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Making do a new status symbol

Three-quarters of Americans say they plan to trade down, forgoing more extravagant purchases in the future. For decades, the markers of success in America followed a familiar script: bigger homes, newer cars and a steady stream of conveniences. But in 2026, the latest status symbol won’t be about having more; it will be about making do with less. As households continue to feel the squeeze of inflation and rising living costs, a surprising cultural shift is taking shape. Financial counselors say the trend has been building quietly for years, accelerated first by the pandemic and now ...

In recent years, a shortage of vehicles, rising prices, and high borrowing costs have made it challenging for some people to purchase a new or used vehicle. Thankfully, the automotive market is shifting in ways that could be beneficial if you’re planning to buy a vehicle in the next few months. The auto experts at Edmunds have identified five car shopping trends that you can expect to see in 2026 and have advice on how to take advantage of them to get the best deal. Holdout shoppers return Many consumers delayed buying a new car over the past several years due to high prices, ...

Wall Street ends wobbly week slightly below latest records

NEW YORK — Stocks edged a bit lower on Wall Street Friday as the first week of corporate earnings season ended with markets trading near record levels. The wobbly day for stocks closed out a week of similar movements for major indexes amid profit reports from banks and updates on inflation. The S&P 500 fell 4.46 points, or 0.1%, to 6,940.01. It is sitting just below its record, which was set on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 83.11 points, or 0.2%, to 49,359.33. The Nasdaq composite fell 14.63 points, or 0.1%, to 23,515.39. Each index notched weekly losses. Smaller ...

Another mall store closing

The Logan Valley Mall is losing another store. According to WTAJ, clothing store H&M will close their doors Jan. 18. The mall store is the only H&M store in the area, with the next closest store in the Pittsburgh area. SHARON Primary Health launches residency program In efforts to fulfill the crucial need for skilled health care providers, Primary Health Network will continue its Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner residency program for the second consecutive year. The relaunching of the residency program aims to address provider shortages and other challenges in health care ...

Ticker: X says Grok blocked from undressing images

Elon Musk’s X says its AI chatbot Grok won’t be able to edit photos of real people in revealing clothing in places where that is illegal. The announcement followed a backlash over sexualized images of women and children, including bans and warnings by some governments. A statement posted on X said it has taken technological measures to stop users from editing images to show real people in bikinis, underwear and other revealing attire. It said the rule applies to paid subscribers as well as others. It added that any image creation or editing will now be available only to paid ...

US, Taiwan sign $250B trade deal to cut tariffs

HONG KONG — The United States and Taiwan reached a trade deal Thursday that cuts tariffs on Taiwanese goods in exchange for $250 billion in new investments in the U.S. tech industry. The deal is the latest President Donald Trump has struck — such as those with the European Union and Japan — since he unveiled a sweeping tariff plan last April to address trade imbalances. Trump also has a one-year trade truce with China to stabilize ties with the world’s second largest economy. Trump initially set the tariff at 32% on Taiwanese goods but later changed it to 20%. The new ...