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If you get health insurance through your employer, buckle up. Costs are expected to spike — yet again — next year.
Workplace health coverage expenses could rise 11.1% in 2027, according to a preview of WTW’s forthcoming Best Practices in Healthcare Survey shared with Money. That’s the expected increase in prices if businesses make no cost-saving changes to their health benefits. If they do make changes, premiums may still jump 9.7%.

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Either rate would be the highest yearly increase on record.
WTW’s annual survey includes responses from 471 U.S. employers with at least 100 workers. The topline finding? In order to deal with the rising cost of healthcare, companies across the U.S. are planning to push more of the cost onto workers.
By 2028, more than 7 in 10 employers say they are planning to make changes that would increase their workforce’s out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, up from 30% in 2026. And 85% of companies said they are considering increasing employees’ premiums in the next two years.
WTW’s findings mirror several similar reports. Earlier this month, consulting firm Aon reported that workplace health coverage expenses could rise 9.5% next year, and the Business Group on Health projected 9.2% price growth.
All three surveys points to common reasons health insurance keeps getting more expensive. The number of high-cost claimants have been growing in recent years, which drives costs up across the board. That, in part, is due to higher prevalence of cancer and other chronic conditions among working-age Americans.
The skyrocketing price of prescription drugs is another contributing factor. Then there’s regular medical care inflation, which is tied more directly to the cost of procedures, medical equipment at and the pay of providers.
“At this level, rising healthcare costs become much more than a budgeting challenge,” Mike Pasterick, the head of health benefits in North America at Aon, said in a news release.

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Health insurance costs aren’t slowing down
It was supposed to be a blip.
Before the pandemic, annual health insurance costs rose fairly steadily, around 4%. Then price growth dropped to 2% in 2020, according to WTW. So when it rebounded above 5% in 2023, many experts viewed the spike as a temporary reset.
Instead of a blip, employers and workers have been dealing with consecutive years of record-setting health plan inflation.
According to the nonprofit health research organization KFF, average annual health care premiums for workplace plans reached $9,325 for singles and $26,993 for families in 2025. Employers pay the lion’s share of those costs, typically covering 84% for single plans and 74% for family plans.
The remainder is usually deducted automatically each month from the worker’s paycheck. Per month, that translates into about $120 and $571 for singles and families, respectively.
WTW’s survey findings suggest these norms are about to change, as employers are widely considering shifting more of the premium onto their employees.
Another way companies are considering lowering the cost of their plans is by implementing higher deductibles, or the amount of money you must pay out-of-pocket before certain coverage kicks in. The vast majority of workplace plans have deductibles, and they are usually about $1,900 for singles and $5,100 for families, per KFF.
Given the projected cost increases coming down the pike, employers are likely to make several changes at once, which may affect coverage, monthly premiums and deductibles.
With open enrollment season at most companies just around the corner, be sure to check in with HR to understand what’s changing at your employer and how it will affect your wallet — ideally before the trip to the doctor.

Eli Lilly (LLY) has spent the last two years as the company everyone points to when they talk about weight-loss drugs.

That reputation made it the most valuable pharmaceutical company in the world. 

It also created a problem the company now seems eager to solve.

On August 31, Lilly agreed to buy Merida Biosciences for up to $2.88 billion in cash. 

This deal expands Lilly’s work into autoimmune diseases, which is a different field from the weight-loss and diabetes shots that made the company famous. 

For anyone holding LLY shares or thinking about buying in, this deal tells you something useful about how its management plans to keep the company growing after the obesity boom cools.

Why Eli Lilly is paying $2.88 billion to move past obesity

Lilly makes Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss. Together, those two drugs drive most of its sales and nearly all of its stock story.

That concentration is the risk. When one drug class carries a company this large, any slowdown in demand or pricing can hit the shares hard.

Lilly’s management knows this, so it has been spending its obesity cash to buy growth in other areas.

