The Street

Retailers across the U.S. continue to reevaluate growth strategies as cautious consumer spending and slower discretionary demand force companies to prioritize profitability over rapid expansion. For some chains, that means closing underperforming locations, slowing new store openings, and redirecting investment toward businesses with stronger long-term returns.Now, one of the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailers is taking similar steps as it navigates an increasingly challenging operating environment. The company is closing dozens of stores, scaling back expansion plans, and withdrawing its long-term financial framework as it adjusts to changing consumer behavior.Founded in Chicago in 1938 as a mail-order tractor parts business, Tractor Supply Co. has grown into the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S. The retailer expanded its pet business with its 2016 acquisition of Petsense, a specialty chain that sells pet food, toys, and supplies while also offering services such as professional dog grooming and in-store pet adoptions.Tractor Supply confirms store closures and slows expansionTractor Supply (TSCO) will close approximately 75 underperforming Petsense stores following a strategic business review.”We believe these actions will improve returns, simplify the business, and allow us to direct resources towards higher growth, higher return opportunities,” said Tractor Supply CEO Hal Lawton during the company’s second quarter of fiscal 2026 earnings call.The retailer is also slowing its expansion plans. It now expects to open approximately 85 to 90 new Tractor Supply stores in 2027, down from its previous target of 100 locations.Instead, the company plans to focus on strengthening its existing footprint by investing in Project Fusion remodels, optimizing store locations, and expanding its Final Mile delivery network.”Together, these investments will improve the customer experience, enhance store execution and productivity, and drive stronger returns across our existing store base,” Lawton added.Why Tractor Supply is closing Petsense storesPet-related products account for roughly 20% of Tractor Supply’s business, but the company said growth across the category has slowed as consumers become more selective with discretionary spending.”What has changed is customer spending behavior,” said Lawton. “Customers continue to invest in the care of their pets, animals, farms, and properties, but they’re shopping more deliberately, consolidating trips, and prioritizing needs-based items while taking a more measured approach to discretionary purchases.”Here’s some of my previous coverage of store closures:Sportswear giant continues store closures nationwideGrocery chain makes final major business closurePopular breakfast chain sold, 16 locations shut downThe Petsense closures are expected to result in approximately $71.7 million in impairment and other charges, including a $5.9 million inventory write-down.The announcement comes just months after Tractor Supply acquired veterinary services provider VIP Petcare in May 2026. The business operates clinics in about 2,700 retail locations, including 1,700 Tractor Supply stores. The acquisition generated $9.5 million in related expenses during the quarter.”The acquisition fills an important gap in our pet ecosystem, allowing us to connect veterinary services, prescriptions, and products across physical and digital channels,” said Lawton.The closures and slower expansion reflect Tractor Supply’s broader effort to improve profitability as softer discretionary spending continues to weigh on parts of the retail sector.

Tractor Supply Co. will close 75 Petsense stores and slow down expansion plans.Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Tractor Supply lowers outlook amid retail headwindsTractor Supply’s strategic shift comes after a weaker second quarter, reflecting continued pressure on consumer spending.During the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company reported:Comparable sales declined 1.5%.Comparable transactions fell 1.7%.Net income decreased 1.5%.In response, the retailer withdrew its long-term financial framework and reduced its full-year guidance.Tractor Supply now expects fiscal 2026 sales to increase between 2.5% and 3.5%, down from its previous forecast of 4% to 6% growth. It also expects comparable-store sales to range from a 1% decline to flat for the year.As of June 27, Tractor Supply operated 2,463 namesake stores across 49 states and 209 Petsense by Tractor Supply locations in 23 states, underscoring that the closures represent a relatively small portion of the company’s nationwide footprint.Related: Ikea closing key U.S. stores

Long-term Treasury bonds have delivered one of their worst stretches in modern history, with prices falling steadily since 2021 as inflation remained above the Federal Reserve’s target. Investors who owned 10-year and 30-year government debt watched the value of those holdings erode quarter after quarter for five years running. Now, one of Wall Street’s largest banks is making the case that the losing streak may be nearing its end, and the catalyst is not a rate cut or a recession.Warsh’s inflation task force draws from the Volcker playbookBank of America’s Chief Investment Office laid out the argument in its July 20 Capital Market Outlook, a weekly report from the CIO Macro Strategy Team, alongside CIO Christopher Hyzy and Investment Strategist Kirsten Cabacungan. The macro strategy section, credited to the CIO Macro Strategy Team, focuses on three economists Warsh chose to lead the “Inflation Frameworks” task force.Greg Mankiw of Harvard University, Nobel Laureate Thomas Sargent of New York University, and William White of the C.D. Howe Institute each bring decades of research, arguing that the Fed lost its way by ignoring monetary aggregates.More Bank of America:Bank of America warns America now has 2 economiesBank of America answers a tough stock market questionBank of America gives stock market investors a summer reality checkMankiw published a 2024 paper indicating that Fed frameworks built on the Phillips Curve do not work in practice, the report noted. He credited economist Jeremy Siegel with predicting the post-pandemic inflation surge by tracking M2, a broad measure of the money supply that includes cash, checking deposits, and savings accounts.For the first time, the Fed’s semi-annual Monetary Policy Report released in July now includes a discussion of M2 in its evaluation of financial conditions, the BofA report stated. The last Fed chairman to pay serious attention to money-supply data was Paul Volcker in the early 1980s, when he set targets for monetary growth that eventually broke double-digit inflation.Why Warsh may accept 1% to 3% inflation as within targetBofA’s strategists argue that even without Warsh formally moving the target, the way the Fed interprets “2%” could shift.They linked that framing to Belief #6 in Harvard economist Greg Mankiw’s 2024 paper, which argues that “a target of 2 percent is superior to a target of 2.0 percent.” Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh said long-term inflation is primarily shaped by Fed decisions, CNBC reported.While monthly price fluctuations are inevitable, especially in an unsettled world, underlying inflation over longer time horizons is determined largely by monetary policy.Warsh said at the June press conference that any review of the 2% target is “outside the scope” of the task force until inflation is back at the goal level.The implication, according to the report, is that the Fed would aim to keep inflation in a range of roughly 1% to 3%, allowing it to average around 2% over time. That would mark a departure from recent policy, under which inflation ran persistently above 2% for five straight years because the Fed never allowed it to fall below target to compensate.

