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Michigan’s ‘Fab Five’ to Reunite For Alternate Final Four Broadcast

If you scroll markets Twitter long enough, some clips become familiar.One of them is Donald Trump saying he built “the strongest economy in history” with “no inflation” and “the highest stock market ever” in a sound bite Watcher.Guru pushed out again on X (formerly Twitter).Trump has used versions of that line for years, including telling CBS in a “60 Minutes” interview that “we had the greatest economy in the history of our country” when talking about his first term.He doesn’t stop there.At Davos this year he told the World Economic Forum that “growth is exploding, productivity is surging, investment is soaring, incomes are rising, inflation has been defeated,” calling it “the fastest and most dramatic economic turnaround in our country’s history,” highlighted in my TheStreet coverage.You may agree or roll your eyes, but if you have money in the market, you feel those words in your stomach, not just in your politics.

President Donald Trump’s economic boast has a message for bears.Smith/Getty Images

Hearing his message the way a bear doesWhen I listen to Trump talk about the economy, I don’t just hear red‑meat applause lines. I hear a direct challenge to anyone who has doubted this market, or sat on the sidelines waiting for the crash that never quite arrives.In his latest State of the Union, Trump described a “turnaround for the ages” and ticked through improvements in inflation, gas prices, jobs and the stock market, painting a picture where his policies rescued a country in crisis, said The New York Times in its fact‑check of the speech.Trump “cited a long list of economic positives…and the data backs him up on most of it,” even as it noted that many households did not feel as optimistic as the numbers implied, according to TheStreet’s write‑up of his economic messaging. MoreEconomy:Goldman Sachs resets oil-price bets as war rages onHow Fed meeting impacts mortgage rates, housing marketIMF drops blunt warning on US economyFor a natural bear, that’s a taunt.The subtext is simple: you said inflation would run away, tariffs would break the recovery, valuations were unsustainable, and yet the indexes are near records. It’s a scoreboard speech dressed up as a victory lap.What the numbers actually say to meBecause I write about money, I don’t get to stop at the speech. I go hunting for the data behind the swagger, and that’s where the clean “strongest in history” story starts to fray.At Davos, Trump said “inflation has been defeated” and pointed to a three‑month run where core inflation averaged about 1.6%, but Capital Economics economist Thomas Mathews called that “factually incorrect,” saying inflation was “still concerningly elevated” for households, according to TheStreet’s reporting.Inflation in Trump’s State of the Union wasn’t really “plummeting” the way he claimed, because even with the headline rate down near 2.4%, prices for groceries, electricity, housing, and medical care were still rising faster than that, according to PBS.He also overstated the size of his tax cuts, exaggerated how bad the economy was when he took office, and treated cheaper gas as something the White House delivered rather than a normal outcome of global energy markets, according to NPR’s annotated fact‑check of the same speech.Once I line those pieces up, I see an economy that’s solid and improving in key ways, not some unprecedented miracle without inflation.Why his line still hits when you check your balanceEven when I know the numbers, I understand why his boast lands. You don’t live inside a fact‑check; you live inside your bank app and your monthly bills.Goldman Sachs chief economist Jan Hatzius described the backdrop when Trump returned to office as a “sweet spot of healthy growth and gradual disinflation” and estimated real GDP growth at about 2.6%, expecting a similar pace the following year, according to a research note cited by TheStreet.That isn’t “greatest in history,” but it is the kind of environment where broad index investors quietly see new highs in their accounts even as they grumble at the supermarket checkout.Higher‑income households with stock and home equity are feeling wealthier while lower‑ and middle‑income families still report feeling behind as prices stay elevated, a split that recent coverage at TheStreet has described as a “K‑shaped” reality. That lines up with what I hear from readers who tell me, “my portfolio looks fine, but my life is expensive,” a sentence that holds two truths at once.So when Trump says there’s “virtually no inflation” and that “stock markets are continually hitting record highs,” as he did in a recent speech captured, he’s pressing on the part of you that sees your balance and wants to believe the pain phase is finally over.If you’ve been bearish and underweight risk while that balance rises for your friends and coworkers, his confidence can feel like a dare.How I translate the spin into something useful for youHere’s what I do with all of this when I sit down with my own accounts. I treat Trump’s boasts as sentiment signals, not as an investment thesis.When he says “we had the greatest economy in the history of our country,” I hear a politician trying to claim credit for a complicated mix of monetary policy, demographics, post‑pandemic normalization, and animal spirits, not a portfolio manager handing me a backtested strategy.When he claims “inflation has been defeated” or is “plummeting,” I look at the fact‑checks from PBS, NPR, and others and remind myself that 2% to 3% inflation on a permanently higher price level still feels painful if your wages or business revenue haven’t kept pace.For you and me, that suggests a few habits worth building:Use speeches as a trigger to check data, not to change allocations on the spot, leaning on independent sources before you decide you were “wrong” or “right.”Separate your feelings as a consumer from your job as an investor, recognizing that both can be true: your grocery bill hurts, and your index fund is finally working again.Notice when ego is driving your stance: being a proud bear who misses a multi‑year rally can hurt you more than admitting the tape doesn’t care about anyone’s narrative.Trump’s latest eye‑popping boast will not be his last. Fact‑checkers will keep grading his claims, and economists will keep arguing about how much credit or blame he deserves. You don’t control any of that. What you do control is how tightly you cling to a story once the numbers stop backing it up.If there’s a message for bears hidden in his bragging, it’s this: the market doesn’t pay you for winning arguments; it pays you for surviving long enough to let compounding work, no matter who is standing at a podium taking a victory lap.Related: U.S. economy will show resilience, despite rising oil prices