The Merida purchase is Lilly’s 13th acquisition of 2026, the most of any large drugmaker this year, according to BioPharma Dive.

It follows two other immunology deals, a $1.2 billion buyout of Ventyx Biosciences and a purchase of Orna Therapeutics worth up to $2.4 billion.

The pattern is clear. Lilly is turning a single-drug success into a broader pipeline, and immunology is one of its main targets.

Eli Lilly is using its obesity-drug profits to expand into autoimmune disease through its purchase of Merida Biosciences.lcodacci / Getty Images

What Merida Biosciences actually does

Merida is a small, privately held company that began operating publicly last year with $121 million in funding, Fierce Biotech reported.

What sets Merida apart is how narrowly its drugs are built to work.

Most autoimmune treatments suppress the whole immune system, which can leave patients open to infection.

Merida’s drugs are designed to find and remove only the specific antibodies that cause the body to attack itself, while leaving healthy immune function alone. Those rogue antibodies are called autoantibodies.

More Healthcare Stocks:

BofA sees Eli Lilly’s overseas obesity sales topping the U.S.

Eli Lilly’s Foundayo pill wins first European approval

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The lead drug, MER511, is in early testing for Graves’ disease and thyroid eye disease. 

Graves’ disease affects about 1% of the U.S. population and forces the thyroid to overproduce hormones, according to BioProcess International. 

A second candidate, MER769, targets food allergies, asthma, and related conditions.

How the deal protects Lilly if the science fails

The $2.88 billion figure grabs headlines, but Lilly is not writing that check all at once.

The agreement includes an upfront cash payment plus milestone payments tied to how far Merida’s drugs progress, Reuters reported. Lilly did not disclose the exact split.

That structure matters for shareholders. If MER511 hits a safety or efficacy wall in later trials, Lilly stops paying and its total cost stays well below the full price.

Related: Morgan Stanley uncovers major Bristol Myers stock signals

BMO Capital Markets called the purchase a sensible use of capital that fits Lilly’s earlier moves and adds variety to its immunology pipeline, according to BioSpace. 

David Risinger, an analyst at Leerink Partners, read it as more proof that management wants to diversify beyond obesity.

Why this deal will not move LLY earnings anytime soon

Here is the part investors should sit with before getting excited.

MER511 is in Phase 1, the earliest stage of human testing. Drugs at this stage usually take years to reach the market, if they get there at all.

You should treat this as a long-term pipeline bet, not a reason to expect higher earnings over the next 12 to 24 months.

The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, Reuters confirmed. 

Real revenue, if it comes, sits several years past that.

Lilly’s current results carry the stock for now. 

In the second quarter, the company beat earnings expectations by 27.27% and beat revenue expectations by 11.06%, with quarterly revenue of $22.97 billion, up 47.67% from a year earlier.

The risks Lilly investors should keep watching

A deal this early carries real risk. Here are a few things that could go wrong:

Risks tied to the Merida bet

A steep price for unproven science. Merida raised just $121 million before this sale, so Lilly is paying a large premium for a drug that has cleared only early testing.

Strong competition already in place. If MER511 reaches the market, it will meet Amgen’s Tepezza and Viridian Therapeutics’ Lumvoa, both already established in thyroid eye disease, according to CNBC.

More early-stage bets raise the odds of a costly failure. With 13 acquisitions this year, Lilly now runs a large and expensive early-stage pipeline, and clinical failures across that many programs add up.

The stock also leaves little room for error. 

LLY trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.32, well above most large drugmakers, which means a lot of future growth is already built into the price.

The bottom line for LLY investors

Lilly closed at $1,170.98 on September 2, up 0.95% on the day and 8.39% for the year.

It sits below its 52-week high of $1,292.65.

The Merida deal will not impact those numbers this quarter or next. What it changes is the shape of the company you are buying.

Two years ago, Lilly was an obesity story. Today it is spending that obesity money to become something wider, with real positions in immunology, oncology, and other fields.

