There were 9.3 million job openings on the last business day of April, 998,000 more than in March and the most since the data was first collected in December 2000, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Tuesday. There are 32.4% more job openings now than there were in February 2020, before the pandemic began. Meanwhile, 4 million people quit their jobs in April—also a record high since at least December 2000—and an indication workers are increasingly confident they’ll be able to find other, possibly better jobs elsewhere, some economists said....

This breakdown of the general stock market hours for the major exchanges around the world can help you coordinate your international trades. Times are listed both in local and U.S. time zones, as well as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Times reflect Eastern Standard Time (not daylight saving time), and it’s important to note that markets close for lunch in many countries. Exchanges may also be closed on different national holidays....

In fact, nearly half of homebuyers in 2020 said they went ahead and submitted an offer on a home without visiting it first (but, of course, COVID-19 had something to do with this). This practice is especially prevalent in parts of the country where buyers have all sorts of legal ways to cancel a contract without penalty. In places where it is legal to cancel as a buyer, the seller may have up to 10 days to respond to a cancellation request, although such rules vary by state....

You can use inverse ETFs and inverse ETNs to inversely track an underlying index or group of investments you believe will drop in value, or you can use it to hedge against downside risk in similar investments you own (in a long position). What Are the Risks? These products are most often only for very short-term investments. They may present significant risks to less experienced investors. In January 2019, the Vanguard Group said it would no longer accept new investments in leveraged or inverse ETFs and ETNs....

Of course, sometimes other benefits like increasing your home’s energy efficiency or improving your quality of life while you’re living in the home may be more important to you. Either way, it’s worth knowing before you decide to dive into an improvement project whether or not you’ll be able to recoup the money it costs. Start by exploring some home improvements that do not add value—it just may help you prioritize what your next big project should be....

If the word “wealth” conjures up images of mansions and yachts, think again. The “millionaires next door” are people who don’t look the part. They are the people standing behind you in the grocery store line or pumping gas next to you into their not-so-fancy car. For the most part, the millionaires next door are underconsumers. They spend far less on material things than their peers. And they have achieved their status because they have consistently employed several wealth-building strategies that any of us can use—beginning today....

Before making a decision that is difficult to undo, it’s important to ask yourself difficult questions about your underlying motivations for starting a business. By doing so, you can protect yourself from unnecessary risk, and you may just confirm why you definitely should become an entrepreneur. 10 Best Reasons to Start Your Own Business Experienced entrepreneurs know the best business ideas arise out of a genuine need for something meaningful in the marketplace, and they train themselves to become hyperaware of potentially profitable business ideas within their areas of interest....

Commercial auto insurers provide policies covering cars, trucks, and other vehicles registered to businesses. Like most auto insurers, the top 25 are multi-line insurance companies, meaning they offer a variety of coverages (not just auto). Many are large companies that operate in all 50 states. Examples are Progressive, Travelers, and Liberty Mutual. However, some are smaller companies that sell policies in a limited number of states. For instance, Erie operates in 12 states while Selective sells policies in 27 states and the District of Columbia....

Debt-to-Asset Ratio The debt-to-assets ratio shows you how much of your asset base is financed with debt. The key thing to remember is that if 100% of your asset base is financed with debt, you’re bankrupt! You want to keep your debt-to-asset ratio in line with your industry. You also want to watch the historical trends in your business. Your ability to cover your interest expense on debt is also important (more on that later)....

While you are a partial owner of the company, company executives will decide how to spend profits. They could decide to retain the profits and use them to invest in growing the business, or the company may give some of those profits to you, the shareholder, directly. When profits are sent to shareholders in this way, they are called “dividends.” Dividend stocks are a popular investment choice. There are three primary reasons for this....

Crypto buyers are bucking the trend to flee for safe havens during times of market volatility; the price of bitcoin has fallen more than 50% since the beginning of the year. Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies are generally high-risk, highly volatile assets. Meanwhile, 41% of investors say they are investing more in stocks in response to today’s market, perhaps motivated by the ability to “buy the dip.” Another 34% say they are making no changes to their investment contributions....

Medical Coverage Most injured employees who file workers’ compensation claims receive medical coverage. This coverage pays the cost of treating workers for an occupational illness or injury. It includes fees charged for doctor visits, hospital treatment, nursing care, medications, medical diagnostic tests, physical therapy, and durable medical equipment (like crutches and wheelchairs). Medical coverage isn’t normally subject to dollar limits, deductibles, or copays. Benefits are provided until the worker has fully recovered from the injury....

Investors who want exposure to this incredibly valuable natural resource may be interested in investing in exchange-traded funds that focus on oil and oil production. We’ve compiled this list, presented in no particular order, of the best oil ETFs for investors. In short, when oil prices rise, USO’s price should rise. When oil prices fall, USO should also fall. This can be appealing for investors who do not want to get into commodity investing directly, but who still want exposure to oil....

For those few do-it-yourself investors, the father of value investing himself, Benjamin Graham, identified five categories of common stock investing that could conceivably result in better-than-average returns. Benjamin Graham and His Philosophies Benjamin Graham was an investor and author. He is considered the father of value investing because he was one of the first people to use financial analysis to invest in stocks—and he did so successfully. Graham created many of the standards and principles that many modern investors are still using today....

You may qualify for one of five options for student loan forgiveness, depending on your college degree and your current occupation. Wait 20 or 25 Years, or Maybe Only 10 You can have the balance of your student loan forgiven after 20 or 25 years, depending on when you took out your loan, if you have a federal loan and you’re on an income-based repayment (IBR) plan. All federal student loans are eligible except those that are in default, Parent PLUS loans, and Parent PLUS consolidation loans....

What should interest you is gaining as much ownership as you can in a broad array of companies you respect and trust will grow over time. Look at it as making money by owning part of a company, not by renting stocks. That said, spend time looking for the types of stock you want to own, then wait (maybe even years on end) for them to be selling at a price you think is worth it....

What Is Your “Tax Home”? Your tax home is a concept set by the IRS to help determine whether a trip is tax deductible. It’s defined by the IRS as the entire city or general area where your regular place of business is located. It’s not necessarily the area where you live. Your tax home can be used to determine whether your business travel expenses are deductible after you’ve determined where it’s located....

How Much Should I Spend on a Used Car? The cardinal rule of car budgets is the 20/4/10 rule. It’s simple: First, you should make a down payment of at least 20%. Second, try and find a car that is no more than 4 years old. And most importantly, you should not let the total costs of owning that car exceed 10% of your pre-tax income. What Should I Reasonably Expect To Pay for a Used Car?...

While getting a raise or a higher-paying job may not be realistic for you right now, there are ways you can stretch your money to cover more of your living expenses. Learn how to embrace a frugal lifestyle with these easy ways to stretch your paycheck. Learn to Budget Budgeting isn’t the most exciting thing in the world. But it’s important to remember that if you carefully plan how you want to spend your money, you will have more money to spend on the things you want to....

General Guidelines on Seasonal Bargain Shopping Seasonal sales follow a general retail schedule that follows not only the seasons but also major holidays and other timely factors that affect shopper’s behaviors. So if a bargain shopper were to commit any one fact to memory, it would be this: traditionally, spring and summer merchandise usually goes on clearance in June and July and fall and winter merchandise usually goes on sale in January after the winter holidays....