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Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Michelle Tafoya — the former NFL sideline reporter — might want to work on how she expresses opinions, especially controversial ones.

Why gas prices spike overnight—even in the world’s top oil producer. Global markets, replacement costs, and “rockets and feathers” explain the surge.

DFA US Micro Cap ETF DFMC, Dimensional’s first exchange-traded share class of an existing mutual fund, began trading today, March 20, 2026. It marks the first time an actively managed ETF share class has been added to an existing mutual fund. Vanguard pioneered the structure in 2001 and applied it to its index-tracking mutual funds, and F/m Investments added a mutual fund share class to its existing Treasury 3 Month Bill ETF TBIL in mid-February.Dimensional’s journey to providing an ETF share class started almost three years ago. It sought the SEC’s permission to use the share class in July 2023 after Vanguard’s patent on the unique structure had expired.Tax efficiency and lower fees are driving money into ETFs, and their adoption by investors is the main motivation behind adding an ETF share class to an existing mutual fund. Such share classes can use in-kind redemptions to purge potential capital gains. The redemptions can be used on all assets in a fund, not just those attributed to the ETF share class. All investors in a fund benefit from the ETF’s tax efficiency, whether they own mutual fund shares or ETF shares.ETF share classes can also help mutual fund investors move into ETFs without selling their mutual fund shares and incurring capital gains taxes. Dimensional plans to process those transfers manually until an industrywide solution is available later this year. Sorting out the mechanics of these transfers has been one of the bottlenecks to creating ETF share classes.DFA US Micro Cap ETF is the first of 13 ETF share classes that Dimensional is attempting to attach to existing mutual funds. The remaining 12 funds should receive their ETF share classes soon. Dimensional expects to have a handful of them trading on exchanges by the end of the year. The net expense ratios charged to investors of Dimensional’s ETF share classes are expected to closely match those of the existing mutual fund shares, so investors can choose the most appropriate vehicle without worrying about costs.More ETF share classes are expected to hit exchanges in the coming years. An additional 97 asset managers have requested the SEC’s permission to use the structure, and a handful of those have already filed paperwork to add an ETF share class to a specific mutual fund.

Also in Weekend Reads: A retirement-planning mistake and how to correct it, deeper thinking about AI, and this week’s best advice from the Moneyist.

‘I work for the Federal Reserve and I’m not allowed to invest in private bank portfolios like J.P. Morgan or Citi or bank-specific ETFs.’

McDonald’s officially unveiled its latest Happy Meal promotion, bringing back one of its most-requested and long-standing collaborations. The launch underscores the fast-food giant’s ongoing strategy of blending nostalgia, pop culture, and digital engagement to strengthen customer loyalty across generations.Since introducing the Happy Meal in 1977, McDonald’s has used its beloved kids’ meal to release some of the most memorable collectible toys and limited-time partnerships.With more than 44,000 locations across 100 countries, the company has turned the Happy Meal into a powerful marketing tool that helps it maintain cultural relevance while reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most recognizable brands.McDonald’s unveils the newest Super Mario collaboration for 2026McDonald’s (MCD) is partnering with Nintendo’s (NTDOY) Mario franchise to introduce a new Happy Meal promotion ahead of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, scheduled to premiere on April 1, 2026.Beginning March 26, all participating McDonald’s U.S. locations will offer a limited-time Happy Meal featuring one of 12 collectible Super Mario character toy posable clips, according to the company’s press release.McDonalds x The Super Mario Galaxy Movie toy lineupLuigi FrogMarioFire MarioYoshiToadPrincess RosalinaPrincess PeachBowser JrBowserWonder Bowser JrBirdoLuma StarThe McDonald’s x The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Happy Meal has already debuted in Brazil, where it also includes themed packaging and new menu items tied to the collaboration.