For a long-term investor, that diversification lowers the danger of leaning on one drug class forever. 

For anyone chasing near-term gains, this deal offers little, and the high valuation means any stumble in the core business can still sting.

A good approach is to judge LLY on its Mounjaro and Zepbound sales for now, and to view deals like Merida as slow-building options that may pay off years down the road. 

Size any position to your own risk comfort, because even the market’s strongest names fall hard when expectations run this high.

Related: Key HIV stat over 70% leaves BofA siding with Gilead

“It always baffled me how some people managed to retire with significant wealth.”

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The Shanghai Cooperation Organization brings together over half of humanity including Russia, China, and India. Geopolitical problems are pushing it towards investment.

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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 deal

When you’re on the bus during your morning commute or stuck in the doctor’s office waiting room, putting on a pair of headphones can upgrade your downtime with catchy tunes, an enthralling podcast, or an addictive audiobook in the background. There’s nothing more convenient than the wireless earbud design, as you can slip them into your pocket or backpack and they’re ready to go whenever you need them. You don’t want to sacrifice sound quality when you need to replace a pair, but since the small size is easily lost, you also don’t want to break the bank. 

The Cillso Wireless Earbuds offer the best of both worlds: They deliver top-notch audio, and the premium selection is on clearance with 89% off at Walmart. With this deep discount, instead of paying the regular cost of $160, you’ll pay just $18. To put these exceptional savings into perspective, you could get eight pairs and still pay less than you would for one at the original price. As a bonus, the black, white, and rose gold colors are all on sale for $18, so you have multiple options to suit your style.

Cillso Wireless Earbuds, $18 (was $160) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at Walmart

Why do shoppers love it?

Equipped with 14.2-millimeter diaphragm drivers, these wireless earbuds produce 360-degree high-fidelity stereo sound with powerful bass and clearly detailed mids, making them great for listening to music or taking phone calls. If you do use these earbuds to take calls, the four noise-canceling microphones will reduce the background noise in your environment by 90% for superior clarity and audio. “Great earbuds with clear sound and strong bass,” raved one reviewer. They highlighted that the pair has “good noise cancellation for calls,” writing that the earbuds are “perfect for workouts and daily use.”

Related: Walmart is selling a $400 Android tablet for 73% off

These earbuds were engineered for everyday convenience. On a single charge, the earbuds have a playtime of up to 8 hours, but combined with the handy charging case, you can keep them going up to 40 hours. You’ll also know how much charge is left, because the compact charging case has a useful LED display that shows you the current power levels of each earbud. You can feel confident taking them to the gym, because the IP7 waterproof rating means the earbuds can be safely worn while sweating or during rainy days. On top of that, they have a 45-degree ergonomic design that you can comfortably wear for prolonged periods.

Details to know 

Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 technology.

Color options: Black, white, and rose gold are all on sale for $18.

Are they waterproof?: Yes, they have an IP7 waterproof rating.

Average shopper rating: 4.4 out of five stars.

Overall, shoppers have great things to say about these wireless earbuds, with some even comparing them to high-end brands. One shopper, who explained, “I bought these as a replacement after losing my AirPods,” found that “for the price, these blow the expensive branded ones out of the water and I genuinely don’t see myself going back.”

Shop more deals

Btootos Over-Ear Wireless Earbuds, $23 (was $180) at Walmart

Xinwld Wireless Earbuds, $20 (was $130) at Walmart

Geryst Open-Ear Headphones, $22 (was $200) at Walmart

The Cillso Wireless Earbuds are an exceptional deal while they’re on sale for just $18 at Walmart. Secure the savings by adding them to your shopping cart now.