Most people think of Apple as a growth stock. But for investors who got in early, it has quietly become something else entirely — a powerful dividend stock.The numbers tell a compelling story. A modest $1,000 investment in Apple (AAPL) back in 2012 has turned into something that now throws off real, growing income every year. It’s not on the back of some aggressive income strategy, either. It’s because the Dow 30 heavyweight kept raising its dividend, year after year, while its stock climbed.That’s the magic of yield-on-cost, a concept that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. It rewards patient investors in ways the current dividend yield never shows.Apple is a top dividend stockApple first started paying a dividend in 2012. The annualized payout was just $0.38 per share, and the stock was trading around $20 per share (split-adjusted).Related: Bank of America revamps Apple price targetA $1,000 investment at that price would have bought roughly 50 shares.Those 50 shares would have paid just $19 in annual dividends. That’s a yield of 1.9% on the original investment. Decent, but not remarkable.Fast forward to 2026. Apple’s annualized dividend has grown to $1.04 per share. Those same 50 shares now generate $52 per year in dividend income.That’s a yield-on-cost of 5.2%, which is quite exceptional. And that’s before counting the enormous appreciation in the stock itself. In the last 14 years, Apple stock has returned 1,410% to shareholders after adjusting for dividend reinvestments. It means a $1,000 investment in AAPL stock in April 2012 would be worth more than $15,000 today. Apple stock dividend ratios investors should knowCurrent annual dividend: $1.04 per shareCurrent dividend yield: About 0.4% (based on the current share price)Yield-on-cost (2012 investors): 5.2%Dividend growth since 2012: Roughly 174% total increase in per-share payoutAnnual dividend expense: $15.3 billionFree cash flow (2026 estimate): $137.5 billionPayout ratio: Approximately 11% (meaning Apple pays out only a small fraction of earnings, leaving plenty of room to keep raising the dividend)Consecutive years of dividend growth: 13 years and countingThe low payout ratio is one of the most important numbers here. It tells you the dividend isn’t being stretched. Apple earns far more than it pays out, which is exactly what you want from a dividend stock built for the long haul.

Apple just reported record sales in fiscal Q1.Shutterstock

Apple’s business keeps fueling dividend growthOne reason to believe the dividend keeps climbing? Apple just reported the best quarter in its history.Revenue hit $143.8 billion in the December quarter, up 16% year over year (YoY). iPhone revenue jumped 23% YoY to $85.3 billion. Services hit a record of $30 billion. Earnings per share reached $2.84, up 19% YoY.Apple CEO Tim Cook called it “a quarter for the record books.”The iPhone maker also generated $53.9 billion in operating cash flow, another all-time high. That kind of cash generation is what allows Apple to keep buying back shares and raising its dividend without breaking a sweat.“During the quarter, we returned nearly $32 billion to shareholders,” CFO Kevan Parekh stated. “This included $3.9 billion in dividends and equivalents and $25 billion through open market repurchases of 93 million Apple shares.”The installed base of active devices surpassed 2.5 billion for the first time. That massive recurring revenue engine doesn’t slow down easily.For income investors evaluating Apple as a dividend stock, the takeaway is simple. The payout ratio is low, the cash flow is enormous, and management has shown no hesitation in returning capital to shareholders.Apple’s real reward: time in the marketThe 5.2% yield-on-cost story is ultimately a lesson in patience.Apple’s current dividend yield of around 0.4% looks underwhelming on paper. If you screen for income stocks today, Apple won’t show up on most lists. More on dividend stocks:Morningstar is bullish on 2 AI dividend stocksMacy’s new AI tool drives 400% sales jump for the dividend stockEnergy Transfer stands out as high-yield dividend stockBut investors who bought in 2012 and held on don’t see a 0.5% yield. They see 5.2% — and growing.That gap between the current yield and the yield-on-cost is what long-term compounding looks like in practice.Investors just need to buy a great business when it is still building momentum, and let time do the work.The AAPL stock buybacks also matter for dividend investors, since fewer shares outstanding means each remaining share represents a larger slice of future payouts.For investors still on the sidelines, the yield today may look thin. But if Apple’s track record is any guide, the investors buying now could be telling a very similar story a decade from now.Related: Mega-cap dividend stock targets $9 trillion valuation

Looking for help with today’s NYT Strands puzzle? Here’s an extra hint to help you uncover the right words, as well as all of today’s answers and Spangram.