BofA says Warsh could interpret the Fed’s 2% inflation target more flexibly, accepting 1% to 3% while averaging 2% over time.Bloomberg/Getty Images

Morgan Stanley sees lower volatility at the long end of the curveBank of America is not alone in viewing the Warsh reforms as potentially transformative for bonds. Jim Caron, chief investment officer of the Portfolio Solutions Group at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, told Fortune that the new chairman’s approach should reduce price swings in longer-dated Treasuries.”If you can stabilize the volatility in the longer end by addressing the higher frequency of data in the shorter end… it could be a really good thing,” Caron explained. He described the front end of the yield curve as a “shock absorber,” meaning two-year notes would absorb policy volatility, while longer-dated bonds settle into a calmer trading range.That distinction matters for borrowers. Mortgage rates, corporate loan pricing, and auto financing all anchor to longer-term yields, so a more stable long end could eventually ease borrowing costs for households and businesses.What the Volcker parallel means for bank stocks and bond fundsBofA’s investment implications section draws a direct comparison to the early 1980s Volcker era. Committing to a framework that explicitly controls inflation would likely end the five-year bear market in long-term Treasury bonds, the report stated. It would also make financial sector stocks more attractive for the long run, and that conclusion aligns with the firm’s broader positioning. BofA’s Chief Investment Office currently favors Financials, Industrials, and Consumer Discretionary sectors, with an overweight recommendation on equities overall.A credible commitment to lower inflation would push long-term yields down over time, delivering price appreciation on top of current income for holders of 20-year-plus Treasury funds, according to BofA’s CIO Macro Strategy Team.Inflation and geopolitics remain the wild cardsThe BofA report does not ignore the risks. Cabacungan wrote in the Market View section that the durability of any shift depends heavily on whether inflation pressures stay contained.Renewed military tensions in the Middle East and their impact on oil prices remain a threat to the inflation outlook, the report warned. Second-quarter consumer price index inflation averaged roughly 3.8% year over year, well above the Fed’s stated target, with energy costs contributing significantly.Warren Buffett offered a measured endorsement of Warsh in a July 15 CNBC “Squawk Box” interview, saying he believes the new chairman “will do the best he can at achieving the job he was assigned to do, which is 2% inflation and maintaining maximum employment.”Whether the task forces produce a genuine structural shift or merely cosmetic changes to Fed communication will determine if the bond bear market truly ends, or simply pauses before its next leg down.Related: BofA sees lost year taking shape for gold

Amazon has long derived a disproportionate share of its profit from its cloud division, Amazon Web Services (AWS).A growing number of Wall Street analysts are now projecting AWS will exceed consensus growth estimates when CEO Andy Jassy reports second-quarter results on July 30, The Motley Fool notes.The consensus estimate calls for $196.71 billion in total second-quarter revenue and earnings of $1.82 per share, according to analyst forecasts tracked by TipRanks. Several major banks are signaling that Wall Street has set the bar too low on the cloud side of the business.Bank of America sees AWS cloud growth reaching 33%Bank of America raised its AWS revenue growth forecast to 33% year over year for the second quarter, up from a prior estimate of 31%, according to Benzinga. The firm also projects Amazon will report total revenue of $198.8 billion and operating income of $24.1 billion, both above the Street consensus of $196.8 billion and $23.6 billion, respectively.The bank cited growing demand from Anthropic, OpenAI-powered Bedrock services, and broader enterprise adoption of artificial intelligence as catalysts for the accelerated cloud growth, Benzinga reported.More Amazon:Bank of America doubles down on Amazon shares after Prime DayAmazon’s $8.3 billion Prime Day sends Wall Street a warningAmazon Prime Day gives Wall Street a $22B reason to take noticeBank of America reiterated its buy rating and $310 price target on the stock, the report noted.KeyBanc analyst Justin Patterson raised his price target from $325 to $335 and now expects AWS to grow 31% year over year through both 2026 and 2027, TipRanks reported. Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan also raised his target to $335, forecasting AWS growth of about 33% this year and close to 35% in 2027, TipRanks noted.Amazon’s first quarter showed AWS already acceleratingThe bullish analyst revisions are not coming from speculation alone, because the first quarter results gave them a foundation to build on. AWS generated $37.6 billion in revenue during the first three months of 2026, a 28% year-over-year increase that marked the division’s fastest growth in 15 quarters, according to Amazon’s earnings release.That cloud segment accounted for 21% of Amazon’s total first-quarter sales but generated 59% of the company’s operating profit, highlighting just how much the bottom line depends on Jassy’s cloud business.Amazon CEO Andrew Jassy said cloud revenue surged at its fastest pace in nearly four years.Growth continued to accelerate, up 28% year over year, the fastest growth rate in 15 quarters, up $2 billion quarter over quarter, the largest Q4 to Q1 AWS revenue increase ever.AWS posted $14.2 billion in operating income during the first quarter at a 37.7% operating margin, up from $11.5 billion in the same period a year earlier, the earnings release showed. Amazon’s total operating income reached $23.9 billion at a 13.1% margin, which Jassy described as the highest operating margin in the company’s history.The company guided second quarter revenue between $194 billion and $199 billion, with operating income expected in a range of $20 billion to $24 billion, the release confirmed.

