The 2025 MarketWatch 25 list features leaders and thinkers whose ideas have impacted the way the government, companies and American society at large are grappling with technological change, higher prices, a U.S. economy sending muddled signals, and more.

Inside the financial engineering of the AI buildout: Nvidia, Google and the rest of Big Tech are turning to Wall Street, vendor financing and private credit.

Worries about the labor market flared up again after a new report suggested a big surge in layoffs in October. The anxiety may have also contributed to a sharp decline in stock prices.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek re-election at the end of her current term in 2027, ending a nearly 40-year career in Congress — and welcoming a potentially robust retirement package, too.

High incomes aren’t just helpful in securing a financially comfortable retirement, but they’re also the backbone to aging well — very well, in fact — according to a new Pew Research Center report released Thursday.

As home buyers shy away from the housing market, real-estate investors are seizing the opening and ramping up their purchases.

The mayor-elect built his campaign around rent affordability. But the same issue applies across the country, according to experts — and the many people struggling to pay their rent each month.

Privately run businesses created 42,000 new jobs in October — the first increase in three months — in a possible sign of stabilization in a weakening U.S. labor market.

Democrats won handily in Tuesday elections from New York City to Virginia, after pledging to hammer away at high prices. This New York City resident might help explain the results:

When do people start to “feel rich”? America’s 10-percenters have more wealth than the vast majority of people their age. Yet, as improbable as it may seem, having a couple of million of dollars in assets “doesn’t often bring with it that feeling of being ‘rich.’”

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk has threatened to leave the company if investors don’t agree to a proposed compensation plan that could earn him up to $1 trillion. Regardless of whether he would follow through, analysts don’t expect shareholders to take that risk.

Michael Burry, hedge fund manager of “The Big Short” fame, is calling the top in two of the stock market’s favorite plays — and somewhat contradicting himself in the process.

A reader asked the Moneyist: "I’m selling my condo and have $130K to invest. Is this a bad time to invest in the S&P 500?"

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund, one of the biggest investors in Tesla, is opposing a plan to award Elon Musk up to $1 trillion in pay. But historically, the fund has not been a bellwether on key Tesla votes.

A reader asked the Moneyist: My siblings don’t earn nearly as much as me. Should my parents leave me less money in their will?"

Sports bettors have been beating the house more than usual lately, and that’s bad news for DraftKings and FanDuel.

A reader asked the Moneyist: "My girlfriend, a widow in her 40s, pays off her credit card after every transaction. Is that weird?"

A reader asked: "I’m 33 and make $140K. Is blowing my extra cash on soccer jerseys and nights out hurting my financial future?"

With Social Security’s insolvency looming in about seven years, new proposals are emerging to reform a program that provides benefits for about 75 million Americans — yet the biggest advocacy groups for seniors are balking at many of the suggested changes.

One year ago, as America was preparing for its hugely consequential presidential election, Bank of America’s fund-management survey identified the three risks that troubled investors most for 2025.

One sportsbook had 96.7% of World Series bets on the Dodgers to beat the Blue Jays once the matchup was finalized.

Banks and credit unions are offering relief to the hundreds of thousands of unpaid federal employees struggling to cover monthly bills during the government shutdown — and many workers are taking them up on it.

Venture capitalist Hemant Taneja: AI won’t just build on the internet boom — it will be bigger.

The highlight of Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference Wednesday was his report that there were “strongly different views” among his colleagues about what to do in December, and a warning that a rate cut at that meeting was “far from… a foregone conclusion.”

A reader asks: "I’m 30 and worried I’ve been playing it too safe with my finances. Am I losing money by not taking more risks?"

As open enrollment for 2026 health-insurance plans begins Nov. 1, millions of Americans are bracing for premium hikes.

Shares of D.R. Horton took a hit Tuesday, as the home builder confirmed that the market for new houses was still weak, and it wasn’t just because prices and mortgage rates were too high — people are afraid to shell out so much for a new house when they’re worried about the economy and their jobs.

Just 78 trading days after Nvidia first closed a trading session with a $4 trillion market capitalization, the company is on track to hit its next milestone.

Mortgage rates plummeted to the lowest level in over a year ahead of an anticipated interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve. Homeowners and home buyers are rushing to seize the moment.

Are kids becoming too greedy when it comes to Halloween trick-or-treating — and making the holiday so expensive it’s scary?

Analysts have called it the “no-hire, no-fire” economy. But the thousands of job cuts announced by Amazon and UPS on Tuesday may suggest that the U.S. job market’s current state of suspension has changed for the worse.

Gasoline prices at the pump last week fell to their lowest average intraday price in four years, but still aren’t likely to see a dip below President Donald Trump’s $2-a-gallon target anytime soon.

OPINION: The last time a mania for big technology stocks peaked was 25 years ago. In the disastrous, years-long aftermath, many who thought they had been rich discovered they weren’t, and many who had quit their day jobs scrambled to get them back.

While the holidays are still several weeks away, ’tis the season for year-end tax planning. That may not sound particularly festive — but it could pay off nicely.

A reader asked: "There’s talk of a mutiny. ...My employer made us sign new contracts to return to the office. Should we fight back?"

As new-car prices have soared to record highs, borrowers are taking out riskier loans to make monthly payments more affordable.

Even with today’s high cost of living, there’s still a way for young Americans earning a moderate income to become financially independent in their early 30s. The key: Start early and remain laser focused for the first 10 years after college.

A reader asked: "I’m struggling to buy a house — should I settle for one with a bus stop right outside?"

The largest financial fraud in history isn’t over for the banking sector. HSBC on Monday announced it will set aside $1.1 billion over a massive Ponzi scheme masterminded by Bernie Madoff, who was sentenced to 150 years in 2009 for stealing billions from investors.

Hedge-fund giant Coatue has heard all the bubble arguments — and still comes away convinced that the right move is betting on artificial intelligence and its potential.

A reader asked: "I think we’ve been lied to... Who exactly is considered rich in America?"

A reader asked: "I think we’ve been lied to... Who exactly is considered rich in America?"

The U.S. economy sped up in October during the ongoing government shutdown, new surveys show, but high tariffs were hurting exports, businesses said, casting a cloud over the upcoming year.

President Trump’s Thursday pardon of Changpeng Zhao, the founder of Binance who was convicted in 2023 of failing to prevent money laundering, may pave the way for the world’s largest crypto exchange to return to the U.S., some industry participants said.

Mortgage rates have plunged to their lowest level in 12 months, giving home buyers some room to breathe. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.19% as of Oct. 23, according to a weekly report from Freddie Mac.

A new survey points to a tipping backlash, with consumers saying they spent $150 in the past year on tips that they felt were unnecessary.

The cold feet so many buyers are feeling reflects the current vibe of uncertainty in today’s housing market. Buyers are worried about their job security, and they’re concerned about the future of the economy. On top of that are concerns about overpaying for a home.

A pair of high-profile NBA names were arrested on Thursday morning for their connection to illegal gambling investigations, according to ESPN — showing how legalized sports betting has become increasingly problematic.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Thursday it would temporarily recall about 3,000 furloughed workers to help during the open-enrollment periods for Medicare and Affordable Care Act plans.

A reader asks: "Our two daughters are struggling with student debt. Should we dip into our $1.8 million 401(k)s to buy them apartments?"