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CHEYENNE – Diane Gore never expected the job she took a week after graduating college in 1985 would become a 40-year career, much less lead her to the top of Wyoming’s only state-based health insurer.

This spring, Gore will retire as president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, with Executive Vice President Kristopher Urbanek set to assume the role in May.

Gore began working for BCBSWY in May 1985, just a week after graduating from the University of Wyoming.

In college, she majored in accounting. Her first role at BCBSWY was in the company’s finance department. She later became the chief financial officer and treasurer, and remained in that position for 15 years before becoming the chief operation officer in 2017 and CEO in 2019.

The first female and fifth CEO in BCBSWY’s 80-year history, Gore faced a rather unique challenge during her tenure that other CEOs before her did not: health coverage during the global COVID-19 pandemic.

To ensure BCBSWY was maintaining easy access to health care for members during the pandemic, Gore had to help implement new initiatives, including tele-health, and adhere to many new health policies being implemented in the state.

“We did that very quickly,” Gore said. “We put all the processes and procedures in place to ensure that people could get the testing that they needed, and that it would be paid for. That people could get the treatment that they needed, and that it would be paid for.”

Because Gore spent four decades with the company, she has seen firsthand how much the Wyoming health insurance landscape has changed.

With new technology being implemented, expensive pharmaceuticals being developed and managing costs in Wyoming’s rural landscape, Gore and the BCBSWY staff have worked hard to maintain communication with health care providers across the state and maintain stability in premiums, she said.

Regardless of the challenges, Gore said she never lost sight of the company’s mission: To provide members with access to local health insurance solutions that prioritize health, care and well-being for those who call Wyoming home.

“We don’t always get it right the first time,” Gore said, “but the good thing is that we can always get it fixed if we did miss something. And so we’ve always kept that in mind. Everything that we do is focused on the member.”

This is the advice that she gives to her successor, Urbanek, who will take over Gore’s position as president and CEO on May 1.

Urbanek has been working at BCBSWY for 11 years, he said. He started in the company’s provider relations department before moving up to oversee the medical and pharmacy departments, along with working in marketing and sales. In 2021, he became the executive vice president.

Urbanek said he began expressing interest to Gore in becoming president and CEO a couple of years ago. He was recently selected by the BCBSWY board to take over.

“It’s a big job, obviously,” Urbanek said. “It’s a huge responsibility, and certainly something that I’m going to approach with humility. … In that position, you get to sort of drive the vision, the strategy. Where do we want the organization to be? How do we want Blue Cross to show up every day for our members?”

To do that, Urbanek said he has three main goals to focus on during his first year as president and CEO: stay up to speed with where the health insurance industry is headed as a way to be a competitive company; continue to grow the organization to provide more innovative products; and focus on the company’s information technology/data so BCBSWY can have actionable insight into what is going on, and use that information to solve problems.

Urbanek said one of the main problems Wyoming faces is access to health care.

“Wyoming is a unique state, right? Highly rural,” Urbanek said. “So that creates a unique set of challenges. It’s something that you don’t see everywhere. … There aren’t doctors and hospitals on every corner of every city block in Wyoming. That access to specialty care, to advanced kinds of care, is challenging. Our members have to sometimes drive long distances.”

To combat this, Urbanek said he wants to focus on making sure family practice doctors have a sustainable business model so they can thrive in the state.

“I like to think of health care as sort of a three-legged stool,” Urbanek said. “There’s the patient, there’s the health care delivery system – your doctors, your hospitals – and we have this financial component. And so, if all three of us are aligned, we can get good outcomes for our members, and hopefully effective and efficient ones, as well.”

If Urbanek were to retire as CEO and president in the future, he said he would define his success as creating a health care system that operates in an integrated way, and creating new solutions to people’s health in a way that is accessible and affordable.

For Gore, that vision is exactly what she hopes to see continue after her retirement.

“I have 100% confidence,” Gore said, “and I can be very comfortable walking out this door knowing that I’m leaving the company in the hands of Kris. He’ll continue the legacy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming, and I have no doubt he’ll make it even better.”

© 2026 Wyoming Tribune-Eagle (Cheyenne, Wyo.). Visit www.wyomingnews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Q. What is “forced selling”? — A.D., Chepachet, Rhode Island

A. It can refer to multiple things. For example, imagine you’ve invested “on margin.” (That’s when your brokerage lends you money to invest with.) If your holdings fall in value significantly, you might receive a “margin call,” requiring you to add money to your account — which you might do by selling some shares. If you don’t take action, the brokerage may force-sell some shares for you.

Meanwhile, if you own shares of a mutual fund and it closes, your shares may be sold and the cash from the sale sent to you. Also, if a fund hasn’t been performing well, many shareholders may sell their shares, requiring the fund managers to sell off some stock the fund owns in order to pay the exiting shareholders what they’re owed. The managers may not have wanted to sell shares, but they were forced to. (Ironically, this can happen after a stock-market crash — a time when the fund managers might prefer to be buying shares of lower-priced stocks, not selling them.)