Average mortgage rates today

Mortgage Type
Label
Rate
APR

30-Year Fixed
Most Popular
6.63%
6.67%

30-Year FHA
Lower Credit
6.13%
7.34%

30-Year VA
Military
6.2%
6.37%

30-Year Jumbo
High Balance
6.75%
6.77%

15-Year Fixed
Shorter Term
5.95%
6.02%

7/6 ARM
Shorter Term
6.3%
6.37%

HELOC
Home Equity
8.09%
8.09%

Home Equity Loan
Home Equity
8.14%
8.14%

Updated on 09/03/2026

Rate data provided by RateUpdate.com. Displayed by Mortgage Research Center, LLC, NMLS# 1907, Equal Housing Opportunity, Payments do not include taxes or insurance premiums. Actual payments will be greater with taxes and insurance included. Rate and Product details

Mortgage rates decreased to 6.67% after concerns over a potential interest rate hike at the next Federal Reserve meeting eased. Rates remain elevated despite the decline, keeping many would-be buyers on the sidelines.
Key mortgage rate averages:

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.67% APR
The 30-year fixed-rate FHA mortgage averaged 7.34% APR
The 30-year fixed-rate VA mortgage averaged 6.37% APR
The 30-year fixed-rate jumbo mortgage averaged 6.77% APR
The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.02% APR
The 7/6 adjustable-rate mortgage averaged 6.37% APR
The rate on a HELOC averaged 8.09% APR
The rate on a home equity loan averaged 8.14% APR

Mortgage rate trends
Mortgage rates ticked higher over the past few days as the probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike increased and inflation remained stubbornly high. Rates are likely to stay in the mid-6% range for now, although they could move a little higher.
The next set of data that could influence rates will be released on Friday, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the non-farm payroll and unemployment numbers for August. Signs of weakness in the jobs market could cause rates to decrease, although the decline is likely to be relatively small.
Which loan is best for you?
When shopping for a mortgage, you may be offered several loan options that will fulfill different needs. Here’s a rundown of the most common loan types you’ll find, and who they work best for.
30-year conventional mortgage: Conventional loans work best for borrowers who have a credit score above 620, have saved enough to make a down payment of at least 3% and are looking for flexibility in the type of property being purchased.
30-year Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage: FHA loans are good for first-time homebuyers, borrowers with less-than-perfect credit scores or those with a high debt-to-income ratio.
30-year U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan: Specifically designed for active-duty and retired service members, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and surviving spouses. Offers 0% down loan options, competitive rates and accepts less-than-perfect credit scores.
30-year jumbo loan: Good for homebuyers purchasing property that is priced above the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) conforming loan limit. In 2026, that limit is $832,750 in most of the U.S. but increases to $1,249,125 in high-cost areas.
15-year fixed-rate loan: Borrowers who prefer a shorter loan term and can afford to make higher monthly payments will pay less overall interest with a 15-year mortgage and pay off the loan faster.
7/6 adjustable rate loan: Good for a buyer who wants to lock in a favorable interest rate for a set period of time and either plans on selling the home before the interest rate starts, is willing to make a higher monthly payment once the rate becomes variable or is open to refinancing the loan.
Home equity line of credit (HELOC): A good option for a homeowner who wants to access the equity they’ve accumulated in their home and have an open line of credit to use as needed.
Home equity loan: Another option for a homeowner who wants to access their home equity and have the financial capacity to take on a second mortgage.

How mortgage rates affect affordability
The rate on your mortgage can make a big difference in how much home you can afford and the size of your monthly payments. That’s true whether buying your primary residence, an investment property or refinancing an existing loan.
Here’s an example. If you bought a $250,000 home and made a 20% down payment of $50,000, you would end up with a starting loan balance of $200,000. On a $200,000 home loan with a fixed rate for 30 years, here’s what you would pay:

At a 3% interest rate = $843 in monthly payments (not including taxes, insurance, or HOA fees)
At a 4% interest rate = $955 in monthly payments (not including taxes, insurance, or HOA fees)
At a 6% interest rate = $1,199 in monthly payment (not including taxes, insurance, or HOA fees)
At an 8% interest rate = $1,468 in monthly payment (not including taxes, insurance, or HOA fees)

Experimenting with a mortgage calculator allows you to find out how much a lower rate or other changes could impact what you pay. A home affordability calculator can also estimate the maximum loan amount you may qualify for based on your income, debt-to-income ratio, mortgage interest rate and other variables. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can also provide a range of rates offered by lenders in each state.

