Also, low-tech tricks scammers are using to get your info.
Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  Í â  â  [Fort Worth Star-Telegram](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0QeaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3Rhci10ZWxlZ3JhbS5jb20vVwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) Í
Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ Íâ December 4, 2024 ⢠Issue #114 [The Money Section] This week, weâre looking at how the housing market seems to be shaping up for 2025, the surprising ease with which fraudsters can con you out of your money, when Social Security checks will go out this month, and the recent surge in Blueskyâs popularity. Will 2025 finally be a buyerâs market in housing? [Will 2025 finally be a buyerâs market in housing?](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cua2Fuc2FzY2l0eS5jb20vbW9uZXkvMjAyNS1idXllcnMtbWFya2V0LWZvci1ob3VzaW5nLz94aWQ9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cnNzX3N5bmQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9dG1zX2lzc3VlMTE0VwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) Money; Getty Images
The Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates in September, but the magnitude of the cut is uncertain. While a quarter-point decrease is widely predicted, some experts anticipate a larger, potentially emergency cut of 50 or even 75 basis points due to economic concerns. Read more. The housing market is slowly becoming more balanced with an increase in available homes for sale. This development means it might be a good time to buy for some patient buyers who can afford it, especially in areas with more options and less competition. [Read more.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cua2Fuc2FzY2l0eS5jb20vbW9uZXkvMjAyNS1idXllcnMtbWFya2V0LWZvci1ob3VzaW5nLz94aWQ9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cnNzX3N5bmQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9dG1zX2lzc3VlMTE0VwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) ð [General Motors takes $5bn charge against China businesses.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0Q_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZnQuY29tL2NvbnRlbnQvNThkZWQ3YTktZWQ4My00YjZkLTk5NDgtN2RhYzdiYzQyMTcyVwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) General Motors has taken a significant financial hit due to declining performance in the Chinese market. The company is writing down billions of dollars in its Chinese joint ventures and implementing restructuring measures to address the challenges posed by rising competition from local manufacturers. ðµ [Barclays reaches $19.5 million settlement over debt sale blunder.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV1dGVycy5jb20vd29ybGQvdWsvYmFyY2xheXMtcmVhY2hlcy0xOTUtbWxuLXNldHRsZW1lbnQtb3Zlci0xNzctYmxuLWRlYnQtc2FsZS1ibHVuZGVyLTIwMjQtMTItMDQvVwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) Barclays has agreed to pay $19.5 million to settle a lawsuit brought by shareholders who accused the bank of securities fraud. The bank had overissued $17.7 billion worth of debt, violating regulatory limits. While Barclays denies wrongdoing, it has acknowledged the error and taken steps to rectify the situation. Scammers are using this low-tech tactic to access peopleâs bank accounts [Scammers are using this low-tech tactic to access peopleâs bank accounts](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0STaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2FjYmVlLmNvbS9tb25leS9iYW5rLWFjY291bnQtZnJhdWQtc29jaWFsLWVuZ2luZWVyaW5nLz94aWQ9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cnNzX3N5bmQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9dG1zX2lzc3VlMTE0VwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) Money; Getty Images Digital scams have surged in recent years, with social engineering tactics becoming increasingly effective. Fraudsters often impersonate trusted individuals or organizations to trick victims into sharing sensitive information or transferring money. While banks are investing in cybersecurity, human error remains a significant vulnerability.