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealDIYers, mechanics, and anyone with a tool collection know the importance of staying organized. While you may have a setup in your garage filled with organizers and tool chests, they aren’t always the most portable. The solution? A rolling tool cart. It can offer the same amount of storage as a stationery cabinet to organize your tools, but has wheels that make it more versatile and easier to use.The Hyper Tough Steel Mechanics Tool Storage Cart is a heavy-duty cart with ample storage space and an impressive weight capacity of up to 500 pounds. The cart is available at Walmart for as low as $99. This budget-friendly deal is practically made for DIYers, professionals, and everyone in between.Hyper Tough Steel Mechanics Tool Storage Cart, From $99 at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Ever worked on a project in the driveway only to have to run in and out of your garage to get more supplies? Well, this storage cart can help. With 5-inch wheels, you can roll this cart all around your workspace. And when you want to keep it in one place, two of the casters are lockable. It even has a large push bar on one side to maneuver it around.The storage cart has two fully extendable drawers with ball-bearing slides that make them smooth and easy to open. The top lid opens to reveal another compartment for even more space to store the essentials. Each compartment has a non-slip drawer liner that can help keep its contents secure and minimize movement while you roll the cart around. The cart also has a security lock that locks the top compartment and drawers, ensuring your tools and supplies are protected. Crafted from durable steel, it’s built to hold heavy materials, and it’s resistant to rust, dents, chipping, and peeling. And as we mentioned before, the cart has a massive max load of up to 500 pounds. The top compartment can hold up to 150 pounds, the drawers can hold up to 50 pounds each, and the bottom tray can handle up to 250 pounds.The storage cart is available in seven colors. The black color is the most affordable at $99. Other colors — like pink, red, green, blue — are $135.Related: Target is selling a $189 9-drawer rolling storage cart for $60Details to knowDimensions: 30.37 inches long by 17.5 inches wide by 35.6 inches high.Weight capacity: Up to 500 pounds.Colors: Seven.”It was simple to put together and has been a lifesaver for my little garage because I can move it around when I need to,” one shopper said. “Very sturdy and plenty of room for my tools.”Shop more dealsYeabett 3-Tier Rolling Utility Storage Cart, $18 (was $23) at WalmartKtaxon 3-Tier Rolling Tool Cart, $62 (was $73) at WalmartHart Mobile Tool Storage Stack System, $90 (was $100) at WalmartThe Hyper Tough Steel Mechanics Tool Storage Cart is just $99, and it’s a fantastic option for any DIYer who needs a mobile tool organizer.

Phil Mickelson withdraws from 2026 Masters Tournament on social media accounts, citing personal health matter.

It’s the gas price, stupid.

For a while, it seemed that AI was a phase that every business felt they had to offer. But now it seems that AI is in fact becoming a core part of our everyday lives.First, it changed how you looked things up online. And now, it could change how you shop online, says Visa.In fact, AI-powered shopping increased traffic to U.S. retail sites by 4,700% in 2025, according to Adobe.And before you ask: No, I didn’t use AI to write this article.AI shopping on the riseBusinesses are realizing that AI isn’t just about making recommendations or making things faster.People are using AI to make decisions.And AI is already influencing how people shop. About 40% of Americans have made a purchase they normally would not have even considered after consulting an AI agent or tool, according to the Visa Business-to-AI report.Key findings from Visa’s report58% of Americans are comfortable with using AI to compare prices.55% are comfortable with AI applying discounts.38% are comfortable with AI completing a purchase.27% are okay with AI spending money autonomously without limits.60% would not allow AI to make a purchase without approval.“Commerce is moving from market-to-human to market-to-machine,” Frank Cooper III, chief marketing officer at Visa, said in a statement.The company is dubbing it B2AI, with AI agents taking on the role of evaluating, negotiating, and transactions. “In that world, as always, trust becomes the critical infrastructure. If we don’t build it into machine-mediated commerce, adoption stalls,” said Cooper.

