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Fresh off his EP, TR.EE, Jay B, announced his 2026 tape: roots US Tour, heading to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tacoma, New York City, Dallas, and Chicago in September.

Wall Street just got the milestone investors have been waiting for.The S&P 500hit new highs this week, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 54,000 for the first time. The Nasdaq also jumped as technology and artificial-intelligence stocks bounced back from their summer slump.If you’re looking at a retirement account or brokerage balance, the move looks reassuring.There’s a catch, though.Corporate profits are holding up unusually well, oil prices have retreated from recent peaks, and investors are finding winners beyond the most crowded of tech bets. Yet the Federal Reserve is becoming harder to read at precisely the time stocks are getting more expensive.Investors are accustomed to heavy forward guidance from previous Fed leadership, but Chairman Kevin Warsh has moved away from that, Reuters noted. He has argued that markets should be more data-driven and less dependent on central bank forecasts. That switch may improve discipline over time. Unfortunately, it leaves traders less sure about what the Fed will do next. It also changes the risk around record highs.The market needs more than just robust earnings. Now it needs investors to read inflation, jobs, and interest rates correctly, without the Fed doing as much of the signaling for them.Piper Sandler technician Craig Johnson described the recovery as “good, not great,” pointing to lower oil and yields but lingering risks.S&P 500 earnings are giving the rally real supportSentiment is not the strongest reason for the stock market.It is profits.More than half of S&P 500 companies had reported second-quarter results by July 31, FactSet said, with both the percentage of companies beating earnings estimates and the size of those beats running above recent historical averages.That matters, since record highs are simpler to defend when earnings go up with stock prices.Analysts are also getting more, rather than less, optimistic. For the second straight quarter, Wall Street has upped its quarterly earnings projections for S&P 500 businesses, FactSet said this week. That’s important because experts usually lower their expectations as a quarter progresses.The strength is also showing up in individual companies. Caterpillar reported sales and revenue of $20.5 billion in the second quarter, up 24% from a year ago, and adjusted profit of $8.17 a share. Demand connected in part to data center construction and power generation needs has been a boon for the company.Palantir also recorded a spectacular quarter as demand for its artificial intelligence products soared.These findings explain why investors are willing to buy the dip instead of fleeing equities.Related: Bank of America sees Mastercard opportunity Wall Street missedThe rally is also becoming less dependent on one kind of enterprise.Technology specialization was an obvious weakness identified earlier this summer. The market was over-reliant on a few technology stocks, to historically high levels, meaning they posed a greater danger if they faltered, Reuters reported in June.That risk hasn’t gone away. But better industrial, financial, and other-sector performance gives the market additional ways to move on if AI stocks stumble again.That broadening is essential since the summer sell-off showed how rapidly crowded trades may collapse.Nasdaq flirted with correction territory before staging a strong rally.Investors are still excited about AI. They are just becoming increasingly choosy about which companies deserve high prices.The Fed may now be the market’s harder problemThe biggest unresolved risk may not be earnings; it may be monetary policy.The Fed has kept its benchmark rate steady in the 3.5% to 3.75% range, and its July Monetary Policy Report indicated inflation remains high relative to the central bank’s 2% target. PCE inflation was running at 4.1% in May, up substantially from the year-ago period.More Wall Street:Wall Street’s AI trade faces its biggest valuation testThe next Wall Street shift is already underwayWall Street sends strong 4-word verdict on the stock marketThat leaves Warsh with less leeway to soothe markets.His idea of communication adds to the uncertainty. Warsh has highlighted the necessity of allowing bond markets to have a stronger role in price discovery and to respond to real economic facts, rather than providing investors with a clear signal of where policy is likely to head months in advance. The move has already created increased volatility around longer-term Treasury yields, Reuters writes.And that matters for equities. Higher Treasury yields boost the yield on offer from bonds and lower the present value of future corporate profits, putting costly growth stocks under specific pressure.The next big test is the jobs report for July. A stronger than projected labor market could keep the Fed under pressure to remain tight.A softer report could assuage rate anxieties but prompt questions about economic growth, leaving investors with a very constrained path.They want growth strong enough to support earnings, but not so strong that inflation and rates remain elevated.And then there’s the geopolitics. Oil prices fell more than 5% Aug. 4 as U.S. and Qatari officials suggested progress toward a potential resolution of the U.S.-Iran conflict and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported. Brent ended at $79.36, its lowest price in weeks.Lower energy costs help ease one source of inflationary pressure. However, shipping through the Strait remains depressed, as Reuters noted, and oil remains highly sensitive to any breakdown in negotiations.That leaves the inflation picture vulnerable to happenings far from Wall Street.