McDonald’s unveils The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Happy Meal collaboration. Bob Riha, Jr./Nintendo of America via Getty Images

McDonald’s long-standing partnership with the Mario franchiseThis latest Happy Meal promotion is not McDonald’s first partnership with the Mario franchise. The two brands have collaborated multiple times over the past three decades, releasing a series of collectible Happy Meal toys nationwide.Previous Mario Happy Meals1990: Super Mario Bros. 3 Happy Meal featuring five toys, according to Toy Shiz.2006: Take the Mario Challenge Happy Meal featuring six toys, according to Nintendo Fandom.2014: Mario Kart 8 Happy Meal featuring eight toys, according to FastFoodToyReviews.2017: Super Mario series Happy Meal featuring eight toys, according to IGN.2022: Mario Kart Happy Meal rereleasing seven toys, according to Nintendo Fandom.2022-2023: The Super Mario Bros. Movie Happy Meal featuring eight toys, according to Buzz Products.The recurring collaboration highlights the strength of Nintendo’s Mario franchise and the McDonald’s brand, which continue to resonate with both younger audiences and nostalgic adult consumers.Digital integration expands the Happy Meal experienceOver the past decade, McDonald’s has expanded the Happy Meal experience beyond physical toys by incorporating digital features. Many Happy Meal boxes now include a QR code that unlocks interactive virtual games and activities, accessible through the company’s Happy Meal website.The digital approach aligns with McDonald’s broader strategy to deepen engagement through its mobile app. Since launching in the U.S. in 2015, the company has used its platform to offer personalized promotions, deals, loyalty rewards, push notification reminders, and digital ordering.This digital platform enhances the customer experience while providing valuable data insights that help the company tailor promotions and improve customer retention.Happy Meals support McDonald’s long-term growth strategy The Happy Meal marketing and digital initiatives support McDonald’s broader “Accelerating the Arches” strategy, first introduced in 2020.The plan focuses on maximizing marketing, committing to core menu items, and doubling down on the “4Ds”: Delivery, Digital, Drive-Thru, and Development.Through this approach, McDonald’s aims to reach 250 million 90-day active loyalty members and generate $45 billion in annual loyalty systemwide sales. The company also plans to achieve 30% of delivery orders through integrated delivery platforms and grow to more than 50,000 restaurants globally by the end of 2027.McDonald’s digital strategy delivers resultsRecent financial results indicate that McDonald’s digital investments are delivering measurable returns.McDonald’s fourth-quarter and full-year earnings results for fiscal 2025Digital platforms now reach nearly 210 million 90-day active users across 70 markets, increasing 19% year over year.Loyalty customers generated about $37 billion in systemwide sales in 2025, up 20%.Global comparable sales rose 5.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, with U.S. comparable sales climbing 6.8%.In the full year of 2025, Global comparable sales increased 3.1%, with U.S. comparable sales rising 2.1%.
Source: McDonald’s earnings report and Form 10-K, fourth quarter and full year of fiscal 2025
What analysts are saying about McDonald’sMcDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski credits the company’s recent performance to improved customer engagement and value perception.”By listening to customers and taking action, we have improved traffic and strengthened our value and affordability scores,” said Kempczinski in the company’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings release. Industry analysts say McDonald’s remains well-positioned despite growing competitive pressures within the fast-food sector by monitoring rivals’ trends and strategies, positioning itself well in the market.”Innovative loyalty programs and menu experimentation are expected to enhance customer retention and drive repeat visits, positively impacting long-term revenue,” said MarketBeat analysts.However, some analysts remain cautious about the company’s short-term growth.”While loyalty programs are beneficial, their immediate impact on margins remains uncertain, which could affect short-term profitability,” MarketBeat analysts added.More McDonald’s Business News:McDonald’s revives two popular collaborations in new Happy MealMcDonald’s finally brings overseas fan favorites to US in 2026McDonald’s unveils 2026 menu as sales reboundMcDonald’s making major drive-thru changeWhy it mattersMcDonald’s latest Super Mario Happy Meal reflects a broader strategy that combines nostalgia, global brand partnerships, and digital engagement to drive long-term growth.By leveraging established brands and investing heavily in its digital ecosystem, McDonald’s continues to strengthen customer loyalty while adapting to evolving consumer expectations in the fast-food industry.Related: McDonald’s revives most-requested Happy Meal toys after 39 years

BTS launches Arirang and fills the iTunes Top Songs chart, with “Swim” leading a surge of top 10 entries at the start of a new tracking week.

