U.S. manufacturers saw the prices they pay for raw materials increase in December, but by far less than in November, the Institute for Supply Management said Tuesday, citing its monthly survey of supply managers. In fact, an index measuring the pace of price increases fell more than it had in any other month since 2010, the group said. The move is a good sign for future consumer inflation, economists said....

What’s the Difference Between Swing Trading and Day Trading? Number of Transactions Swing trading is still a fast-paced form of trading but involves making trades over a few days, weeks, or months. As a result, swing trading accumulates gains and losses more slowly than day trading. However, you can still have certain swing trades that quickly result in big gains or losses. Suppose you’re a swing trader who risks 50% of your capital on each trade to make 1% to 2% on your winning trades, and suppose you earn 1....

Accountants are warning taxpayers to file early and make sure filings are complete the first time to avoid refund delays. Even though the IRS won’t start processing returns until Feb. 12, eligible taxpayers can start filing their returns through the IRS’s free services: MilTax (tax services for military members) and IRS Free File (available to taxpayers or families who earned $72,000 or less in 2020). Though the IRS won’t start processing returns until 16 days later than it did last year, the agency expects that 90% of taxpayers receiving refunds will get them within 21 days of filing electronically and opting for direct deposit—as long as there are no issues with the tax return....

It’s also smart to have a clear picture of how ETFs work and which accounts are best for investing with ETFs. Before jumping to the list of best dividend ETFs, start with the basics. Then you can be sure they’re a smart choice for you and your investing needs. What You Should Know Before You Invest in ETFs Even if you feel comfortable investing in ETFs, it’s smart to revisit the basics of how ETFs work and how to use them....

Here are the best all-in-one printers to consider. This Brother all-in-one printer is also ideal for businesses that do high volume document scanning—it has a 50-sheet automatic feeder with single-pass duplex (two-sided) scanning, which is a major timesaver. Using the touchscreen, documents can automatically be scanned or printed to most major Cloud services including Dropbox, Evernote, and Google Drive. This is a must for businesses trying to convert old paper files to digital records, or frequently need to share documents....

According to today’s Case-Shiller Home Price Index, September’s home prices were up 10.6% compared to last year. And while that’s still high, it’s a drop from August, when home prices were 12.9% higher year-on-year. Despite the overall price growth deceleration, if you’re waiting for home prices to fall to the same levels as before the pandemic, you might be waiting a while (and perhaps, even forever). Mortgage rates have been throwing cold water on the real estate market, causing prospective home buyers to wait on a purchase....

Stocks are reacting to the news, and markets are falling as investors realize that the pain train is going to keep chugging along, hitting future corporate earnings. Tech companies could feel it the most, so this might be a good time to make sure that your portfolio is a little more diversified. If you’re heavily invested in the tech sector, your investments could continue to feel the sting. Even if you aren’t looking too closely at your investments, you might still be impacted by higher interest rates....

Currently, inflation is up 8.3% since last year, and economists are expecting that number to decline to 8.1%. While that’s still high, it would mean costs are finally coming down. And you know what else that means? That the Fed’s aggressive rate hikes are working, which have been painful for anyone interested in buying a house, borrowing money from a bank, or holding credit card debt. But don’t think that declining inflation will be the end of the Fed’s rate hikes....

One of the reasons people aren’t buying homes is because taking out a mortgage has gotten more expensive, along with higher home prices. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 6.25% last week—the highest since October 2008, according to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The median cost of a home, at $389,500, is also 7.7% higher than last year. And borrowing will likely get more expensive if the Federal Reserve decides to hike interest rates by 75 basis points (or more) today, as many economists are expecting the central bank to do....

Firing your accountant doesn’t mean you can get out of paying this person. You must pay for services rendered up to the date of firing, even if you dispute those services or you feel the services were not adequate in some way. Is It Time to Fire Your Accountant? Before you take the step of firing your accountant or CPA, consider why you are taking this action. Cutting off a relationship with a trusted business advisor can have negative consequences for you and your business....

If that makes you wince, don’t worry: you don’t need to get aggressive. In fact, you shouldn’t. Job interviews are in part a sales pitch, but you’re not trying to sell the interviewer a used car. In fact, unless the job is in sales or finance, and the company has a very high-octane atmosphere, you probably shouldn’t come right out and ask, “Do I have the job?” A little subtlety goes a long way....

The fundamental difference between a debit card and a credit card account is where the cards pull the money. A debit card takes it from your banking account, and a credit card charges it to your credit line. What Is a Debit Card? Debit cards offer the convenience of a credit card but work differently. Debit cards draw money directly from your checking account when you make the purchase. They do this by placing a hold on the amount of the purchase....

This little piece of knowledge can provide you with a bit of confidence as you work your way through the process, and it’s not difficult to differentiate between the two. Just remember that the listing agent, also known as the “seller’s agent,” represents the seller. The selling agent represents the buyer and is also known as a “buyer’s agent.” Learn more about the roles these agents play in real estate so you can be a more informed buyer and seller....

Like ETFs, ETNs can also track the performance of an index, sector, or region. However, there are many important differences between the two products. If you are interested in ETFs, you should know about ETNs as well. ETF vs. ETN While they trade similarly, ETFs and ETNs are very different investment products. An ETF represents a share in a bundle of assets. Depending on the goals of a particular ETF, those assets may be stocks, bonds, or derivatives such as futures and options....

In a candlestick price chart, the wide parts of candlesticks are called “real bodies.” In a down or bearish candle, the top marks the opening price, and the bottom marks the closing price for the period you’re observing. The real body of a down candle is often black or red in color. In an up or bullish candle, the top marks the closing price, and the bottom marks the opening price....

It’s true that overall, people are quitting their jobs at the fastest pace seen since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking that statistic in 2000, but a lot of the churn is at restaurants, hotels, and retailers. As the chart below shows, the phenomenon dubbed “The Great Resignation” might actually be called The Great Restaurant Resignation or even The Great Retail Resignation. In November, the most recent month for which data is available, the quit rate for the category that includes restaurants and hotels—called food services and accommodation in the chart above—topped all other industries tracked by the bureau and was more than double the record overall rate of 3% (a high also seen in September)....

Currencies must be exchanged to facilitate international trade and business. The forex market is where such transactions happen—along with bets made by speculators who hope to make money off price moves in pairs of currencies. Pips are used in calculating the rates participants in the forex market pay when carrying out currency trades. Pips, Pipettes, and Spreads The value of the pips for your trade can vary depending on your lot size when you’re trading....

For example, if you have $500 and earn 10% interest per year, you will have $550 after one year. Then, if you earn 10% interest the next year on that $550, you end up with $605 by the end of year two. The process continues until, eventually, your original $500 may be eclipsed by the amount of interest you gained. This is one way many top investors find success in building their wealth....

An extension moves the filing deadline from April 15 to October 15, but it doesn’t give you extra time to pay taxes you might owe on that return. Is taking one always a wise move? Approval Is Usually Automatic Most extension requests will be honored automatically; you don’t even have to explain to the IRS why you need the extension. Simply file the form. But file it correctly: Double-check your Social Security number and other data....

Deciding whether to refinance is just as financially important as arranging to buy a home. With a refinance, you’re replacing your old mortgage (or a first and second mortgage) with a new loan, so it’s essential to be on top of the situation. Refinancing is best evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We’ll give you the facts about the pros and cons of refinancing so you can make the right choice for your home (and wallet)....