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MarketWatch readers shared their money goals for 2026. These tips can help them — and you — embrace habits to build wealth, pay down debt, and more.
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Trump ‘not worried' as China's live-fire Taiwan wargame enters second day The GuardianChina fires rockets towards Taiwan in war games simulating blockade ReutersChina military exercises: PLA simulates Taiwan blockade, Trump 'not worried' NBC News'No worries': Trump downplays Chinese military drills around Taiwan BBC
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Gusty Santa Ana winds bring downed trees, damage to cities across Southern California ABC7 Los Angeles‘We hear cracking and then a big thud': Santa Ana winds topple trees across SoCal KTLAPowerful winds down trees and power lines in SoCal; Highway 118 closed in Moorpark Los Angeles Times
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S&P 500 closes lower Monday as investors sell tech names into year-end: Live updates CNBCU.S. Markets Dropped Monday; Blue Hat Interactive Fell Furthest Barron'sStock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq slide as Nvidia, Tesla fall to start 2025's final week Yahoo FinanceStock Market Today: Dow, Nasdaq Slip; Silver and Gold Futures Slide — Live Updates The Wall Street Journal
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After two years of a red-hot market, it's time real estate and mortgage professionals get ready for what could be a slowdown in their business.
Earlier this summer housing prices were on fire. Now there is talk of a "housing recession." Due in part to higher mortgage rates and more people vacationing this summer, U.S. existing home sales fell in July for the sixth straight month, the longest streak of declines in more than eight years.
SEE MORE Is Your Job Burning You Out?
One of my clients in the Midwest put his home up for sale recently and has had no interested buyers - none. A few months ago, we were certain it would sell in days. The plan was to sell the house and pay off their construction loan on their new home before it converted to a permanent mortgage. Now, that plan may need to change.
Several mortgage companies have already let go thousands of employees, and one company, Sprout Mortgage, based in East Meadow, N.Y., shut down in early July. Real estate brokerage companies, such as Compass and Redfin, have also slashed their workforce.
Real estate is cyclical, and while sales will not totally dry up, anyone tied to the industry should get their finances in order now in case the current downturn lasts another several months.
Here are a few moves to consider:
Build an Emergency Fund Twice as Big as a Salaried Worker's
No one wants to get caught borrowing money to pay their bills. While putting away enough money in a savings or money market account to cover six months of expenses is normal, it's best to plan for a longer period if you work in a cyclical industry.
Consider keeping six to 12 months of r
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