Amazon’s AWS delivered its fastest growth in nearly four years, fueling record operating margins and strengthening confidence in future earnings.SOPA Images/Getty Images

How custom chips and Anthropic are driving AWS growthBehind the headline revenue figures sits a custom silicon business that has become a significant contributor to Amazon’s cloud momentum. Amazon’s chips division, which includes the Graviton, Trainium, and Nitro product lines, surpassed a $20 billion annualized revenue run rate in the first quarter while growing at triple-digit percentages year over year, Jassy noted in his 2025 annual letter to shareholders.Trainium2 chips delivered about 30% better price performance than comparable graphics processing units and have largely sold out, while the newer Trainium3 chips began shipping at the start of 2026 with another 30% to 40% improvement, Jassy wrote. Even Trainium4, which is still roughly 18 months from broad availability, already has a significant portion of its capacity reserved by clients, he added.Bank of America estimates that Anthropic-related workloads alone could contribute more than $1.5 billion in sequential AWS revenue growth during the second quarter, Benzinga reported. That figure underscores how Amazon’s investment in the AI startup is translating into measurable cloud demand, not just paper gains on its balance sheet.What to watch beyond the AWS headline revenue beatThe July 30 report will produce a top-line revenue number and an earnings-per-share figure, but analysts have flagged several additional metrics as more consequential. Bank of America analysts said investors should pay closer attention to AWS operating margins, capital expenditure guidance for the remainder of the year, AI backlog expansion, and management commentary around Trainium adoption, Benzinga reported.The stock currently carries a strong buy consensus rating from 46 analysts as of July 22, with an average price target of about $319 to $320 that implies roughly 29% upside from its recent trading price near $244, TipRanks data showed. Amazon shares have gained about 7.6% year to date and trade at approximately 29 times forward earnings. Jassy’s ability to deliver the blowout that analysts expect hinges on how much of that contracted computing capacity has already converted into recognized revenue.Related: Amazon may be losing its biggest competitive edge

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 dealPools can be an expensive long-term investment. In-ground pools certainly are more costly than the above-ground counterparts, but even those that require no digging or cementing can be expensive if you’re not providing proper upkeep. Disregarding proper chlorine and pH levels, adding the wrong cleaning chemicals, and letting dirt and debris pile up won’t just make your pool a place no one wants to take a dip in. Over time, it contributes to algae and bacteria growth, structural damage, and equipment strain — and whether you paid $30,000 or $3,000 for your pool, no one wants to lose money when they can simply get some help with products like the Syvio Handheld Pool Vacuum to keep that backyard oasis pristine and clean.Although consistent vacuuming can be annoying, taking 15 minutes every week to clean your pool can help the filtration system perform better, and for longer, as well as ensure that the water quality is safe for anyone who takes the plunge. And although pool equipment, like pools themselves, can be expensive, Walmart’s Flash deal can help you get the Syvio Handheld Pool Vacuum on sale for 53% off. Now is your chance to shop the cordless device for $89 instead of $190 for a limited time. Syvio Handheld Pool Vacuum, $89 (was $190) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Unlike corded pool vacuums, which restrict your mobility, tangle easily, and can be tripping hazards, cordless options like this Syvio model allow you to maneuver and move however you want. They’re faster and easier to set up while being safer for both you and those around you who also enjoy the pool.This cordless option uses a 40-watt robot motor that has a powerful 18.5 gallons per minute (GPM) suction. This means it filters 18.5 gallons of water a minute, sucking up dirt and debris, quickly removing leaves, sand, mud, acorns, and other messes from pool and hot tub floors. The large 11.4-inch cleaning head has built-in side brushes to help increase cleaning coverage, working with the suction to effectively and quickly clean up dirt. That, in combination with the adjustable pole which extends from 27.6 inches long upwards to 86.6 inches long, allows you to cover every crevice, corner, and surface with ease. The dirt is sucked up and deposited into two filter bags, one made for larger debris and the other for small, finer particles. When you’re done cleaning, simply unzip the bags and empty them before your next vacuuming session. Related: Pool products that cut costs and make maintenance easierPowered by five 2,000 milliampere-hour (mAh) lithium batteries, the pool vacuum gets its power by charging the battery, which can quickly rejuice completely within an hour and a half. Once charged, the vacuum can provide up to 60 minutes of continuous cleaning before it needs to be put back on the charger. You also get a two-year warranty from the date of purchase. Details to knowDimensions: The vacuum extends from 27.6 inches up to 86.6 inches. The head is 11.4 inches wide.Power source: Five rechargeable 2000 mAh lithium batteries. Features: The cordless handheld vacuum has two filter bags where dirt and debris are stored when they are sucked up by the 40-watt 18.5 GPM. They require emptying after each cleaning.  Shoppers are impressed with the powerful suction power this vacuum has, especially compared to higher-end, more expensive models on the market. Useful in a pool or hot tub, it’s very well made, and the wide vacuum head and lightweight feel make it easy to maneuver and hit all the areas you need to. “This vacuum is the real deal,” one shopper said. “This is the only item that we have bought in the past few years that hasn’t disappointed us.”Shop more deals Talosbo C1 Cordless Robotic Pool Vacuum, $300 (was $700) at WalmartIntex Deluxe 800 GPH+ Wall-Mounted Automatic Skimmer, $25 (was $45) at WalmartWybot Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner, $85 (was $177) at WalmartPool products can be expensive, but it’s far better to invest in them than wait and have to spend far more fixing problems caused by improper upkeep. Thankfully, with Walmart’s latest Flash deal, you don’t have to sacrifice when it comes to what you spend. Add the Syvio Handheld Pool Vacuum to your cart for only $89 while it’s on sale for 53% off. 

Big purchases run on borrowed confidence.Almost nobody shopping for a diamond has the training to price one. So you lean on numbers, and they arrive already packaged, usually inside a headline telling you the market is doing one thing or another.That works fine when the packaging is neutral.Here is the route a diamond statistic travels before it reaches you. A producer commissions consumer research, a trade publication writes it up, retail blogs recycle the write-up, and somewhere around step three the chain of custody quietly disappears.What survives is the number. What gets lost is who paid for it.That process is running at full speed behind a claim you have almost certainly seen. Natural diamonds are staging a comeback, buyers are trading up to bigger stones, and demand is healthier than the gloomy coverage suggests.Every version of that claim traces back to a single survey. It was published by De Beers.

