Economy
Third-quarter growth sped up, while the Fed's favorite inflation gauge rose to 3.6 percent and income after taxes and inflation fell in September.
By Finance Unc
The U.S. economy grew at a 3.4 percent annual rate in the third quarter, up from 2.2 percent in the spring, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said October 29 in its first estimate. Investment, consumer spending and government spending all rose, partly offset by lower exports.
The same day, the bureau said its personal consumption expenditures price index, the inflation measure the Federal Reserve targets, was 3.6 percent higher in September than a year earlier, and 3.1 percent excluding food and energy, after rising 0.5 percent in the month alone. Personal income rose 0.2 percent in September, but disposable income adjusted for inflation fell 0.3 percent, and the saving rate was 3.8 percent.
What it means for you: strong growth with inflation running well above the Fed's 2 percent goal is the backdrop for this week's Fed decision, where two officials wanted to raise rates. It makes near-term rate cuts unlikely, which keeps card and loan rates high, while savers can still find yields well above zero. If your raise this year was smaller than about 3.5 percent, your pay has likely lost ground to prices. These are first estimates and will be revised.
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notice
ACA marketplace open enrollment for 2027 coverageNationwideOpens Nov 1; enroll by Dec 15 for Jan 1 coveragechecked Oct 30
Retirement
To be covered on January 1, pick a plan by December 15 on HealthCare.gov. Whether you can still enroll into January depends on your state, and reports differ, so don't wait.
By Finance Unc
Open enrollment for 2027 health coverage through HealthCare.gov and state marketplaces begins Sunday, November 1. If you buy your own insurance, plan to pick a plan by December 15: that is the deadline for coverage starting January 1 on HealthCare.gov.
Whether the window stays open past December 15 is less clear than usual. A 2025 federal rule set a shorter enrollment period for 2027 coverage, ending no later than December 31, and several insurance sites list December 15 as the final deadline in HealthCare.gov states; others say a court blocked that change and that HealthCare.gov will again run through January 15. Check the official deadline for your state at HealthCare.gov or your state's marketplace, and treat December 15 as your target either way.
Before you renew automatically, compare: premiums and plans change every year, and prices for 2027 are expected to rise. Update your income estimate, since your premium tax credit depends on it, and check that your doctors and prescriptions are still covered. Free help is available from certified navigators through HealthCare.gov, and Medicare's separate open enrollment runs through December 7.
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notice
New Series I and EE savings bond ratesTreasuryDirectAnnounced on or about Nov 1; current I bond rate 4.26%checked Oct 30
Investing
By Finance Unc
The Treasury sets new rates for Series I and Series EE savings bonds every May 1 and November 1, so a new rate for I bonds bought from November through April is due this weekend. I bonds bought through October 31 earn 4.26 percent for their first six months, a rate set in May from a 1.10 percent fixed rate plus inflation. The fixed part stays with a bond for its life, so if you were planning to buy anyway, it can be worth comparing the two rates before you choose a date. We'll report the new rate when TreasuryDirect posts it.
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