The S&P 500’s record high hides a harder question for investors.Spencer Platt / Getty Images

Record highs force investors to ask a different questionWhen the record highs are reached, investors often worry if the market has grown too costly. That is usually not the most useful question to ask. Markets can keep setting new records for years if earnings growth is quick enough. The better question is, do the assumptions that justify those prices still hold?Right now, a number looks strong. Corporate earnings are exceeding expectations. Analysts are boosting their forecasts. Tech stocks are bouncing back. Industrial enterprises are seeing the benefits of the AI infrastructure expansion. Oil prices have slipped.But certain assumptions are still shaky. Inflation needs to keep coming down. The labor market can’t overheat. Treasury yields can’t rise too fast. We need to see actual earnings from AI spending, not just more capital expenditures, and we need to avoid geopolitical tensions that trigger another energy shock.What stock-market investors should watch nextJobs data: A hot labor market could increase the risk of tighter Fed policy.Inflation: Persistent price pressure would keep rates elevated.Treasury yields: Rising long-term yields would pressure expensive growth stocks.Earnings revisions: Continued upgrades would strengthen the fundamental case for record highs.Market breadth: Broader gains would make the rally less dependent on a handful of technology companies.Oil prices: Another surge could quickly revive inflation fears.The current situation is better than it looked during the summer sell-off, but that is not a clear signal.The S&P 500’s record high suggests that profit growth and confidence have been strong enough to offset AI volatility, geopolitical risk, and tighter financial constraints.Now the hard part begins. Warsh’s Fed is less transparent to Wall Street. That means every jobs report, inflation release, and bond-market move gets a little more weight.The main factor for investors considering whether to chase the surge is no longer how high equities have already soared. It is the measure of the uncertainty of prices today.Related: What Wall Street expects from SpaceX’s first earnings report

Saving and investing through plans such as 401(k)s is key to reaching your long-term financial goals. But it’s also important to understand how these plans work.
In many cases, the money that your employer matches based on your contributions may not vest right away. Read on for the one retirement plan document that can reveal when that money will officially be yours.

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The 401(k) balance you see may not all belong to you yet
While you are always entitled to the money you contribute to your 401(k) plan, your employer’s match works differently. Vesting rules, which vary for each company, lay out when the money legally becomes yours and what rules you must follow. Some plans vest right away, while other contributions vest after a few months or years.
When you see your total account balance, it will include the vested amount, assuming that you fulfill all key milestones. However, the actual amount of your 401(k) may be lower if you leave the company before becoming eligible for vested matches and company stock.

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Find the vesting schedule in the summary plan description
The summary plan description (SPD) of your retirement savings account highlights the rules for your specific plan. It includes details on vesting, contributions, company shares, eligibility and what happens when employment ends. Searching the terms “vesting,” “years of service,” forfeitures” and “break in service” in that document can provide the clarity you need to plan your next move.
Most employers use cliff vesting or graded vesting. Cliff vesting involves the entire amount being vested after a specified period, with no partial ownership beforehand. With graded vesting, ownership gradually increases over several years.
Most private-sector plans have maximum permissible vesting periods, but some employers have faster vesting periods than others. You can clarify how your company’s plan works by requesting a copy of its SPD. The benefits portal, human resources department and plan administrator are reliable resources that can provide this document.
Check the fine print before changing jobs
The fine print of a 401(k) plan can help you plan your departure. For some people, it makes sense to stay with the company for a little longer so the employer matches and company shares are properly vested in the account.
It’s also important to determine what results in vesting. Elapsed time and hours worked are two common metrics, and knowing what benchmark your company uses may result in faster vesting. Quitting without reviewing this document can unintentionally result in you forfeiting some employer contributions.
Vesting is one part of determining if now is the time to leave. The new job opportunity, your career trajectory, health and other details also play a role in the final decision. You should request a written explanation from the plan administration before relying on the 401(k) balance estimate in your plan’s portal.