Natural diamond spending rose 25% in 2025 while engagement ring budgets fell.Cheng Xin / Getty Images

Why the diamond market split into two different economiesStart with what nobody disputes. This is now two products with two unrelated cost structures.Natural diamonds come out of the ground on a schedule a handful of miners control. Lab-grown diamonds come out of a reactor, limited mainly by how many reactors exist.That gap has widened every year for a decade, as synthetic capacity expanded and production costs fell while natural prices held comparatively firm.Related: World’s quietest metal just dropped a huge bullish signalThe bridal market has already picked a side. Lab-grown center stones accounted for 61 percent of all engagement ring purchases in 2025, a 239 percent jump since 2020, according to The Knot Worldwide and its survey of more than 10,000 US couples.Natural diamond engagement rings showed no growth in total or center stone size over the same period, JCK reported.Supply on the natural side is genuinely contracting, though not for the reason the comeback story implies. Global rough output is forecast to fall below 95 million carats this year, the lowest since 1987, as mine economics force closures, according to independent analyst Paul Zimnisky.Mines are closing because the economics stopped working. That is a very different thing from a market tightening on strength.What the De Beers study actually found about diamond buyersThe research everyone is citing is the US Diamond Acquisition Study, and De Beers Group published it on June 11.More Retail:Trump’s tariff cuts may make popular luxury items cheaperMajor retailers have jacked up prices due to tariffsBest Buy warns holiday shoppers of updated return policyThe sample is respectable and the findings are real. Here is what the company reported:The survey covered 18,500 US women aged 18 to 74, not the “tens of thousands” some write-ups claim, according to De Beers GroupNatural diamond jewelry ranked first as most-desired luxury gift at 11 percent against 8 percent for lab-grown, per InStore MagazineAverage spend reached $4,063 in 2025, up from $3,242 in 2023, according to RapaportGen Z spends $4,080 per piece against $2,250 for Baby Boomers, according to De Beers GroupPoint-of-sale data from 950 independent jewelers showed sales up 4 percent in Q4 2025 and 9 percent in Q1 2026, per InStore MagazineNow the breakdown that almost never travels with those numbers. The overall acquisition rate, meaning the share of surveyed women who actually bought a natural diamond, was 9 percent in 2025, up from 8 percent in 2023, Rapaport reported.Among households earning $150,000 or more, that rate went from 12 percent to 15 percent.My analysis is that the second figure carries the first. The affluent cohort moved three points while the overall market moved one, which means most of the reported growth came from buyers who were already in the category.That is a real recovery. It is just a narrow one, and “natural diamonds are back” is doing a lot of work to cover the difference.De Beers also has a reason to want the first framing. Parent company Anglo American (NGLOY) has been trying to sell the business since 2024, posted a $3.7 billion loss for 2025 and took a $2.3 billion writedown on De Beers, its third impairment in three years, Rapaport reported.The company cut 2026 production guidance to 21 million carats from a prior floor of 26 million, citing “challenging rough diamond trading conditions,” according to its own production report.Independent analysts read the downturn as structural. The industry faces “a more fundamental crisis,” not a cyclical dip, senior analyst Joshua Freedman of Rapaport told News Anyway.None of this makes the survey false. It means you weigh it against the filings, and the filings and the survey disagree.The lab-grown price gap that costs buyers real moneyThere is a second number circulating that is out of date, and this one can cost you thousands.You will still see claims that lab-grown diamonds run 20 percent to 40 percent below comparable natural stones. That was roughly accurate in 2016.It is nowhere near accurate now. The per-carat gap reached 72.8 percent, up from 26.6 percent in 2019, according to appraisal and insurance data from BriteCo.Retailers put it wider still. The discount runs 60 percent to 85 percent depending on size and specification, according to comparison-powered retailer Rare Carat, whose own pricing pages undercut the figure the trend pieces keep repeating.Walk in believing the gap is 30 percent and you will badly misjudge what your money buys. On a $5,000 budget that is roughly the difference between a one-carat stone and a two-carat one.There is also a tariff variable nobody was pricing a year ago. US duties on diamonds shipped from India reached 50 percent before an interim trade agreement cut the rate to 18 percent in early 2026.What to check before you spend on a diamond this yearNone of this settles the natural versus lab-grown question. That call depends on what you want the stone to do.But I would run three filters on anything you read between now and December.Ask who paid for the number. Producer-funded research is not worthless and it is not neutral either, and that matters most when the producer is mid-sale.Ask how old the number is. The lab-grown discount has moved fast enough that guidance written two years ago is now actively misleading.Ask whether the number describes your purchase. An average built from every US buyer says almost nothing about a specific stone in a specific quality bracket.Then verify the stone itself. Free certificate lookup tools let you check a grading report against the listing before you pay, and Rare Carat runs one alongside its comparison pricing.Watch two things through the back half of 2026. Whether Anglo completes the De Beers sale, and whether the engagement season pulls any middle-income buyers back toward natural stones.Zimnisky sees the ubiquity of lab-grown rings creating its own counterforce. “People are starting to want the real thing again,” he told News Anyway.He may be right. But the number that proves it will be the acquisition rate outside the $150,000 bracket, not the average ticket, and that is the figure worth hunting for when the next comeback story lands in your feed.Related: 2 major jewelry brands close hundreds of stores in key market