[Read more.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0STaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2FjYmVlLmNvbS9tb25leS9iYW5rLWFjY291bnQtZnJhdWQtc29jaWFsLWVuZ2luZWVyaW5nLz94aWQ9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cnNzX3N5bmQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9dG1zX2lzc3VlMTE0VwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) ð¨ð³ [Chinese spies may have your phone number.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hYmNuZXdzLmdvLmNvbS9VUy9jaGluZXNlLWVzcGlvbmFnZS1jYW1wYWlnbi1zY29vcGVkLWRhdGEtdGhvdXNhbmRzLXVzLW1vYmlsZS9zdG9yeT9pZD0xMTY0Mzk4NTNXA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO) A major Chinese hacking operation has compromised the networks of several major U.S. telecommunications companies, potentially exposing the data of millions of American mobile phone users. The hackers were able to access sensitive information, including call logs, text messages, and potentially even audio recordings of high-profile individuals. ð [Apple says it uses Amazonâs custom AI chips.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RQaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25iYy5jb20vMjAyNC8xMi8wMy9hcHBsZS1zYXlzLWl0LXVzZXMtYW1hem9ucy1jdXN0b20tYWktY2hpcHMtLmh0bWxXA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO) Apple, a company known for its proprietary hardware and software, is surprisingly using Amazon Web Services (AWS) for its AI initiatives. The company has been leveraging AWSâs custom AI chips, including Inferentia and Trainium2, for tasks like powering search services and training its own AI models. When Social Security recipients will get their checks in December [When Social Security recipients will get their checks in December](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SZaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2hhcmxvdHRlb2JzZXJ2ZXIuY29tL21vbmV5L3NvY2lhbC1zZWN1cml0eS1jaGVjay10aGlzLW1vbnRoLz94aWQ9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cnNzX3N5bmQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9dG1zX2lzc3VlMTE0VwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) Getty Images Social Security payments for December will arrive a bit earlier for some due to the holidays. The payment date depends on your birthday. People born between the 21st and the 31st will get theirs on December 24th instead of Christmas Day. [Read more.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SZaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2hhcmxvdHRlb2JzZXJ2ZXIuY29tL21vbmV5L3NvY2lhbC1zZWN1cml0eS1jaGVjay10aGlzLW1vbnRoLz94aWQ9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cnNzX3N5bmQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9dG1zX2lzc3VlMTE0VwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) ð¤ï¸ [Bluesky now has 24 million users.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2lyZWQuY29tL3N0b3J5L2JpZy1pbnRlcnZpZXctamF5LWdyYWJlci1ibHVlc2t5LTIwMjQvVwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~) Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform, has experienced significant growth, particularly after the U.S. election. The platformâs CEO, Jay Graber, is committed to maintaining a user-friendly experience without relying on ads. To generate revenue, Bluesky plans to introduce premium subscriptions offering additional features. ð [U.S. closes investigation into McDonaldâs E. coli outbreak.](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RlaHR0cHM6Ly9hcG5ld3MuY29tL2FydGljbGUvbWNkb25hbGRzLWUtY29saS1vdXRicmVhay1xdWFydGVyLXBvdW5kZXItMTFjYWRlMmIwNTkzYzUyYzk1N2ZjZjEyYzg5NGM2NWZXA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO) A recent E. coli outbreak linked to McDonaldâs Quarter Pounders has been resolved. The outbreak, which sickened over 100 people and resulted in one death, was traced back to contaminated onions from Taylor Farms. McDonaldâs temporarily removed Quarter Pounders from its menu in affected states. Smart Money Move Paying too much for homeowners? You may be able to save by switching providers. [Earn higher APY with a short-term CD](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0S_aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWN1cmUubW9uZXkuY29tL2xwL2hvbWUtaW5zdXJhbmNlL2xwL2hvbWUtaW5zdXJhbmNlLW1hdGNoLXRvb2wtcHViLXQyP3BjdWlkPW42ZGQ4YjZhYjlhYyZqdW1wX2Zyb21fZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD10bXNfaXNzdWUxMTQmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1yc3Nfc3luZCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPW1jY2xhdGNoeSZ3YWZpZD1XA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO)2024 saw natural disasters cause billions of dollars in damage, with hurricanes Milton and Helene causing over $100 billion alone. As a result, homeowners insurance costs have been skyrocketing. However, you are not powerless. Rates for homeowners policy can vary considerably from one insurer to the next. So thereâs a good chance shopping around could score you a better deal. [Find out if you can save on homeowners insurance