krisanapong detraphiphat | Moment | Getty Images Bottom-scraping interest rates in 2020 were a major factor fueling a stock market that, after plummeting in March from the pandemic, rallied to post a banner year. Low interest rates also vexed investors seeking yield from bonds purchased to diversify portfolios and reduce risk. But while bond yields

Sara Blakely, founder and CEO of Spanx, turned just $5,000 into a billion-dollar business after hustling to bring her shapewear brand to market. And according to Blakely, much of her success is due to her upbringing and her mom, Ellen Blakely. In fact, Ellen raised two successful entrepreneurs: Sara, 49, and also Ford Blakely, Sara’s 45-year-old

Frederic J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images Mega Millions players can let the daydreaming continue. With no one hitting all six numbers drawn Friday, the jackpot has jumped to an estimated $376 million. And Powerball, with the next drawing set for Saturday night, is at $341 million. Of course, due to taxes, those advertised

For people staying safely at home this holiday season, new virtual tours let anyone with an internet connection tour famous Christmas destinations around the world.    Homebound travelers can book live interactive tours with local guides to learn about everything from the religious sites of Jerusalem to the department store displays of New York City.

This year has been a wild ride for anyone invested in, or even just watching, the bitcoin market. The world’s most valuable virtual currency in December traded at more than $23,000. When the U.S. first began grappling with Covid-19 in early March, Bitcoin was below $4,000. For owners or sellers, it’s a gut-twisting source of gains

After months of anticipation, Congress passed a $900 billion coronavirus relief package on Monday, which includes a $600 stimulus check for individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning $150,000 – down from the $1,200 distributed in the first round as a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act. The bill also provides an

‘It feels like we’re back to March’ For the most recent PPP loans, businesses must have fewer than 300 employees and prove a revenue reduction of 25%, among other things, to qualify. Most borrowers can receive up to 2.5 times their average monthly payroll cost one year prior to the loan. But those in the

Nipitphon Na Chiangmai / EyeEm | EyeEm | Getty Images As we near the end of 2020, it’s time to review and evaluate your overall financial outlook for the coming year, including any charitable, estate or general tax planning for 2021 and beyond. While direct giving has an immediate impact, some individuals may be considering

This is not the year for big Christmas parties, but that doesn’t mean that holidaymakers can’t create their own festivities at home with the help of seasonal cocktail recipes from around the globe. From sweet treats to serious spiced drinks, here are CNBC Global Traveler’s picks for simple yet chic cocktails that can be prepared

Growing up Tim Ferriss suffered from “terrible insomnia,” and would watch infomercials until 2 or 3 a.m., the author and tech investor said on a recent episode of the NPR podcast “How I Built This” hosted by Guy Roz. In the 1980s, infomercials selling products or services ran during off-peak television-viewing hours, often in the

Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images At some point — whether this week or in coming weeks — at least a couple of people are going to suddenly find themselves a whole lot richer. The Mega Millions jackpot has reached an estimated $330 million for Tuesday night’s drawing. Powerball’s top prize isn’t far behind

America’s millionaires are betting on a strong stock market next year, with many expecting double-digit gains, according to the CNBC Millionaire Survey. Seven in 10 expect the S&P 500 will be up at least 5% next year and nearly a third of those polled expect gains of at least 10%, according to the survey of

The year 2020 was a difficult one financially for many people around the world, with the global coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on countless businesses and roughly 19 million Americans currently collecting unemployment benefits. But for some of the weatlhy, it’s a very different story. During 2020, Amazon’s sales have spiked, as social distancing restrictions forced

jayk7 | Moment | Getty Images This has been the year of unpredictability. The pandemic, including self-quarantining for months, is top of mind for people around the globe. The many other surprises this year include the fastest bear market in history, civil unrest, quite a unique U.S. presidential election, the speedy creation of a coronavirus

Bernd Vogel | Getty Images America’s millionaires are bracing for a tax hike next year, despite predictions of Washington gridlock and a Republican-led Senate, according to the CNBC Millionaire Survey. Nearly two-thirds of millionaires say taxes will go up under a Biden administration, according to the survey, which questioned 750 people with investible assets of

