough time addressing the financial pressures people face every day.

For much of the past year, truck drivers have been caught between rising fuel costs, a shaky freight market and growing uncertainty about where the U.S. economy is headed. Now, one veteran trucker says a recent boost in trucking rates could already be coming to an end.

Healthcare costs may be quietly shaping hiring decisions across corporate America, according to billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, who argues that companies are cutting jobs and slowing hiring for reasons that have little to do with artificial intelligence.

The idea that anyone can build wealth in the stock market is starting to feel shaky for some investors. One investor recently summed up that frustration in a viral online post, writing, “Market feels more compromised than ever, it is reaching crazy proportions with daily swings on a tweet.” The post added that what once felt like an engaging hobby has now become something entirely different: “It honestly feels demoralizing… Like what’s the point?

For years, the Giving Pledge was one of the most recognizable symbols of billionaire philanthropy, according to a New York Times report. Backed by Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates, the initiative encouraged the world’s richest individuals to commit at least half of their wealth to charity. But that idea is starting to fall out of favor with the same people who once backed it.

A fresh inflation report is putting pressure on the economic narrative surrounding President Donald Trump, and even typically supportive voices on Fox Business are openly acknowledging the numbers aren’t good. The reactions were highlighted and analyzed by David Pakman, political commentator, on his show, where he compiled clips from Fox Business coverage. The latest Producer Price Index report showed inflation rising faster than economists predicted across nearly every major category.

The idea of making money while you sleep has become one of the most popular financial goals online. Scroll through social media or online forums and you’ll find endless advice about building passive income streams, quitting your job and achieving financial freedom. But a recent discussion on Reddit pushed back on that idea in a pretty direct way. One person summed it up with a simple take: “A 9-5 job is more ‘passive’ than most passive income strategies.” The reasoning was simple.

The U.S. government is set to receive up to $10 billion tied to a deal that shifts TikTok’s U.S. operations away from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal, cited by Reuters. The payment, described by officials as a kind of transaction fee, is being made by investors who took control of the app’s American business. BREAKING: The Trump Administration will receive a $10 billion fee for brokering the sale of TikTok, per WSJ.

Most people feel behind at 40—new data shows how far off the “ideal” number really is Many people approaching 40 face the same kind of trade-off: keep pushing money into retirement accounts or ease off to cover rising costs like housing and childcare. Some have built six-figure savings and steady careers but still question whether they’re on track. Others have far less saved, often due to inconsistent income or late starts, and feel like they’re playing catch-up.