Current mortgage rates FAQs
What is a 30-year mortgage rate right now?
The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 6.73% as of September 2, according to Money’s rate data. Other rate surveys show 30-year rates averaging close to 6.8%.
Can you get a 4% mortgage rate?
No, not under current market conditions. A 30-year fixed-rate loan is averaging in the mid-to-6% range as of September 2.
Will we ever see a 3% mortgage rate again?
Mortgage rates are unlikely to fall below 3% in the near term unless a severe economic downturn occurs. However, rates averaged in the mid-3% range before the pandemic, so a return to that range at some point in the future is not out of the question.
How much is a $300,000 mortgage at 7%?
The monthly payment on a 30-year, $300,000 conventional mortgage at 7% is $1,995.91, excluding taxes, insurance and HOA fees. Your actual payment will vary depending on your credit score, down payment, lender and location, among other factors.

Buying an S&P 500 index fund can feel like a straightforward way to diversify. After all, many American workers dollar-cost average into this sort of fund with every paycheck via a 401(k) or IRA without even thinking about it.

Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers, argues that investors should look more closely before assuming that broad-market exposure offers enough diversification to offset a portfolio weighed down by technology holdings trading near all-time highs.

In his view, an S&P 500 fund or a similar broad-market index fund can leave an investor exposed to the AI trade by about 40% to 45%. Adding individual AI-related stocks or semiconductor names on top can concentrate a portfolio far more than its owner realizes.

Why is the S&P 500 so AI-heavy right now?

This silent-but-potentially-risky overweighting occurs because the S&P 500 — and the popular index funds that track it — are weighted by market capitalization, which means larger companies (by market value) make up more of the index.

In fact, as of early September, the top seven S&P 500 companies made up over 34% of the index’s value. What do they all have in common? They’re all heavily involved in the AI boom:

Nvidia: (NVDA)

Microsoft: (MSFT)

Apple: (AAPL)

Amazon: (AMZN)

Meta Platforms: (META)

Broadcom: (AVGO)

Alphabet Class A: (GOOGL)

Alphabet Class C: (GOOG)

That does not mean an S&P 500 fund is inherently unsuitable, nor does it mean technology cannot keep rising. Sosnick’s point is narrower and more practical: Investors should measure the overlap between a broad index fund and their other holdings, then decide whether that combined exposure fits their risk tolerance, especially while long-term bond yields are rising.

The immediate takeaway, according to Sosnick, is to review positions by their shared economic exposure rather than by the number of ticker symbols in the account.

The distinction matters because a successful buy-the-dip strategy can also become a habit that ignores changes in business fundamentals, valuation, and financing conditions. Sosnick sees signs that those conditions deserve more attention now.

Also read: Dow Jones vs. S&P 500: Which index actually represents the market?

Why an S&P 500 fund can overlap with AI stocks

Diversification means spreading risk across investments that do not all depend on the same outcome. A portfolio can look diversified on paper because it owns an index fund, individual stocks, and perhaps a sector fund. It may still be making one large bet if many of those holdings depend on continued enthusiasm for AI spending, semiconductor demand, or the largest technology companies.

Sosnick’s concern begins with market capitalization weighting, the approach used by many S&P 500 index funds. In a market-cap-weighted fund, the largest companies receive the largest allocations. That structure can be useful for investors seeking broad index exposure, but it also means that large technology companies can have an outsized influence on the fund’s returns.

“Even if you’re putting money into an S&P 500 mutual fund or index fund, which is pretty generic, whether you’re doing ETFs or mutual funds, et cetera, you’re about 40% or 45% exposed to the AI trade.”