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 dealThere are tons of storage solutions for the bigger items in your life, but what about the small ones? How do you neatly organize the miscellaneous writing utensils that always seem scattered in your desk drawer? Or the compacts for your foundations, powders, and brushes in your vanity area? What about the plastic bags for snacks and leftovers that always seem to overflow out of your kitchen drawers? It’s often the smaller items, knick-knacks, and trinkets that we struggle to find an organized place to store which leads to us feeling overwhelmed with clutter and mess in our homes — but it doesn’t have to be that way. With the Sindcom Stackable Organizer Bins, every item has a proper storage place. Right now, Walmart is selling the 26-pack of organizers on sale for just $15 — which means that each organizer is just 57 cents.Sindcom Stackable Organizer Bins 26-Pack, $15 at Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Designed to fit in the small crevices and crannies of your drawers, these bins are perfect for storing all kinds of items. Made of plastic, these organizers are perfect for kitchen utensils, office supplies, cosmetics and makeup brushes, toiletries, and other miscellaneous items that often fall victim to the classic junk drawer. The clear plastic material makes it easy to find what you’re looking for by simply opening the drawer, and the durability allows it to withstand your heavier products without cracking or breaking.The set includes 26 different bins in four sizes, so you can create a unique layout in each drawer that works best for your needs. For $13, it includes three trays each measuring 9 inches long, 6 inches wide, and 2 inches high, along with five trays, each measuring 9 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 2 inches high. You also get nine trays, each measuring 6 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 2 inches high, and an additional nine trays, each measuring 3 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 2 inches high.Thanks to the included silicone pads, the organizers stay secure and in place, even when there’s movement from opening and closing drawers. The organizers are also designed to be stackable, which saves space in areas where space is more limited. Related: Walmart’s $73 heavy-duty garage organizer that clears clutter is 55% offThis simple addition does wonders for cleaning up your drawers and cabinets that can succumb to mess quickly. And when they get dirty, a damp wash rag quickly cleans them and makes them look good as new.Details to knowIncludes: The set includes 26 trays of varying sizes. In the set, you get 9 inch x 6 inch x 2 inch trays (3), 9 inch x 3 inch x 2 inch trays (5), 6 inch x 3 inch x 2 inch trays (9), and 3 inch x 3 inch x 2 inch trays (9). Non-slip: Included silicone pads keep the trays in place and secure. Material: Plastic. Easy to clean: Simply use a damp wash rag to wipe down dirty organizers.Shoppers love the variety of sizes the pack of organizers comes with. The silicone bumpers keep the trays from slipping and sliding when the drawer moves, but they aren’t so secure that you can adjust the layout or move them around. Shoppers say they feel very sturdy, and are perfect for drawers, closet shelves, and countertops. One shopper shared that they “make so many things around my home feel less cluttered.”Shop more deals Scidweet Under Bed Shoe Storage Organizer, $19 (was $36) at WalmartPhancir Under Sink Organizer Storage, $29 (was $45) at WalmartBaodeli Plastic Pantry Organization and Storage Bins, $27 (was $40) at Walmart It might seem like a small purchase, but these storage trays make a big difference when it comes to home organization. Get your very own pack of the Sindcom Stackable Organizer Bins for just $15 before this great deal is gone!

S&P 500 index valuations pushing past 7,400 points on July 24 — nearing the all-time high of 7,609 on June 2 — highlight a widening disconnect with depressed consumer economic confidence, creating a challenging climate for workers managing long-term retirement accounts.The gap between strong corporate equity returns and strained household budgets leaves middle-aged workers struggling to reconcile everyday expenses with portfolio growth.This macroeconomic divergence presents emotional barriers alongside high-yield wealth-building opportunities for retirement account holders attempting to secure their financial futures.”In forty years as a financial advisor, I have never seen a market this confusing to investors,” wrote Kahler Financial Group founder Rick Kahler, CFP, MS, ChFC, CCIMer.University of Michigan index tracks market splitMeasuring household economic sentiment reveals persistent underlying anxiety across broad income groups despite strong broad market returns.The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment recorded a reading of 54.4 in July. While reflecting a modest monthly rebound, the index remains down nearly 12% compared to 2025 and sits near historical recessionary levels.In contrast, broad market equities maintain strong momentum, with the S&P 500 trading near historic record levels on the S&P Dow Jones Indices database.A leading expert addressed the ongoing inflation pressure on household budgets, despite minor month-over-month sentiment gains.”With prices remaining frustratingly high, consumers are hardly ebullient about the economy; sentiment is down 12% from a year ago,” explained the University of Michigan surveys of consumers director Joanne Hsu.Fidelity 401(k) savings rates hit new recordsRetirement account balances reflect the underlying resilience of broad equity market expansion despite widespread public pessimism regarding economic conditions.Data from Vanguard’s institutional research database indicates that the median 401(k) balance for Americans aged 45 to 54 sits at approximately $60,000, while the average account balance reaches $142,000.Average total worker retirement contribution rates reached a record high of 14.4%, according to workplace investor data from Fidelity Investments.More on personal finance:Charles Schwab, Fidelity alert workers to forced 401(k) ruleDave Ramsey warns Americans on 401(k)s, IRAs (he’s not wrong)Congress research arm warns Americans on 401(k), IRA penaltyOne expert noted that individual investors are successfully looking past short-term economic anxieties to preserve long-term wealth building.”While it can be tempting to make changes to retirement savings during market volatility, it is positive to see participants stay the course with their contributions,” emphasized Fidelity Investments VP Sharon Brovelli.Fidelity explains its approach for essential benchmark savings that target necessary requirements for middle-aged workers to maintain financial stability into retirement.”Aim to save at least 1x your income by age 30, 3x by 40, 6x by 50, 8x by 60, and 10x by 67,” urged analysts at Fidelity.