Anyone who has been around commodity markets for a long time, especially precious metals markets, know this absolutely: Prices do not rise forever. And, when the prices fall, it is rarely pretty. This has been happening now to anyone who rode precious metals higher when 2026 opened, especially silver and gold, assuming the ride would never end. The market is now really taking the fun away. Related: Middle East chaos continues to drain your pocketbookSilver is back to where it began 2026Silver was mauled on March 19, falling more 8% to $70.97 per troy ounce, its seventh straight daily loss, the longest losing streak since December 2023 Since peaking at $121.785 on Jan. 29, silver has fallen 41.5%. Gold hasn’t been friendly either, falling 6.3% to $4,588. Since its top at $5,626.80, the yellow metal has dropped 18.5%. Jan 29 PeakMar 19 Price% DrawdownSilver$121.79$70.97-41.50%Gold$5,626.80$4,588.00-18.50%Silver is basically back to where the year began, at $70.63 an ounce. Gold is still up 6% on the year. When the bombs fell, so did metals pricesThe smart money started getting out at the January peaks for both metals for three reasons: Margin hikes. One catalyst was futures exchanges raising margins — the cash deposits that traders are required to maintain positions. The margins have been raised three times since Jan. 13. Currently, you have to put up 18% on silver and 9% on gold in cash. Margin increases are used to curb excess volatilityand, by extension, excess speculation.Geopolitics. Then, Nevada commodities trader Carley Garner says, when Israeli and U.S. bombs and missiles started falling on Iran after Feb. 27, the selling became much more insistent.

Hong Kong buyers queue to buy precious metals.Getty Images

The Fed has its inflation worries Add to that the Federal Reserve, which pointedly left its key federal funds rate at 3.5% to 3.75% on Wednesday. That’s because most Fed officials are worried that soaring commodity prices and the effects of the Middle East fighting could push inflation rates higher, commodity expert Jim Wyckoff wrote on Kitco News.com.We say most because Fed governor Steven Miran, a Donald Trump appointee, voted against the Fed’s decision. Miran and Trump believe rates can move lower without reigniting inflation. Silver and gold markets are affected by a relatively new set of players: investors in exchange-traded funds. They can buy into a fund and not have to put up any margin. The fund itself, however, has to buy more silver not to distort markets too much. And ETFs investors can sell out quickly. This clearly has happened since silver peaked in January, says Garnet, a contributor to theStreet Pro. That also forces the ETF to match the investors’ movesYou can see it happening on March19 with the iShares Silver Trust. It closed at $68.70 on March 18 and opened the next day at $61.90, dropped to $60.85 and then finished at $65.68. That was down 4.4% on the day and 40.2% from its 52-week high on Jan. 29.A boom-and-bust cycle at workThe big break in metals prices is following a classic boom and bust pattern. Likememe stocks a few years ago or the pre-2008 real estate runup and crash. The pattern has been occurring in many areas of financial markets this year, and there are starting to signs markets are trying to put in bottoms. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index was down as many as 66 points on March 19 but started to recover in the afternoon. Recoveries were also seen in such stocks as Freeport McMoRan, Newmont Corp., Hecla Mining and Coeur Mining.The recovery started as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a news conference that Iran could no longer enrich uranium or manufacture ballistic missiles. And, he suggested, Israel would help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Chuck Norris, the legendary action star of “Good Guys Wear Black,” “Missing in Action” and “Walker: Texas Ranger,” died Thursday at age 86.

Senior Pro Pickleball has a number of competing entities offering tournaments and team leagues. Here’s an overview.