Window shoppers view holiday decorations at the Williams & Sons Country Store in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on Dec. 13, 2020. Joseph Prezioso | AFP | Getty Images While the Covid crisis has boosted the wealth of many of the richest Americans, it has made some reconsider their holiday spending. Nearly a quarter of millionaires surveyed for

Elizabeth Holmes, founder and former CEO of Theranos, arrives for motion hearing on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019, at the U.S. District Court House inside Robert F. Peckham Federal Building in San Jose, California. Yichuan Cao | NurPhoto | Getty Images A surge in coronavirus cases in California has led to a four-month delay in the

My husband and I were able to pay off over $80,000 in debt in the past year. But getting to that place was a journey that started with a major wake-up call.  Because of a misunderstanding, we thought we were nearly done with payments on our first car in 2019 — and we purchased a

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­New preflight testing programs are allowing a small number of Americans to have a European Christmas holiday this year after all. On Tuesday, Delta Air Lines launched a Covid-19 testing program for customers flying from Atlanta to Amsterdam, while a second program is scheduled to start on Saturday for Delta passengers flying to Rome. Unlike

Bill Gross, co-founder of Pacific Investment Management Co. (PIMCO), and his girlfriend Amy Schwartz wear protective masks while arriving at state court in Santa Ana, California, U.S., on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. David Swanson | Bloomberg | Getty Images Billionaire bond investor Bill Gross has a special place in his heart for the “Gilligan’s Island”

Although bitcoin has tripled in value this year, billionaire Mark Cuban remains cautious about the cryptocurrency, as he has been for years. “My thoughts haven’t changed,” Cuban told Forbes of the cryptocurrency on Dec. 8 — eight days before bitcoin hit a record high of $20,600 on Wednesday — for a story published Thursday. Bitcoin,

The coronavirus pandemic has made some of the richest people in the world richer, and one of those people is MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos. When the couple divorced in 2019, Bezos transferred 25% of his Amazon stock holdings to Scott. At the time, that left her with a net worth

When a Covid-19 outbreak emerged at one of Rob Katz’s Colorado ski resorts in March, he knew it was going to be a game changer. “It was a defining moment,” the Vail Resorts CEO told CNBC. “I immediately felt a different level of responsibility.” That was true not only for the mountain holiday operator’s 34

I’ve been a shopping expert by trade since 2011. I got my start writing budget-friendly content as a freelancer for a few different websites, then served as the consumer spokesperson for a deal site for three years. After I was laid off in 2015, I set off on my own.  So I talk about shopping

For over two decades, Najuma Atkinson worked her way up at Dell Technologies and broke barriers — Atkinson started as a tech support manager in 1999 and, today, she is senior vice president of human resources shared services and the only Black woman SVP at the company. One of the most important things she has

Hong Kong has once again ranked as the most expensive city in the world for expats. The financial hub retained its pricey status in ECA International’s cost of living report 2020, released Tuesday, even as the coronavirus pandemic and political tensions weighed on the city’s rental costs. Tokyo (2nd), New York (3rd) and Geneva (4th)

India’s entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to shape the future of technology, not only within their own country but across the globe, according to the billionaire founder of one of the country’s most successful start-ups. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, CEO of financial technology company Paytm, said accelerating internet adoption under the pandemic has increased the need

AscentXmedia | iStock | Getty Images When it comes to managing money, most everybody has doubts as to whether they’re doing it right. So you may breathe a sigh of relief to know that no one is crazy, according to Morgan Housel, author of the book “The Psychology of Money.” That goes for both the

In order to help Americans affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, self-made billionaire Mark Cuban thinks that the government should send checks directly to Americans in need rather than providing additional funding to financial assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP. It’s a controversial opinion that Cuban — who has also

Paris, Tokyo and Rome — the same places have long dominated lists of culinary powerhouse destinations. But what about other cities and countries that deserve a share of the spotlight? These are the places that hover under the radar because of misconceptions, a small diaspora or a global lack of familiarity with a particular cuisine.