The current S&P 500 surge runs counter to consumer sentiment, causing retirement savers to re-evaluate their 401(k) planning strategies.Shutterstock

401(k) retirement growth scenariosAs a reporter covering retirement security and consumer economics, I decided to calculate the following wealth projection models to provide real-world context for readers seeking to evaluate the impact of market growth on a late-stage portfolio. These calculations assume a starting capital base of $20,000 at age 50, a target retirement age of 67, and tax-deferred growth within a traditional 401(k) or IRA framework across 204 monthly compounding periods — representing the 17 years spanning ages 50 to 67.Option A (conservative cash allocation): Holding $20,000 in a traditional savings account yielding a 2.0% annual return, accompanied by $500 monthly contributions, yields a total account balance of roughly $151,000 by age 67.Option B (moderate fixed-income allocation): Allocating funds into a conservative bond-heavy portfolio generating a 4.5% net annual return with $500 monthly contributions yields approximately $196,000 at retirement.Option C (aggressive equity index allocation): Investing in broad stock index mutual funds with an average historic net yield of 8.5% alongside $500 monthly contributions generates a final portfolio value of approximately $311,000 by age 67.Option D (maximum catch-up contribution strategy): Utilizing growth stock index funds averaging an 8.5% net return while maximizing monthly contributions at $1,000 per month pushes the total accumulated nest egg to roughly $537,000 over the same 17-year timeline.
(Source: Jeffrey Quiggle, TheStreet)
Long-term equity exposure overcomes sentiment dragThe mathematical modeling I have outlined here confirms that retreating from equity allocations due to depressed consumer confidence runs the risk of severe long-term wealth loss for late-stage retirement planning. Maintaining consistent monthly contributions into broad equity growth funds ensures that investors capture essential compound market growth, successfully insulating household retirement security from temporary economic anxiety.This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute individual financial, investment, or legal advice..Related: Dave Ramsey has these blunt words about your 401(k) and IRA

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 dealAs good as the sun can feel, those strong rays can cause you to overheat quite quickly, and long-term exposure to sun isn’t always great for your skin. While a little Vitamin D can help calcium absorption, regulate your immune system, and boost your mood, it’s best to take sun exposure in moderation, and ensuring that you have the proper shade to get out of the sun once you soak up a solid 30 minutes is an easy way to make sure you can still enjoy the outdoors even when the sun is at its strongest. Umbrellas are always a good go-to option, but tents, gazebos, and canopies, like the Gojooasis Outdoor Canopy Tent, provide more coverage compared to the standard umbrella and can even be sturdier long term especially with how unpredictable the weather can be.Although that extra shade coverage can come at a cost, right now, Walmart is selling the $160 Gojooasis Outdoor Canopy Tent on sale for 47% off. The bestselling gazebo is only $85 with a limited-time sale, and with tons of the summer season left as well as an impending autumn where the weather is perfect for relaxing outside, there’s no better time to add one to your outdoor area. Gojooasis Outdoor Canopy Tent, $85 (was $160) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?Although umbrellas are more ideal when you’re working with a limited yard or deck, canopies are the ideal option when you don’t have to worry about space. This tent measures 10 feet by 10 feet and provides 100 square feet of shade coverage. The four-legged frame evenly distributed the weight of the canopy, so no one area is receiving too much strain, and it is that design that provides an evenly shaded area for the folks sitting underneath it.The metal framework is made with powder-coated steel, which not only ensures sturdiness and strength during windy or rainy conditions, but it provides long-lasting durability that will last you multiple seasons and years. The powder-coating protects the metal from the elements, and makes sure that moisture and humidity don’t deteriorate the framework over time. It prevents chipping, scratching, and fading, and it resists rust and corrosion. The canopy overhead itself is made with 160g polyester fabric with a polyacrylate (PA) coating that, although super light and air, is waterproof and UV-blocking, and it’s built to withstand wind. It has a special ventilation design that allows wind to flow smoothly in and around the canopy, maintain air circulation so that you stay cool when you’re sitting underneath but also providing stability when conditions pick up. It can withstand winds up to 10.8 miles per hour. You won’t have to worry about shaking or wobbling thanks to the special ventilation design, and thanks to the extra drainage holes, you don’t have to worry about water weighing down the top. Rain quickly drains, preventing an extra pressure or strain on the canopy in wet conditions. Related: Amazon’s ‘easy to set up’ 10-foot pop-up canopy tent is on sale for $94Perfect for patios, pool decks, and large grassy areas, another nice extra feature is the removable sidewalls which provide protection against bugs and insects and also offer more privacy. You can attach them or remove them with easy-to-use zippers. What to expect from a $85 outdoor canopy Pros and consProsWind-resistant: The special ventilation design ensures proper air circulation and allows the canopy to remain sturdy and upright in winds up to 10.8 mph. Waterproof and UV-resistent: The fabric canopy top protects against water and UV rays without deteriorating the quality of said fabric. Protects against bugs: The removable side panels provide privacy and protection against gnats, flies, mosquitos, and other insects. ConsAssembly can be difficult: Some shoppers say that the tent can take hours to put together. Many shoppers have found that the canopy exceeds their expectations, and it provides a really relaxing space even when the sun has set and shade is not an issue. The side panels are helpful at keeping flies and mosquitos away, especially when there is food around, and it holds up tremendously well in stormy conditions. Shop more deals Clouddwell Wall-Mounted Gazebo, $160 (was $250) at WalmartAinfox Outdoor Patio Pop Up Canopy Gazebo, $90 (was $190) at WalmartLausaint Home Outdoor Patio Gazebo, $200 (was $226) at WalmartEnjoy the warmth of the sun as well as the cooling shade thanks to the Gojooasis Outdoor Canopy Tent. Whatever the weather, it can stand up strong and protect you no matter what.

