Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to impact the global economy in a big way in the long run, with market research firm IDC estimating that every dollar spent on AI-related business solutions and services will generate $4.60 in the global economy in 2030. Buying and holding solid companies that can benefit from disruptive growth trends such as AI could help investors get richer in the long run. For instance, an investment of just $4,000 in shares of AI pioneer Nvidia a decade ago is now worth more than $1.1 million.

A couple of ultra-low-cost ETFs that may be ideal for investors who just want to invest in the market for the long haul and don't want to worry about fees are the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) and the Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHB). Here's why you'll want to consider these ETFs as pillars to build your retirement portfolio around. If you just want to mirror the S&P 500, a simple strategy can be to invest in the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF.

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR) was one of the top artificial intelligence (AI) stocks of 2024. Palantir was such a dominant stock in 2024 that many investors are curious if it can have a similar run in 2025. After all, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) taught many investors that a multiyear rise is entirely possible.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a group of 30 U.S. industry leaders. The DJIA itself gained 14% in 2024, far underperforming the larger and more diverse S&P 500, which gained 25%. In order of best to worst, the list includes Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Merck (NYSE: MRK), Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN), Nike (NYSE: NKE), and Boeing (NYSE: BA).

The last Millennials and the first of Gen Z are coming of age, and these younger cohorts, raised in the digital world, are looking at the banking industry – and they want better service, which they define as better digital service. The result is the rise of digital finance companies, taking banking services out of brick-and-mortar into the virtual world, offering faster transactions and quicker financial decisions. Andrew Jeffrey, a fintech research analyst at William Blair who ranks amongst the

In order to ensure that benefits keep up with inflation, the Social Security Administration (SSA) typically makes a cost of living adjustment (COLA) each year. For 2025, the SSA has delivered a 2.5% COLA -- and the benefit increase appears to be getting mixed reviews from retirees. In a survey of 2,000 retirees conducted by The Motley Fool, 54% of the respondents said that the new COLA for this year wasn't enough.

Looking at Chevron Corporation's ( NYSE:CVX ) insider transactions over the last year, we can see that insiders were...

The late Senator Everett Dirksen once reportedly said, "A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money." With that quote in mind, Warren Buffett's dividend income this year will be real money. Technically, the dividend income will belong to Berkshire Hathaway.

Dividend stocks make great long-term investments. For example, an investor who bought $100 worth of average dividend stocks in 1973 would have seen that investment grow to over $8,700 as of the end of 2023, according to a study from Hartford Funds and Ned Davis Research. One of the easiest ways to invest in the market's top dividend growth stocks is through an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that's focused on them, like the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD).

A company you might not have heard of within this sector is Nu Holdings (NYSE: NU), which has found tremendous success in overseas markets. The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nu Holdings wasn’t one of them.