Americans are increasingly turning to AI for shopping help. Shutterstock

AI shopping use brings up trust concernsWhile the survey results show that many Americans are still cautious about giving AI total control of their wallets, businesses are taking note.Shopify has rolled out an AI feature that allows shoppers to buy products and check out from e-commerce shops directly through AI tools like ChatGPT.  More retail stocksCVS adds a radical new store conceptRoss is betting on shoppers’ love of discountsBeyond Meat has an inventory problemThere are also AI shopping assistants that can help shoppers find the best prices on items and make recommendations.“The message is unmistakable: People are open to AI acting for them, not instead of them,” said Cooper. “Our findings show that trust is the adoption switch for agentic commerce. Consumers are willing to let AI act on their behalf, but only when they retain visibility, control, and the ability to intervene.”The rise of AI agents has also led to more bot use, forcing payment providers like Visa to introduce more guardrails between e-commerce sellers and AI assistants.AI trust also differs among generations. The Visa report found that nearly half of Gen Z say they trust payment AI systems, compared to just 20% of Boomers. Meanwhile, half of Gen Z and Millennials using AI shopping assistants have made purchases that they wouldn’t have considered otherwise.The findings from Visa echo a similar finding from a YouGov survey. Still, the same survey showed that only 14% would trust AI to place orders for them.Related: Agentic AI is coming and most companies are not ready

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealWarm and sunny days are the kind of spring weather we yearn for. But one thing that can make it even better? Having a comfortable spot to relax in. While a patio set can make a huge impact, there are little things that can make your outdoor space feel like an extension of your home. From outdoor-friendly lamps to solar-powered string lights with a modern design, it’s the small details that matter, and one you don’t want to forget is an outdoor rug.The Sixhome 5×8-Foot Reversible Outdoor Rug at Walmart is packed with features that make it an outstanding addition to any outdoor space. It’s stylish, practical, durable, and comes in seven colors, one of which has already sold out. And during a limited-time Flash deal, it’s also incredibly affordable, with a sale price of just $20.Sixhome 5×8-Foot Reversible Outdoor Rug, $20 (was $23) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Adding a rug to a room can instantly make it feel more put-together and cozy. Turns out, that effect applies to outdoor rugs, too. An outdoor rug can help section off a space on a patio, creating an inviting area when paired with a patio set. They can also be used on the go, whether you’re at the beach or camping. This Walmart outdoor rug can do all of the above and more, with durable features that make its $20 sale price that much more enticing. Measuring 5-by-8 feet, this outdoor rug is the perfect size for a small to medium patio set (but if you’re working with a bigger space, there are 13 sizes in total to choose from). For starters, this is one stylish rug. The geometric pattern gives it a boho-like aesthetic that adds to its overall cozy feel. However, it’s also quite durable. It’s crafted from plastic straw made of 100% Virgin Polypropylene that’s treated with heat to avoid fraying. Additionally, it’s waterproof, UV-coated, and resistant to fading and stains. Best of all, it’s easy to clean. An outdoor rug can get messy, so this is a major perk. You can easily sweep dirt away, water it down with a hose, and hang it out to dry. It dries quickly, too, so it’s ready to use again in no time. Related: Amazon is selling an ‘elegant’ 3-piece patio set for $100 that has washable cushions and adjustable feetPros and cons of the Sixhome Reversible Outdoor RugProsReversible: It’s reversible, giving you two designs in one. Easy to clean: The rug is easy to sweep and wash, and it air-dries quickly.Durable: It’s waterproof, UV-protected, fade-resistant, and stain-resistant.ConsNo non-slip backing: This outdoor rug doesn’t have the same non-slip backing as many indoor rugs do. If you want to secure it better on a deck, you can purchase double-sided tape. If you’re using it on the ground, use the ground stakes it comes with.Folds: Some shoppers said the rug is packaged tightly and it can be difficult to get the folds out.”This was a great price for a rug that looks nice, but one I also don’t have to worry about,” a Walmart shopper said. “It’s made from a waterproof material that doesn’t bother me to leave outside in the elements because of the material it’s easy to sweep and wipe clean when needed.”Other reviewers highlighted its durability as well, saying it’s sturdy yet flexible and holds up well in the sun and rain. “It’s comfortable underfoot — soft enough to walk on barefoot,” another shopper shared. Shop more dealsSmiry 5×8 Outdoor Rug, $27 (was $54) at WalmartVunate 5×8 Outdoor Rug, $27 (was $40) at WalmartVunate 5×8 Arches Outdoor Rug, $20 at WalmartWant to make your outdoor space feel like an extension of your home? The Sixhome 5×8-Foot Reversible Outdoor Rug offers style and comfort, all while being low-maintenance and easy to clean. It’s on sale now for just $20 during a limited-time Walmart Flash deal.

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