—Steve Sosnick, when asked whether taking risk off the table means rotating out of big technology stocks

Sosnick’s estimate is a warning about portfolio construction, not a forecast for the next market move. An investor who owns a broad S&P 500 fund, NVIDIA, Micron Technology, and a semiconductor-focused leveraged ETF may own several different securities, but each can be sensitive to a reversal in the same AI trade.

The correct question is not simply whether each holding has performed well. It is whether all of them could decline for the same reason.

If you just own an S&P index fund, “you’re about 40% or 45% exposed to the AI trade,” says Sosnick. TheStreet

How rising long-term bond yields pressure stock valuations

The second part of Sosnick’s caution is interest rates. Long-term bond yields are the returns investors can receive from lending money over longer periods. When those yields rise, investors either demand a higher expected return from stocks, or reduce exposure to stocks altogether. That can pressure stock valuations, particularly for companies whose expected cash flows lie further in the future.

Sosnick describes the basic valuation logic in plain terms: A stock can be viewed as the present value of its future cash flows or earnings. A higher interest rate reduces that present value because future dollars are discounted more heavily.

The mechanism does not determine the price of every stock on every day, but it explains why a sustained rise in long-term rates can be difficult for richly valued growth stocks.

“When long rates go up, that pressures valuations, if you’re actually thinking fundamentally. A stock in theory is the present value of its future cash flows or earnings, depending on how you wanna do the model. But the higher the interest rate, the lower the present value, the more you have to discount those future earnings.”

—Steve Sosnick, when asked what being nimble in the current market looks like

Sosnick pointed to the 10-year Treasury yield near 5% and the 30-year yield above 5% as important market thresholds. He said investors may have to rethink assumptions if the 10-year moves through 5%, because fundamental valuation models would need to be reconsidered in a more persistently high-rate environment. He did not say that a move through that level guarantees a selloff, and he also noted that it is possible that bond traders could halt at that level.

For a long-term, buy-and-hold investor, the useful takeaway is not to attempt to predict every shift in bond yields. It is to recognize that an investment portfolio heavily tilted toward the AI trade may have two related vulnerabilities: a technology disappointment and a higher discount rate applied to future earnings. Reviewing those exposures together is more useful than treating them as separate risks.

Related: S&P 500 investors are quietly making a huge shift

How to tell differentiate a buyable dip from a deteriorating business

Sosnick does not reject buying dips. He says Interactive Brokers customers have often been successful with the approach over the past 10 to 15 years. His warning is that a strategy with a long record of working can become reflexive. A price decline is not, by itself, evidence that a stock has become a bargain.

The first test is whether the business fundamentals have changed markedly. Fundamentals are the conditions that support a company’s business, such as its earnings outlook, competitive position, and ability to generate cash.

If a stock falls because of a short-lived bout of market nervousness while the underlying business remains sound, Sosnick sees a potential opportunity. If the business outlook has worsened, on the other hand, the lower price may reflect a legitimate reason for investors to sell.

“From a longer-term point of view, I think you want to look at situations where the market might really dislike something, but the fundamentals still remain solid. On the other hand, if those fundamentals appear to have changed, that’s not a buying opportunity. There’s a reason why people are selling.”

—Steve Sosnick, when asked how investors can distinguish a buying opportunity from a dip to avoid

His Salesforce example illustrates the difference between changing sentiment and a broken business. Sosnick said investors moved from loving Salesforce (and software as a service at large) to hating them, while neither extreme sentiment necessarily described Salesforce — as a company — accurately.

He also cited Microsoft, where investors focused on companies receiving Microsoft’s spending, including semiconductor businesses, rather than on why Microsoft was making the investment. A stock can fall out of favor without its core business becoming worse.

Timing still matters. Sosnick said a trader may act quickly during a short-term dislocation, while a longer selloff can require waiting for the dust to settle. That is an argument for matching an action to an investor’s time horizon. A short-term trader should use a pre-defined plan (including an exit strategy, like a stop-loss order) for a temporary price move. A long-term, buy-and-hold investor needs a clearer view of whether the company’s business case remains intact.