today!](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0S_aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWN1cmUubW9uZXkuY29tL2xwL2hvbWUtaW5zdXJhbmNlL2xwL2hvbWUtaW5zdXJhbmNlLW1hdGNoLXRvb2wtcHViLXQyP3BjdWlkPW42ZGQ4YjZhYjlhYyZqdW1wX2Zyb21fZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD10bXNfaXNzdWUxMTQmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1yc3Nfc3luZCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPW1jY2xhdGNoeSZ3YWZpZD1XA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO) [ADVERTISEMENT](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0S_aHR0cHM6Ly9zZWN1cmUubW9uZXkuY29tL2xwL2hvbWUtaW5zdXJhbmNlL2xwL2hvbWUtaW5zdXJhbmNlLW1hdGNoLXRvb2wtcHViLXQyP3BjdWlkPW42ZGQ4YjZhYjlhYyZqdW1wX2Zyb21fZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZ1dG1fY29udGVudD10bXNfaXNzdWUxMTQmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1yc3Nfc3luZCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPW1jY2xhdGNoeSZ3YWZpZD1XA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO) Stories weâre reading this week - [Zepbound Leads to More Weight Loss Than Wegovy, Drugmaker Eli Lilly Says](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RaaHR0cHM6Ly9lZGl0aW9uLmNubi5jb20vMjAyNC8xMi8wNC9oZWFsdGgvemVwYm91bmQtd2Vnb3Z5LXdlaWdodC1sb3NzLWVsaS1saWxseS9pbmRleC5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~)
- [Who Is the Average Gold Investor?](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly9tb25leS5jb20vd2hvLWlzLXRoZS1hdmVyYWdlLWdvbGQtaW52ZXN0b3IvP3hpZD1tY2NsYXRjaHkmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1tY2NsYXRjaHkmdXRtX21lZGl1bT1yc3Nfc3luZCZ1dG1fY29udGVudD10bXNfaXNzdWUxMTRXA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO)
- [U.S. Senator Blasts Airlines for Viewing Passengers as âWalking Piggy Banksâ](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucmV1dGVycy5jb20vYnVzaW5lc3MvYWVyb3NwYWNlLWRlZmVuc2UvdXMtc2VuYXRvci1ibGFzdHMtYWlybGluZXMtdmlld2luZy1wYXNzZW5nZXJzLXdhbGtpbmctcGlnZ3ktYmFua3MtMjAyNC0xMi0wNC9XA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO)
- [What's the Deal With $2 Bills?](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SFaHR0cHM6Ly9tb25leS5jb20vZG9sbGFyLXNjaG9sYXItMi1kb2xsYXItYmlsbHMtcmFyZS8_eGlkPW1jY2xhdGNoeSZ1dG1fc291cmNlPW1jY2xhdGNoeSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPXJzc19zeW5kJnV0bV9jb250ZW50PXRtc19pc3N1ZTExNFcDc3BjQgpnRmrgUGcSRQSRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MkBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAA04~)
- [Salesforce Surges After Strong Revenue With Promise of AI Boost](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9maW5hbmNlLnlhaG9vLmNvbS9uZXdzL3NhbGVzZm9yY2UtcG9zdHMtc3Ryb25nLXJldmVudWUtcHJvbWlzZS0yMTUxMzAwNTUuaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpnRmrgUGcSRQSRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MkBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAA04~)
- [Current Mortgage Rates Tick Lower for First Time in Seven Weeks](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0SKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubmV3c29ic2VydmVyLmNvbS9tb25leS9jdXJyZW50LW1vcnRnYWdlLXJhdGVzLz94aWQ9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9bWNjbGF0Y2h5JnV0bV9tZWRpdW09cnNzX3N5bmQmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9dG1zX2lzc3VlMTE0VwNzcGNCCmdGauBQZxJFBJFSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkyQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAADTg~~)
- [Trump Vows to Block Japanese Steelmaker From Buying U.S. Steel](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly9hcG5ld3MuY29tL2FydGljbGUvdXMtc3RlZWwtbmlwcG9uLXRydW1wLWJpZGVuLXN0ZWVsd29ya2Vycy0xYjBmYjM4MDc3ZmYwYTZiNjhlNjRhMTg0ZjI3MGJhY1cDc3BjQgpnRmrgUGcSRQSRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MkBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAA04~) ~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhldmVyZ2UuY29tLzIwMjQvOS8xMS8yNDI0MTM4Ni9mb3JtZXItbmV3cy1jb3JwLWV4ZWN1dGl2ZS1nb29nbGUtZG9qLWFkLXRlY2gtdHJpYWxXA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO The Money Section is written in partnership with Money Research Collective This email was sent to {EMAIL} because you are signed up to receive The Money Section from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. If you no longer wish to receive emails of this type, you may [update your email preferences](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3Rhci10ZWxlZ3JhbS5jb20vbmV3c2xldHRlcnMjdXNlcklkPWQ3ZGM3NDUxNzI5N2IzOTcxYWExNGQ2ZjMzMTEzNWEwODc4ZjhmNjQwZmExYTEwMTlmMTU3YjY1YzFiNWRkMWRXA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO). We are unable to monitor replies to this email. Please [contact customer service](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0QvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3Rhci10ZWxlZ3JhbS5jb20vY3VzdG9tZXItc2VydmljZS9XA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO) if you have any questions or concerns. [Privacy Policy](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0Q-aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3Rhci10ZWxlZ3JhbS5jb20vY3VzdG9tZXItc2VydmljZS9wcml2YWN5LXBvbGljeS9XA3NwY0IKZ0Zq4FBnEkUEkVIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luOTJAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAANO) | [Terms of Service](~/AAQRxQA~/RgRpM2VqP0RAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc3Rhci10ZWxlZ3JhbS5jb20vY3VzdG9tZXItc2VydmljZS90ZXJtcy1vZi1zZXJ2aWNlL1cDc3BjQgpnRmrgUGcSRQSRUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MkBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAA04~) Copyright © 2024 Fort Worth Star-Telegram. All Rights Reserved.
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