In many ways, Alphabet (GOOGL) stock investors entered the earnings season looking for proof that AI was strengthening its Search business without forcing another major bump in spending. Though the quarter delivered evidence of robust demand, it wasn’t the confirmation Wall Street was hoping for. For perspective, Alphabet reported its Q2 2026 earnings on July 22, 2026, and Google stock fell 7.1% to $317.69 on Thursday, July 23, wiping nearly $294 billion from its market value, according to MarketWatch reporting. Google Cloud sales jumped 82%, margins expanded sharply, and backlog climbed to $514 billion. However, Alphabet raised 2026 capex guidance to as much as $205 billion, stoking fears that AI returns may arrive more slowly than the bills, as free cash flow turned negative.Nevertheless, Bank of America kept its Buy rating after the quarter, arguing that the market may be overlooking what Alphabet’s spending is already producing. Though Search revenue was roughly in line with expectations, Alphabet’s consolidated operating margin expanded to 34% from 32%, while operating income rose 30%.BofA analysts therefore believed the company had been punished too harshly, as investors overlooked accelerating Cloud growth and other signs that its AI investments are beginning to generate returns.

Bank of America kept its Buy rating on Alphabet after Q2 earningsJustin Sullivan/Getty Images

Alphabet Q2 earnings at a glanceQ2 revenue reached $119.8 billion, while net revenue excluding TAC came in at $103.6 billion, above the $101.1 billion consensus.GAAP EPS was $9.11, compared with Wall Street’s $2.90 estimate.Google Search revenue rose 17% to $63.3 billion, while YouTube advertising revenue increased 13% to $11.1 billion.Google Cloud revenue surged 82% to $24.8 billion, with operating income of $8.8 billion and a 35.6% margin.Alphabet raised 2026 capex guidance to $195 billion–$205 billion, while Q2 free cash flow was negative $5.9 billion.BofA maintained its Buy rating and $430 price target, forecasting $553 billion in 2027 revenue and $15.01 in EPS.
Source: Bank of America post-earnings note on Alphabet stock.
BofA thinks Alphabet’s AI spending is already paying off BofA analysts reiterated their Buy rating and $430 price target on Alphabet stock post-earnings, arguing that there’s a clear mismatch between what investors are viewing and what the quarter actually showed.More AI:Workers just sent AI companies an ultimatumPalantir CEO has a blunt verdict on OpenAI and AnthropicElon Musk pulls no punches with AI rivals as Grok 4.5 debutsThe market was clearly looking at Alphabet bumping its 2026 CapEx guidance to $195 billion to $205 billion, along with negative free cash flows and a greater likelihood of elevated spending in 2027.Those concerns are legitimate, as it’s now forecasting a negative $16 billion of free cash flow in 2026 and another negative $18.5 billion in 2027.However, the bank believes that’s far from a speculative AI investment, where Alphabet is already seeing measurable revenue, margin, and backlog benefits.At the same time, BofA analysts believe Google Cloud is effectively becoming Alphabet’s incremental growth and valuation engine.Cloud sales accelerated 82% year over year to $24.8 billion, compared to the Street’s 65% forecast, while operating margin surged to 35.6%, comfortably above the 31.3% consensus. Typically, with rapid growth, we usually see margin pressure, but Alphabet instead produced faster growth and better profitability, which suggests that AI infrastructure is perhaps generating attractive utilization with stronger pricing.Moreover, the demand indicators are still healthy and point to a capacity-driven CapEx increase. Cloud backlog surged to $514 billion, up $50 billion sequentially; customers are consuming more than 50% above contractual commitments, and Alphabet is winning new Cloud customers at over 2 times last year’s pace.At the same time, Search remains an important supporting pillar. Search revenue grew 17%, which shows that AI products haven’t materially impacted Google’s core advertising engine. However, sales were mostly in line with expectations. which doesn’t exactly validate the thesis that AI Overviews and AI Mode are producing a major Search acceleration. How does BofA arrive at its $430 price target?BofA values Alphabet stock at 27 times the adjusted 2027 core Google GAAP EPS of $15.55. That produces an operating-business value of approximately $419 per share. It then adds $11 per share of estimated year-end 2026 cash, resulting in the $430 target.Interestingly, the bank, in acknowledging the heightened CapEx, weaker cash flow, and AI spending concerns, lowered its target multiple from 28 times to 27 times.However, at the same time, the bank’s analysts raised their 2027 revenue estimate by 3% to $553 billion and consolidated EPS estimate by 2% to $15.01. So in effect, the higher earnings forecast offset the lower multiple, leaving the target unchanged.When the report was released, Google’s stock was trading at anafter-hours price of $332, trading at 22 times BofA’s 2027 GAAP EPS, aligning with its 10-year historical average.BofA considers the stock to be attractively priced, especially with sales expected to ramp up to 27% in 2027, compared to an average of nearly 14% from 2023 through 2025.Additionally, as we saw with SpaceX, BofA’s sum-of-the-parts analysis added a complicated new layer.BofA says that once Alphabet’s faster-growing businesses are valued separately, its core Search advertising and Google Play operations trade at just 13 times earnings, versus 20 times for the S&P 500. That opens up the question for investors, who need to know how much value belongs to mature advertising versus newer AI, cloud, and Waymo assets. What are the weaknesses in BofA’s argument?Perhaps the biggest issue with Alphabet’s predicament is that its profit and loss statement is improving more quickly than the cash flow. Case in point is its negative $5.9 billion in Q2 free cash flow, which constrained its ability to repurchase shares, and its statement that buybacks are unlikely to resume for the rest of 2026. Alphabet also plans a $40 billion at-the-market equity program, which could create dilution precisely when investors are questioning capital discipline.Furthermore, BofA expects capex to rise to $200 billion in 2026 and to roughly $300 billion in 2027. That essentially means the Cloud businesses must continue converting backlog into sales at very high rates while maintaining margins near the mid-30% range.If Cloud growth slows down before depreciation and infrastructure costs peak, Alphabet risks facing simultaneous top-line deceleration, margin compression, and ongoing negative free cash flow.At the same time, there is also an earnings-quality issue. Alphabet’s reported $9.11 EPS, which was heavily influenced by $98 billion of other income, linked to the Anthropic revaluation. That gain doesn’t reflect recurring operational performance, so the headline EPS beat cannot be treated as evidence that the underlying business sped past estimates by a comparable amount.What Alphabet’s AI spending bet means for investors Google CEO Sundar Pichai had a lot to say during the company’s Q2 earnings call, with major implications for investors. Pichai’s comments suggested that Alphabet is deliberately accepting near-term cash flow and margin pressure to secure longer-duration customer economics.He said that he was “more bullish on the opportunities ahead” over the past year, describing AI as a secular shift in which enterprises are still “barely scratching the early stages of what’s possible.” He elaborated on that long-term theme in a discussion on renting third-party capacity. Pichai acknowledged that serving major Cloud customers could carry a “very high” short-term cost, but framed it as accepting a six-month expense to capture a multiyear contract with “very, very attractive” returns. That means Alphabet is looking to optimize for customer lifetime value rather than just quarterly Cloud margins, although investors must trust that internal capacity will eventually replace those expensive leases.Additionally, Pichai also offered a more nuanced view of Google’s AI moat.He said, “The model is just an ingredient” inside larger cybersecurity, data, infrastructure, and agentic workflow solutions. However, Google’s real moat rests on Gemini, TPUs, proprietary infrastructure, enterprise data controls, and distribution into one integrated system.Put simply, investors should expect a lot more quarter-to-quarter shocks in CapEx, free cash flow, and cloud margins as Google races to secure AI capacity. Related: Bank of America targets Nvidia’s next $170 billion growth engine

