Buying the dip in every flavor – After initial declines on news of the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, individual investors bought the dip in a major way, snapping up $2.2 billion in stocks and ETFs on March 2. That comes on the heels of a February spending spree: Despite jitters about the sustainability of the AI boom and the software-as-a-service collapse, retail investors made February their fifth-largest stock-buying month on record and one of the strongest since 2021. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

See ya, sub-$3 gas – Gasoline prices, which were down 7.5% in January and were a big contributor to falling inflation, are back on the rise as the conflict in Iran intensifies. In the first few days after the conflict began, the US average for a gallon of regular gas jumped to $3.25 from $2.98 the week prior. (Source: AAA, as of 3/5/26)

Something's not quite adding up – As a soaring stock market boosts retirement savings, a record 6% of workers took a hardship withdrawal from their 401(k) in 2025, up from 4.8% in 2024 and a pandemic average of 2%. The number of Americans who take hardship withdrawals has risen every year, highlighting financial difficulties despite investment success. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

I wanted new car smell, but this just smells fishy – Car buyers are being blindsided by “destination charges”—a non-negotiable fee that quietly inflates the sticker price of a new vehicle. These charges added up to more than $26 billion last year, as automakers steadily raised them with little notice. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

Going on a permanent holiday – The US experienced net negative migration in 2025, with an estimated loss of 150,000 people, a trend not seen since the Great Depression. American citizens are leaving in record numbers, many moving overseas due to remote work, mounting living costs, and an appetite for foreign lifestyles. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

A court of profits and paperbacks – Shares of London-based Bloomsbury Publishing climbed 20% on March 5, to their highest level since May 2025, after bestselling author Sarah J. Maas announced multiple new titles during a guest appearance on a podcast. Maas was the number-one bestselling author in the UK in 2025 and the highest-selling author in the US in 2024; the announcement of her first new books since early 2024 helped the publisher forecast profits beyond market expectations. (Source: Reuters)

Take your time savings and go on, git! – British Columbia moved its clocks forward one final time and will now permanently stay on daylight savings time. The Canadian province will remain part of the Pacific Time zone going forward. Only about 1/3 of countries around the world participate in daylight savings time shifts. (Source: The New York Times)

Channeling my inner flamingo – People 50 and over who can’t stand on one leg for 10 seconds have nearly twice the risk of premature death compared with those who can. The seemingly simple pose requires the brain to integrate multiple bodily systems, in addition to muscle strength and flexibility, and can show signs of atrophy in certain areas of the brain. (Source: BBC)

Got Dr. Seuss rolling in his grave – About 40% of US adults didn’t read a single book last year. Among those who did read, mystery and crime were the most popular genres, while many reported spending less than 30 minutes a day reading. The findings point to a widening gap between frequent readers and those who rarely pick up a book. (Source: Sherwood News)

Baseball and a buffet? Say less – The St. Louis Cardinals are launching all-you-can-eat tickets for their regular 2026 season. Fans in certain sections of the stadium can purchase the promotional tickets, starting at $29, and enjoy unlimited access to sodas and a variety of ballpark classics until the end of the eighth inning. (Source: MLB)