Flip it and reverse it – Last year’s S&P 500 Index winners—tech stocks—are having a rough start to the year while some of last year’s worst performers—energy stocks, materials, and healthcare—are off to a strong start. Rising oil and natural-gas prices have helped to boost energy stocks and have made energy the best-performing sector. (Source: MarketWatch)

Living on the edge – The low-volatility factor, which focuses on stocks with less price volatility than the broader market, was negative for all four quarters of 2024. In fact, it hasn’t had a positive quarter since the fourth quarter of 2022. (Source: Compustat, Calculations: Hartford Equity Risk Model, as of 12/31/64-12/31/24)

Approaching burnout – China's central bank has announced aggressive monetary tactics as it tries to stimulate the economy before possible US tariff hikes. However, it also announced a suspension in Treasury-bond purchases due to scarcity, which highlights limited resources to combat its economic slump. (Source: Reuters)

Fake it ‘til you make it – Between 18% and 22% of jobs advertised in 2024 never actually got filled. Some companies post phantom jobs to make it seem as if they're growing even when they aren't, while others keep postings up in case they get a candidate too good to pass up. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)

I had a coupon! – Of the Americans who bought a new electric vehicle (EV) in 2024, 87% took advantage of a federal tax credit of up to $7,500. Most buyers said the credit influenced their purchase decision. If the tax incentive ends, estimates pin the reduction in EV sales at around 27%. (Source: MarketWatch)

Siri, put earmuffs mode on – Apple has agreed to pay $95 million in a class-action settlement alleging that private Siri conversations were inadvertently recorded, listened to by third-party contractors, and provided to advertisers. If the settlement is approved, impacted users will receive up to $20 per Apple device with Siri, such as the iPhone and Apple Watch. (Source: Mashable)

Lots of responsibility, not a lot of room for salary growth – The current presidential salary is $400,000 in taxable income. And the president gets a raise far less often than most workers, with only five pay raises since 1789. Once a president leaves office, they are still considered a federal employee and receive a $221,400 annual pension for life. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Now we'll all run out of benefits together – A new law, the Social Security Fairness Act, will boost Social Security payments for nearly 3 million public employees who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public-service jobs. The move addresses a decades-old disparity but will expedite the growing insolvency of the Social Security Trust Funds. (Source: AP News)

The countdown is on – American “TikTok refugees,” worrying over the impending ban of the app, have set their sights on a new conquest—RedNote. Users of the Chinese social media and video sharing app welcomed the influx of 700,000 new users with Chinese spy memes and translation help as it quickly became an unexpected US-China exchange platform. (Source: Reuters)

Fly, Eagles, fly … right to the bank – After the sale of a minority stake, the Philadelphia Eagles are now the most valuable NFL team with a record $8.3 billion valuation. The sale underscores the rising value of NFL franchises, fueled by the league's recent move to allow private-equity investments. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)