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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 dealWith enough practice, cooking at home means enjoying tastier, healthier, and more affordable meals. A fully stocked kitchen goes a long way in whipping up these delicious dishes, but without a proper organization system, it can be complete chaos. If your cabinets are overflowing or your kitchen pantry is a mess, food storage containers make all the difference. Oddly-shaped boxes of pasta, jars in every size, and baking ingredients don’t always fit nicely on the shelves, but with a uniform, stackable container set, keeping things organized is a breeze. All you need to start transforming a cluttered kitchen is the right food storage containers. One of Walmart’s weekly Flash deals is making a top-rated set more affordable, with over 50% off. Originally priced at $50, the Soulgenix 55-Piece Food Storage Container Set is on sale for just $24. The bundle that’s also great for meal prepping includes 24 stackable containers and 24 airtight lids, which equates to just $1 per container and lid with this limited-time deal. You’ll also get five reusable storage bags, which are handy for packing lunches. Soulgenix 55-Piece Food Storage Container Set, $24 (was $50) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?This 55-piece food storage container set includes everything you need to organize your kitchen. All 24 containers are stackable, but they come in a range of sizes and shapes to fit a variety of foods. The largest size, with a volume of 1 liter, could fit an entire lunch, while the smallest size, 2 ounces, is great for salad dressing or dipping sauce. “There’s a good mix of sizes, and they’ve been surprisingly useful for both leftovers and meal prep,” wrote one shopper. They also appreciated that the set “stacks neatly and keeps my fridge and pantry much more organized.”Related: Macy’s highly rated $342 4-piece ceramic glazed baking dish set is 50% offTransparent containers like these are a huge help when you’re searching for items in the pantry since you can see all the contents at a glance. They’re constructed from BPA-free, food-safe plastic, so you can have peace of mind about the materials. As long as you remove the lid, you can microwave these containers, so reheating leftovers doesn’t require extra dirty dishes. Once it’s time for clean-up, the set is dishwasher-safe on the top rack, for hassle-free convenience. Details to know Pieces in set: 24 food storage containers, 24 food storage lids, and five reusable storage bags.Material: BPA-free plastic.Are they dishwasher safe?: Yes, on the top rack.If you’re a bargain shopper who likes to buy bulk ingredients, these are “perfect for the kitchen pantry,” according to one shopper. They called them “excellent canisters” that are a “good size to keep pastas and grains.” Shop more dealsTaimasi 12-Piece Glass Food Storage Container Set, $15 (was $30) at WalmartSindcom 4-Pack of Glass Food Storage Containers, $21 (was $47) at WalmartRubbermaid 5-Pack of Clear Food Storage Containers, $4 (was $5) at WalmartSave on streamlining your kitchen while the Soulgenix 55-Piece Food Storage Container Set is on sale for just $24 at Walmart. Over 200 shoppers have already added this to their carts, so don’t wait too long, or it could sell out.