Why having an exit plan matters before buying a stock

Sosnick separates a trade from an investment because each requires a different time frame, even if both involve the same stock. He recalled a friend who bought a stock, watched it rise, and then asked when to sell. Sosnick’s first question was the price target. The friend had not set one.

For investors using trading-style tactics, Sosnick recommends defining a buy level and a sell level before opening a position. He also recommends setting a stop level, a preplanned price at which an investor exits to limit their loss. The maximum acceptable loss belongs to the exit decision: It defines the loss an investor is prepared to accept before selling the position.

Related: Bank of America takes heat for stark S&P 500 call 

A long-term, buy-and-hold investor may set wider limits and hold a position for a longer period than an active trader. Sosnick nevertheless argues that investors should keep monitoring investments rather than treating an original thesis as permanent. A preplanned process can prevent the common mistake of buying first and inventing the selling rules only after the price has moved.

This framework also helps explain the activity Sosnick sees among Interactive Brokers’ active customers. He said customers bought Nvidia before earnings and took profits after the stock moved higher. He said Microsoft appeared on the sell side after a 15% pop during the summer. In Sosnick’s view, those customers were treating many individual names as trades, while they treated VOO purchases during significant declines — such as the tariff tantrum and the aftermath of the start of the Iran War — more like investments.

Where value stocks can fit in a concentrated portfolio

Reducing overlap does not require abandoning stocks. Sosnick says investors may want to look beyond the most popular growth names and consider lower-beta companies. (Beta is a measure of how sensitive a stock tends to be to broad market moves, so a lower-beta stock has historically tended to move less than the market.)

He said value stocks have performed well relative to growth stocks over the past year or two, a trend he believes many investors have overlooked. He highlighted dividend-paying companies supported by free cash flow, meaning cash a company has left after running and investing in its business. His preference is for dividends that businesses can afford from that cash rather than dividends supported by borrowing.

Sosnick did not offer buy, sell, or hold recommendations on individual stocks. Instead, he suggested starting with sectors that tend to be more stable and value-oriented, including industrials, basic materials, and consumer staples. He was less favorable toward consumer discretionary companies as a starting point for this screen.

For valuation, he mentioned the PEG ratio, which compares a stock’s P/E ratio with its earnings growth rate. Sosnick said a value investor should not want to overpay for a company with a PEG ratio of one, and should avoid paying a huge premium to own companies whose P/E ratios exceed the market average.

It’s important to note, however, that these are just Sosnick’s screening ideas — not guarantees that a stock is cheap or will outperform.

The takeaway for S&P 500 investors with AI holdings

Sosnick’s market outlook is cautious. He said the S&P 500 may trend sideways to lower, and he called a 10% correction overdue, while declining to predict an immediate 20% bear market. That forecast is an opinion, and he also acknowledged the market’s powerful tendency to attract dip-buying after pullbacks.

The more durable decision procedure does not depend on accepting his forecast. First, list an S&P 500 fund alongside every individual stock and sector fund. Next, identify how much of the portfolio relies on the AI trade, semiconductors, and the largest technology companies. Then decide whether the combined exposure, including any leverage, is appropriate if rates remain elevated or the technology trade becomes more volatile.

Long-term, buy-and-hold investors can use that review to rebalance toward exposures they actually want, rather than assuming the total number of holdings in a broad-market fund equals diversification. Active traders can add defined buy levels, sell levels, and stop-loss levels before placing a trade.

In both cases, the discipline is the same: Distinguish a temporary decline from a change in the underlying business, and keep enough liquidity available for near-term needs.

All this being said, Sosnick still believes a broad index fund can remain a useful core holding. His warning is that an investor should understand the risks already inside that core before adding more of the same theme. When the S&P 500, individual technology holdings, semiconductors, and leveraged products all point toward the AI trade, even a generic-looking portfolio may be less diversified than it appears.