Recently, I wrote about Redfin data showing that pending home sales were down for the first time in a month.Well, the situation has gotten worse. (Or better, depending on your perspective.)The previous week, weekly pending home sales had decreased by 2.2%. A new Redfin report revealed that week-over-week pending home sales fell again, this time by 1.3% for the four-week period ending July 19.Not only is this the second straight week of declining pending sales, but it’s also the lowest level in three months.The term “pending home sale” means the seller has accepted the buyer’s offer and the listing is no longer active. However, the deal is “pending” because the parties haven’t closed yet.Redfin pointed to several reasons fewer Americans are making offers: rising mortgage rates, economic uncertainty due to the war in Iran, and higher oil prices.Lower pending sales can be tough for the housing market overall. However, this trend can benefit those who still want to buy a house.”Falling pending home sales could be a good sign for buyers, as they may be able to gain more favorable terms on a purchase from sellers with fewer options,” Michael C. Weiner, a real estate agent at Coldwell Banker Warburg, told TheStreet.Fewer pending home sales give homebuyers more powerHow does a dip in pending home sales translate to better deals for homebuyers?”That could take the form of a lower price, more flexibility on closing timing, or increased seller funding of repairs,” said Weiner.When there are fewer buyers in the housing market, there is less competition. This means homebuyers have more power than sellers — it’s a buyer’s market.You may be able to negotiate any of the terms Weiner listed with the seller when making an offer or counteroffer. And when it comes to how much you’ll pay for the home, you might not even need to wait until the negotiation process to see a lower price.If a home stays on the market for too long and the seller wants to appeal to more buyers, they may cut the listing price. The share of property listings with a price cut was 18.8% in June, according to Realtor.com data.Related: Why homebuyers win despite latest mortgage rate newsAlthough mortgage rates are relatively high, homebuyers can snag savings in other areas in this sort of real estate market. That can help lessen the blow of mortgage rates over 6.5%.Don’t get too confident, though. You and your real estate agent still need to be strategic about which home you buy and how to craft a strategic offer.”Buyers should remember that desirable, move-in ready homes can still be competitive because many people don’t want to take on renovation costs while mortgage payments are high,” said Redfin Premier agent Vanessa Leimback. “That’s why the biggest bargains are often on fixer-uppers.”

Fewer pending home sales leads to lower inventory, so a fixer-upper might be your best bet.Westend61 / Getty Images

Redfin and experts note that you might not find your dream homeThe decrease in pending home sales brings plenty of advantages for buyers. But it also introduces unique challenges.”On the flip side, it also might mean that there are simply not a lot of good choices on the market, and that they may not be able to find what they’re looking for,” Weiner told TheStreet.The Redfin study revealed that week-over-week new listings have increased by just 0.4%. This puts new listings at their second-lowest level of 2026.More Housing Market:Is the American starter home officially dead?Boomers have unfair edge over younger homebuyersFannie Mae predicts shift in mortgage rates, housing market”The catch is that new listings are also hovering near their yearly low, so buyers may have more leverage without much more choice,” John Walkup, co-founder at UrbanDigs, told TheStreet. “In practical terms, buyers may be able to secure modest discounts or concessions, while sellers need to stay closely aligned with their direct competition,” he continued.With less inventory, you may struggle to find your dream home. As Leimback mentioned, a fixer-upper could be your key to becoming a homeowner sooner rather than later. Then, you could put any savings from the home purchase toward maintenance projects.What’s next for pending home sales?Now that we’ve covered the pros and cons of declining pending home sales for buyers, you might be wondering where this specific housing market trend is headed.Of course, none of us have a crystal ball to tell us what mortgage rates, pending home sales, or any aspect of the market will do. But after years of reporting on the real estate market, I’ve picked up on a few clues that provide insight.I suspect that next week’s Redfin data will show that pending sales are down again.Why? Because the company cited the Freddie Mac mortgage rate of 6.55%, which was an 11-month high, as one reason behind the lower pending sales numbers. But that was the average 30-year mortgage rate the week ending July 19. Freddie Mac released its updated average rate on July 23 — it increased by 0.03% to 6.58%. This is its highest point in 2026.Higher rates may mean even more would-be homebuyers decide to take a step back.There also aren’t any signs of the U.S.-Iran conflict dying down anytime soon. This political and economic uncertainty could keep Americans from feeling confident about making such a huge purchase.It’s possible that mortgage rates will inch down the following week. But the war in Iran has a potentially longer-lasting impact on the housing market.Related: Homeowners face selling decision after housing market shift