Memory giant SanDisk’s (SNDK) Aug. 5 earnings report came with a difficult question hanging over the stock.After what’s been a monumental surge in NAND pricing and profitability, how much longer can it keep this up?As it has for the past several quarters, SanDisk blew past top- and bottom-line estimates, but Bank of America focused on something much more important.Even though investors have treated memory stocks as mostly cyclical trades, BofA came out of the quarter with greater conviction that Sandisk’s current earnings power will prove a lot more durable than expected.Why does Bank of America still see major upside in Sandisk? In a note shared with me, Bank of America remained bullish on SanDisk stock post-earnings, reiterating its Buy rating and keeping a $2,500 price target, implying 85.1% upside from the bank’s $1,350.5 reference price. In addition, that price target is based on a 10-times calendar-2027 earnings of $255 per share, a multiple BofA feels is in line with global memory peers, as SanDisk should generate comparable bottom-line numbers.More AI:Nvidia just made a move Wall Street wasn’t ready forMicrosoft just took sides in AI policy fightOpenAI just disclosed something genuinely alarmingAt the core of BofA’s argument is that SanDisk’s earnings base is getting larger and a lot more durable. For Micron, BofA analysts estimate a similar ramp-up at  $140.24 in fiscal 2027 adjusted earnings per share.At its reference share price, SanDisk trades at just 5.8 times BofA’s fiscal-2027 earnings estimate and 5.4 times fiscal-2028 earnings. That means investors still aren’t convinced by the longevity of today’s extraordinary NAND profitability.That skepticism isn’t hard to imagine because memory has typically been highly cyclical. However, relentless AI demand, growing storage needs, and rising enterprise SSD adoption are expected to keep demand elevated. Its Q4 results strengthened that argument even more.Sales surged to $8.97 billion, up 51% sequentially and above Sandisk’s $7.75 billion to $8.25 billion guidance. About two-thirds of that sequential growth was due to higher pricing, with the remainder attributable to higher bit shipments. Gross margins jumped to 84.6%, up from 78.4% in the previous quarter and comfortably above the company’s 79% to 81% guidance.Supply remains tight, and strong demand is enabling the memory giant to extract much more revenue from its sales. Consequently, that operating leverage explains why BofA sees fiscal-2027 EPS jumping 229% to $233.85 as revenue rises 160% to $52.6 billion.And the momentum doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon. SanDisk guided for Q1 fiscal 2027 revenue of $10.3 billion to $10.8 billion and EPS of $44 to $46, while gross margin is expected to remain exceptionally high at 83% to 85%. Put simply, BofA sees little evidence that its pricing or profitability has peaked.

Sandisk posted stronger results as Bank of America maintained its bullish stance.Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

SanDisk is trading more attractively than Micron Micron (MU) and SanDisk have dominated the AI memory space, but despite posting similar gains, they are trading very differently. For perspective, Micron was recently trading around $897, while Sandisk closed Aug. 6 at $1,258.58.In terms of performance, according to Seeking Alpha data, SanDisk emerged as the bigger winner over the past year, boasting a 430.2% year-to-date gain and a staggering 2,899.5% one-year return. On the flip side, Micron gained 209% year to date and 711.6% over one year. Over nine months, SanDisk is up 506%, nearly double Micron’s 270.2%.However, things have taken a turn for the worse over the past month. SanDisk is down 27.9%, versus a 10.5% decline for Micron, and is holding up far better during the recent pullback.According to Seeking Alpha data, SanDisk is also trading at around 6 times forward earnings, compared with 12.3 times for Micron stock.The same pattern appears in forward EV/EBITDA, which compares the company’s total market value, including debt, to its operating earnings. Sandisk trades at 4.99 times EV/EBITDA, compared with Micron’s 9.18 times.What makes BofA think this NAND cycle could be different? Another major area to consider is Sandisk’s growing New Business Model, or NBM, agreements.It signed eight data-center and Edge customers, representing at least $93.9 billion of revenue at floor pricing. Moreover, the bank highlighted an impressive $91.1 billion in remaining performance obligations and $16.5 billion in financial guarantees associated with those agreements. The weighted-average duration is over four years.This switches up the quality of SanDisk’s earnings visibility.Traditionally, NAND manufacturers benefit greatly when supply is tight, but profitability can tank when producers add capacity and memory prices drop. Long-term agreements with minimum pricing, though, give SanDisk protection against that dynamic.In addition, the scale is already immense.BofA expects these agreements to cover more than 50% of Sandisk’s fiscal 2027 bits and nearly two-thirds in fiscal 2028, with margins around 80%.That means the lion’s share of future production is tied to prearranged customer economics, rather than volatile future prices.Also, we’re seeing a big change in the customer mix.Data-center sales doubled sequentially to $2.98 billion, while Edge revenue increased 48% to $5.43 billion. Conversely, consumer sales fell 32% to $556 million.Data centers accounted for 38% of SanDisk’s bits as we wrap up fiscal 2026, compared to just 12% one year earlier.  That supports the argument that AI inference is making NAND more indispensable. Moreover, SanDisk’s liquidity positioning adds a lot more color, with the company generating $7.1 billion in operating cash flow, repurchasing $4.5 billion of stock, and having $15.5 billion remaining for buybacks. Additionally, BofA sees capex dropping to around 6% of revenue and free cash flow reaching $27.4 billion in fiscal 2027, backing up a durable cycle. What could derail Bank of America’s bullish Sandisk call? NAND pricing still remains the biggest risk.Though SanDisk is benefiting from operating leverage, the situation could easily reverse if supply catches up with demand, especially as pricing remains critical to growth. And although the NBM agreements offer protection through floor pricing, they don’t eliminate cyclicality, particularly for production outside those contracts.On top of that, China remains another pressure point.BofA flagged competition and capacity expansion from Chinese suppliers such as YMTC. If competitors aggressively add NAND supply, the pricing tailwind will fade away quickly.Much of BofA’s long-term thesis is also based on AI.Slower AI device adoption or SanDisk losing share in the enterprise SSD space would weaken two major pillars supporting the earnings forecasts.Interestingly, BofA’s own estimates show SanDisk’s tremendous growth phase just can’t continue forever. The bank lowered its fiscal-2028 sales forecast to $55.6 billion from $57.5 billion and cut its EPS estimate to $248.16 from $254.24. It then models fiscal 2029 revenue declining 8.5% and EPS falling 6.9%.The key question for investors is whether these new contracts genuinely changed Sandisk’s cyclicality. If contracted pricing and AI-backed data-center demand continue to keep margins near current levels, today’s valuation looks unusually cheap.Related: Bank of America doubles down on SpaceX after earningsAI lows are in — here’s how to position before the next rally (15:13)