It is not an easy time to be in the travel booking industry; between the ease with which travelers can book their own trips online and a market in which many are watching their spending more carefully, the majority of travel agencies that have been able to find their market are in the luxury space selling curated trips to high-spending travelers.

The United Kingdom, which in past decades had tens of thousands of operating travel agencies due to a strong national travel culture and interest in package holidays, has in the last few years been feeling the shift in booking patterns particularly acutely.

Some of the British travel companies that ended up having to cease operations since the start of 2026 include Trav Expert, Groupia, Salamander Voyages, Travel Bespoke, Regen Central, Set Sail Cruises, Yourtravelshop.com, Ski Yodel, and TS Travels Group among others.

Wayfairer Travel tells customers trips are canceled ‘until further notice’

The latest name to join that list is luxury travel firm Wayfairer Travel. Launched out of Bristol in southwestern England in 2012, the travel agency sold luxury safari trips as well as other guided tours to destinations such as Machu Picchu and different regions of Japan.

The trip packages began at £4,500 ($6,000 USD) and could go up to tens of thousands of for curated small-group tours that included private transfers between countries and luxury accommodations.

Related: 40-year-old international travel and cruise company ends in bankruptcy, all trips off

This week, customers who booked travel with Wayfairer Travel received communication that all trips were canceled “until further notice.” In some cases, the trips that customers booked were scheduled to take off as early as later in the month and those who booked the trips are now left scrambling to get refunds or make alternative accommodations.

“We are truly sorry for the concern and uncertainty caused by the current situation,” a Wayfairer Travel spokesperson said in a statement to local news outlet The Independent. “Wayfairer Travel has currently suspended all services until further notice.”

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust (ABTOT) also put out a “do not travel” notice for anyone with a package holiday with the company.

Wayfairer Travel sold curated trips to places like Machu Picchu.Image source: Shutterstock

What to do if you have a trip booked with Wayfairer Travel, how to get a refund

While limited information on what caused the sudden shutdown is currently confirmed, the collapse is almost certainly financial. The ABTOT said that “Wayfairer cannot currently provide certainty that affected packages will be delivered.”

The company itself added that it is “unable to provide further information until we have received the appropriate accounting and legal advice.”

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The membership association and government consumer protection body instructed those whose holidays are booked after September 30 to not travel and await for further communication.

These travel agencies also filed for bankruptcy in 2026:

AVG Travels: The Melbourne-based travel agency selling cheap vacation packages to travelers in Australia and New Zealand sent more than 200 customers an email saying that the trips were canceled before entering bankruptcy in May 2026.

GoPlay Sports: In April 2026, the men’s basketball team of the University of Dallas was left without a planned trip to compete in the United Kingdom after Boston-based GoPlay Sports Tours LLC accepted two payments of $30,000 and then went unreachable.

Havantur: Havantur was forced to shut down its main European office in France at the start of 2026 after tourist numbers to the Caribbean country plummeted due to U.S. military actions in Venezuela and threats against the country.

Vegas Vacations and North America Destinations: Two travel agencies in the Canadian province of British Columbia, Vegas Vacations and North America Destinations, were shut down by regulators within a few days of each other in January 2026 after multiple travelers complained of buying trips and receiving invalid plane tickets and hotel bookings.

Those who received an ATOL Certificate, which in the United Kingdom is issued once customers make a deposit for a package holiday that includes a flight, can immediately file a claim directly with ABTOT.

Those without it, as well as customers outside the United Kingdom, are not protected by the agency and so have been advised to file for a refund with their credit card issuer.

“Because Wayfairer cannot currently provide certainty that affected packages will be delivered, ABTOT is putting arrangements in place to assist eligible UK customers,” ABTOT says in the rest of its statement.

Related: Another travel company shuts down and cancels all trips, refunds available