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Velocity of M2 Money Stock
The velocity of M2 money stock stood at 1.409 as of Q4 2025, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. That's a slight uptick from 1.406 in Q3 2025 and 1.395 a year earlier, marking a slow but steady recovery from pandemic-era lows. But what exactly does this number mean? And should you care about it as an investor? The velocity of M2 money stock measures how many times each dollar in the M2 money supply gets spent on goods and services during a given period. Think of it as a speedometer for the economy. When velocity is high, dollars are changing hands quickly, and economic activity is humming. When it drops, money is sitting idle, savings are piling up, and the economy may be losing steam.
AAII Sentiment
The AAII Sentiment Survey currently shows bullish sentiment at 39.8%, neutral at 27.0%, and bearish at 33.2%. Bullish sentiment sits just above the long-term average of 37.5%, while bearish sentiment remains elevated after several weeks of heightened pessimism. But what is this indicator, what do all these numbers mean, and how can you use them? Learn everything you need to know in this article. #### Description The AAII Sentiment Survey is a weekly survey that asks members if they are "Bullish," "Bearish," or "Neutral" on the stock market for the next six months. It's widely used as a contrarian indicator. #### Effect Bullish responses can forecast positive and negative price movements. Bearish responses can suggest positive price movements in the future. Neutral responses can estimate the magnitude and direction of future price movements. #### Limitations It doesn't reflect the views of professional investors and analysts, so it only shows what one group of investors thinks. It doesn't account for the catalysts that may lead to a change of trend.
DXY Index
The DXY Index measures the strength of the US dollar against a basket of six major currencies, with the Euro carrying the heaviest weight at 57.6%. Created in 1973 after the collapse of the Bretton Woods system, it remains the most widely referenced benchmark for dollar strength. If you have been wondering what is the DXY dollar index and why traders watch it so closely, this guide covers everything you need to know. As of early 2026, the DXY trades around 99, down roughly 10% from its January 2025 peak above 109. The decline reflects shifting trade policies, tariff uncertainty, and evolving Federal Reserve rate expectations. Investors use the DXY to gauge dollar-related risks across commodities, equities, and bond markets. A rising DXY generally signals dollar strength, while a falling DXY suggests the greenback is losing ground against its peers.
Put/Call Ratio
The put/call ratio is one of the simplest and most widely followed sentiment indicators in the options market. It compares the number of put options traded to the number of call options traded on a given day. When traders are nervous, they buy more puts. When they're optimistic, they buy more calls. The ratio captures that shift in real time. As of early March 2026, the CBOE equity put/call ratio sits at 0.67, while the total put/call ratio (equity + index options combined) is at 0.96. The equity ratio recently spiked to 1.28 in late February, its highest reading in over 12 months, signaling a sharp increase in bearish positioning among stock traders.
Shiller P/E Ratio
As of March 2026, the Shiller P/E Ratio for the S&P 500 stands at approximately [38.2](https://www.gurufocus.com/shiller-PE.php), well above the historical mean of 17.34. While the ratio pulled back slightly from its late-2025 peak near 40, current valuations remain the second-highest in over 140 years of market history, trailing only the dot-com bubble peak of 44.19 from December 1999.
What is Pre-Approval?
Pre-approval is a process where a lender evaluates a potential borrower's financial status to determine their creditworthiness and the maximum amount they are eligible to borrow. This procedure is often a crucial step in the home-buying process. During pre-approval, the lender examines the borrower's credit history, income, assets, and debts to assess how much money they can safely lend them.
Closing Costs
Closing costs are the fees and expenses you pay to finalize a mortgage loan. They cover everything from the lender's processing charges to third-party services like appraisals and title searches. These costs apply whether you're buying a home for the first time or refinancing an existing mortgage. The total amount depends on your loan type, property location, and lender. For most buyers, closing costs on a house range from 2% to 5% of the loan amount. On a $350,000 mortgage, that means you could pay anywhere from $7,000 to $17,500 in fees on top of your [down payment](/loans/glossary/down-payment/).
Crypto Scams
Crypto scams have become increasingly sophisticated in 2026, with fraudsters using AI-generated deepfakes, automated phishing networks, and long-term psychological manipulation to deceive investors. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), nearly 150,000 complaints involved digital assets in 2024, amounting to $9.3 billion in losses, a 66% increase from the previous year. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis estimates that scammers received at least $14 billion on-chain in 2025 alone. In this article, we break down the most common types of crypto fraud targeting US investors today, including the devastating "Pig Butchering" scams, widespread Bitcoin ATM fraud, and a new wave of AI-powered impersonation attacks. We'll show you how to recognize these schemes and, most importantly, how to protect your assets. We also cover exactly how to report crypto scams to federal authorities like the FBI and FTC.
Money Saving Tips
Nearly 1 in 4 Americans have zero emergency savings, and only 46% can cover three months of expenses. If those numbers hit close to home, you're not alone. The good news? You don't need a massive income boost to turn things around. Small, consistent changes add up to serious savings over time. The average American household spends $78,535 per year, which means even cutting 5% of your spending frees up almost $4,000 annually. We put together this checklist of 181 clever ways to save money across eight categories. Not every tip will fit your situation, but even picking 10 to 15 of these ways to save money can put hundreds of extra dollars in your pocket every month. Here's what we cover:
Payday Loan APR
Payday loan APRs routinely hit 391% or higher. A $15 fee on a $100 two-week loan sounds manageable until you do the math on an annual basis. About [12 million Americans](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2012/07/19/who-borrows-where-they-borrow-and-why) take out payday loans each year, and 75% of them end up borrowing 11 or more times. The average borrower spends $520 in fees just to repeatedly access $375. If you've ever wondered why are payday loan rates so high, this guide breaks down the answer. You'll learn how to calculate payday loan APR yourself, what your state allows, and payday loan alternatives that can save you hundreds.
Car Loan Refinancing
**Car loan refinancing** replaces your current auto loan with a new one that has better terms. You keep the same car but get a different interest rate, monthly payment, or loan length. The process is straightforward: a new lender pays off your existing auto loan, and you start making payments to them instead. If rates have dropped since you bought your car, or your credit score has improved, you could save a significant amount of money. Borrowers who refinanced their car loans in Q3 2025 saved an average of 2.08 percentage points on their interest rate, according to Experian. That translates to roughly $77 per month in savings for the average borrower. Some refinancing platforms report even higher savings, with customers reducing their monthly payments by $141 on average. This guide walks you through everything you need to know about car loan refinancing: when it makes sense, what it costs, and a step-by-step process to get the best deal.
Payday Loans + Chime
Most payday loan lenders accept Chime bank accounts for direct deposit. The process works the same way it does with traditional banks: you apply online, get approved, and the lender sends funds to your Chime Spending Account via ACH transfer. Whether you are looking for online payday loans that accept Chime or installment loans that accept Chime and low credit scores, your options have expanded significantly. Chime now has its own borrowing features (MyPay and Instant Loans) that are cheaper and faster than any payday loan. Before you pay 200%+ APR to a third-party lender, you should know what is already available inside your Chime app.
