Wealth Building Feb 18, 2026

Goldman Sachs Projects 2.5% U.S. GDP Growth in 2026, Beating Every Major Consensus Forecast — Here Is Why the Bull Case for the Economy Is Winning

Goldman Sachs projects 2.5% US GDP growth in 2026, beating the 2.1% consensus, with recession probability at just 20%. Here's why the economy is more resilient than the pessimists believe.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Investing Feb 18, 2026

Dip Buyers Are Back: S&P 500 Futures Climb 0.5% as Wall Street Shakes Off the AI Panic, Europe Sets Another Record, and the Dividend Trade That Has Quietly Beaten the Magnificent Seven Since November Gains New Momentum

S&P 500 futures advanced 0.5% as dip buyers returned after weeks of AI-driven volatility. Europe's Stoxx 600 hit a new record. And the dividend rotation that few noticed has outperformed the Magnificent Seven by double digits since November.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Cash Flow Feb 18, 2026

The Consumer Confidence Gap Between Republicans and Democrats Has Reached 50 Points — the Widest Divide Ever Recorded — and What Happens Next Could Determine Whether the US Economy Slows or Stabilizes

The University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index sits at 57.3, a 12-year low, while a 50-point political confidence gap — the widest ever recorded — is fracturing the economic picture and complicating forecasts for consumer spending.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Real Estate Feb 18, 2026

The Government Shutdown Held This Housing Report Hostage for Two Months, and the December Data It Finally Released Tells a Story About a Construction Industry Under Siege From Tariffs and Immigration Enforcement

Single-family housing starts rose 4.1% in December but remain 7.3% below a year ago. Tariffs on lumber and immigration enforcement are quietly raising the cost of every new home built in America.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Cash Flow Feb 18, 2026

Federal Reserve Data Shows Americans Are Paying 90% of Trump's Tariff Costs One Year Later, and the $1,300 Per Household Burden Is Only Getting Heavier

A Federal Reserve Bank of New York analysis shows U.S. businesses and consumers absorbed nearly 90% of tariff costs in 2025, adding an estimated $1,300 per household as prices climb on furniture, food, and electronics.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Wealth Building Feb 18, 2026

European Investor Optimism Has Hit an All-Time High With 74% Expecting Growth to Accelerate, and the Stoxx 600 Just Set Another Record While American Markets Stumble

Bank of America's February fund manager survey shows 74% of European investors expect growth to accelerate, the highest reading on record. The Stoxx 600 hit another all-time high.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Investing Feb 18, 2026

Carvana Reports After the Bell With Wall Street Expecting $5.25 Billion in Revenue, and the Used Car Empire's Next Chapter Depends on Whether Growth Can Coexist With Profitability

Carvana reports Q4 2025 earnings after the close on February 18 with analysts expecting $5.25 billion in revenue and $1.16 in adjusted EPS. The stock faces a +/- 13% earnings reaction.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Debt Management Feb 18, 2026

The CBO Just Projected a $1.9 Trillion Federal Deficit for 2026 and Warned That National Debt Will Surpass the World War II Record Within Four Years

The Congressional Budget Office projects federal debt will hit 108% of GDP by 2030 and 120% by 2036, surpassing the World War II record. Deficits will total $24.4 trillion over the next decade.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Investing Feb 18, 2026

Walmart Reports Q4 Earnings Tomorrow With $190 Billion in Revenue on the Line and Wall Street Watching How the World's First Trillion-Dollar Retailer Navigates a Tariff Minefield

Walmart reports Q4 fiscal 2026 earnings on February 19 with analysts expecting $190 billion in revenue and $0.73 EPS. New CEO John Furner faces his first earnings call as tariff headwinds mount.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Cash Flow Feb 18, 2026

January's CPI Report Shows Inflation Cooling to 2.4% as Prices Rose Less Than Expected, but the Tariff Regime Looming Over the Economy Could Reverse Every Gain

The Consumer Price Index rose just 0.2% in January, bringing year-over-year inflation to 2.4% and beating expectations. But economists warn that tariff-driven price increases could reignite inflation.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Investing Feb 17, 2026

Caesars Entertainment Posts Record Digital EBITDA of $85 Million as the Casino Giant's Bet on Sports Betting and iGaming Finally Pays Off

Caesars Entertainment reported Q4 revenue of $2.92 billion, beating estimates, while its digital segment posted record EBITDA of $85 million, up from $20 million a year ago, validating its multi-billion-dollar bet on online gambling.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read

Investing Feb 17, 2026

Devon Energy Beats Fourth-Quarter Estimates With $4.12 Billion in Revenue as Disciplined Execution Turns the Oklahoma Driller Into a Cash Flow Machine

Devon Energy reported Q4 2025 earnings of 90 cents per share on $4.12 billion in revenue, beating estimates on both lines. CEO Clay Gaspar credited business optimization efforts for generating record free cash flow.

The Money Unlock Editorial Team 8 min read