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Sending money to someone and realizing that you transferred the funds to the wrong account can be incredibly stressful. While this scenario may be rare, it can catch people off guard, and getting the money back isn’t always easy.
Digital transfers move funds within seconds, which is why a deliberate 30-second review of any bank transaction is worth it.

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The details to verify before sending money
You will have to provide the bank account and full routing number when transferring funds, so it is a good idea to check the entire number instead of the last four digits. Payment apps don’t always require that information, but you can still verify the recipient’s phone number, email address, username and profile information. Some scammers attempt to look similar to someone else in an attempt to take money from victims.
Some people place the decimal in the wrong location, which can result in a substantially different transfer amount. Currencies, fees and the amount of money that will be transferred are also worth checking. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) warns that you can lose your transferred money for good if any of these details are entered incorrectly.
If you are on the phone with a recipient, ask them to repeat payment details as you enter them instead of relying on your memory to recall entire account numbers. For large, first-time transfers, you may want to send a small test payment if it’s your first one. After receiving verification that it went through and the recipient shared the correct amount that you transferred, you can then proceed with the entire transfer.

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What to do immediately after spotting a mistake
If you enter inaccurate information when doing a financial transaction and move the wrong amount of funds or send your money to the wrong person, immediately contact the bank, payment app or transfer provider. You have to act quickly on this since digital transfers go through right away.
Pending and scheduled transfers may still be canceled, but completed transfers cannot be canceled. Your bank can try to recover the funds if it was fraudulent, but this must take place quickly.
Recovering a transfer is not guaranteed, but you can save the confirmation number, screenshots, communication and other details involving your request. If you know the recipient well, you can ask them to send the money back to you, but if that’s not the case, you may have to file a complaint with your bank. You should also contact the CFPB to report fraud if applicable.
Your rights depend on how the money was sent
If you personally approved the transfer, it’s often more difficult to get your money back, especially if it was a genuine error without any fraud involved. It’s also more complicated for international remittance transfers since they have specific federal error-resolution rules.
It can be easier to get your money back during an unauthorized transaction, but that’s not the same thing as getting scammed. Financial institutions interpret scams as a consumer actively making the decision to move their funds to the scammer. An unauthorized transaction involves money being moved without your signoff.
In all cases, you should immediately contact your bank and provide the recipient’s name, amount and transaction details. Getting in touch with your bank within minutes of the money transfer can increase the likelihood of receiving your funds back (and it may be better to call than send an email for a quicker response). You can consider filing a CFPB complaint if you cannot resolve the issue with your bank.

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