This Week in Money (October 23, 2026)
Here are a few of the stories in money you may have missed this past week.
U.S. stocks fell today as oil prices soared to their highest level since June 2022. There were gains in several AI-related stocks, including Micron and AMD. Next week’s economic reports will include the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure, the PCE index, which is expected to show inflation rising 3.7% year over year in September. That is well above the Fed’s 2% target.
The S&P 500 down 0.5% (its second consecutive weekly loss)
The Nasdaq slipped 0.2%
The Dow Jones dropped 1.2%
10-year Treasury yield edged up to 4.99%
A Goldman Sachs Asset Management survey found that financial insecurity follows a U-shaped pattern. About 61% of workers earning under $50,000 said they were living paycheck to paycheck, compared with 22% earning $100,000-$200,000 and roughly 37% earning more than $500,000.
Higher earners face lifestyle creep, larger financial commitments, and retirement expectations that may outpace their savings. Interestingly, high-income workers are also more likely to take on second jobs or side hustles, according to a recent ZipRecruiter survey.
For 31% of Americans, housing costs are what stands in the way of saving up for retirement.
USA TODAY explains how recent protests and violent clashes in France have travelers questioning if they should cancel any upcoming trips to the area. While most public transportation and tourist attractions remain operational, some businesses have closed, including the Louvre being temporarily shut.
The article also offers guidance for travelers heading to France including safety precautions, travel insurance considerations, and tips for navigating local disruptions.
Thinking about flying for the holidays? With price increases like this these days some of us might be thinking twice: “The average domestic round-trip flight for Thanksgiving is hovering around $402, a 31% jump from last year, while Christmas flights cost $452, up 23%.”
The biggest reason is the ballooning cost of jet fuel. Check out this quick read that offers some practical ways to save on airfare this holiday season.
While beef, coffee, and tomatoes have dominated headlines, seafood has seen the biggest price increase. Check out the article’s graph from SoFi to see which grocery items have moved the most in cost.
DoorDash will now pick up your returns for a fee of $7.99, but is paying someone to do the errand really the same as getting the task off your plate?
In The Allocation Edit, Joe Giesssinger explores delivery, unexpected fees, and his own $28 sandwich to ask why some conveniences are worth the money while others leave us micro-managing the work we thought we’d outsourced.
Until next week - stay informed, stay intentional. ✨
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