Q. What’s “the Fed”? — C.B., Kirkwood, Missouri

A. The Federal Reserve is America’s central bank, launched in 1913. Among other things, it’s responsible for managing America’s monetary policy to maximize employment and balance inflation and interest rates; promoting America’s financial stability, including that of its financial institutions; and helping protect consumers. Its seven-member Board of Governors is nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate and accountable to Congress. The Fed also encompasses 12 Federal Reserve Banks across the country and the Federal Open Market Committee, which influences interest rates, one tool in managing the nation’s money supply. Learn more at FederalReserve.gov

Fool’s School

All About Stock Buybacks

If you invest in individual stocks, you need to understand stock buybacks — the “repurchasing” of shares — which can be good or bad news.

Here’s why you might celebrate a stock buyback: Imagine a pizza cut into eight roughly equal pieces. Now imagine it cut into six pieces instead. Each piece will be bigger, right?

It’s essentially the same with stocks. Each share represents a (small) degree of ownership in the company. When a company buys back shares, essentially retiring them, it reduces the number of shares that exist; that means each remaining share represents a larger part of the company’s value.

Here’s a simplified example: Let’s say Buzzy’s Broccoli Beer (ticker: BRRRP) has 1,000 shares outstanding. If you own 100 of those shares, you own 10% of the company. But if Buzzy’s buys back 200 of its shares, that leaves only 800 shares outstanding; if you still own 100, your stake in the company is now 100 out of 800, or 12.5%. You haven’t done anything, but the company has transferred some value to you via the buyback. Dividends are one way that companies reward shareholders, and buybacks are another. (Some companies do both.)

The main concern with buybacks is whether the company is buying its shares when they’re overvalued. In such a case, it’s wasting shareholder money and destroying value. That money might be better spent driving growth or paying a dividend.

A stock buyback can also make earnings growth per share look greater than the company’s overall growth in net income. Imagine that Buzzy’s earned $1,000 in its last quarter. If it has 1,000 shares, its earnings per share (EPS) is $1 — $1,000 divided by 1,000. After its buyback, though, $1,000 in earnings divided by only 800 shares yields an EPS of $1.25. So its EPS has risen — not because the company performed better and earned more money, but because its share count shrank. It’s smart to check how much of a company’s EPS growth is due to factors other than improved performance.

My Dumbest Investment

Didn’t Buy Buffett’s Stock

My most regrettable investment? Well, my first brokerage account was at Merrill Lynch, and the fees on trades were so high that I always tried to buy in 100-share lots to spread the fee across more shares. I learned about Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, when it was trading around $1,500 a share. Since I couldn’t afford 100 shares, I didnÕt buy any. I count that among my worst investment decisions. — S.B., online

The Fool responds: We can’t argue with you. When Warren Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, the stock’s price was about $19 per share. In 1996, he created a second class of shares, Class B, with each share originally worth one-thirtieth of the original Class A shares. (In 2010, he split the B shares 50-for-1. So now, each B share, recently priced near $508 apiece, is about 1/1,500 the price of an A share.) If you’d bought a single share at $1,500 long ago, even paying the trading commission, you’d have done well: Those A shares were recently trading at more than $760,000 each!

Some good news is that trading fees have fallen sharply over the past quarter-century or so, and many major brokerages now charge $0 for most trades.

(Do you have a smart or regrettable investment move to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@fool.com.)

Foolish Trivia

Name That Company

I trace my roots back to 1976, when two college dropouts built a machine in a garage. Then they built more models. I’m credited with launching the first commercially successful personal computer and was a graphical user interface (GUI) pioneer. My sales surged from $7.8 million in 1978 to $117 million in 1980. (Recently my market capitalization was more than $4 trillion.) I’ve been a technology innovator for a long time, introducing iconic and hugely successful digital music players, wearable devices, wireless audio products and mobile communication gadgets. I’ve sold more than 3 billion smartphones. Who am I?

Last Week’s Trivia Answer

I trace my roots back to the Prohibition years of 1920 to 1933. During this period, souped-up vehicles were used by bootleggers to avoid capture. Once I was founded in 1947 to promote stock-car racing, some of these folks ended up as race-car drivers competing in my events. I held my first race in 1948 in Daytona Beach, Florida, but really made my name with a 1949 race in Charlotte, North Carolina, that was 200 laps long — about 150 miles. Car speeds reached 68 miles per hour then — and can top 180 miles per hour these days. Who am I? (Answer: NASCAR

The Motley Fool Take

Blue Chip Dividends

Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) is a stock worth considering if you’re seeking dividend income. The company has raised its annual payout for an impressive 60-plus consecutive years. Over the past five years, it has grown that payout by 24% — a solid pace that helped offset the effects of inflation. Its dividend recently yielded 2.6%.

Coke has an impeccable supply chain and global brand recognition, and its network of bottling partners allows it to maintain high profit margins. Remember that Coca-Cola produces syrups and concentrates, which its bottling partners then use to manufacture, package, merchandise and distribute its products. Coke thereby maintains high operational flexibility across global markets, which can help it withstand region-specific slowdowns.

Thanks in part to its strong brands, Coca-Cola has been able to raise prices amid inflation and largely weather the economic storm in recent years. While sales haven’t gone through the roof, it has steadily increased its top line — by 6% in 2023, 3% in 2024 and 3% in 2025. This is the type of steady growth that can be counted on for dependable and consistent gains, and it permits future dividend growth.

Coca-Cola is a low-volatility stock, with a beta of only 0.36. (A “beta” of 1.0 means shares are about as volatile as the overall market; one below 1.0 reflects less-than-average volatility.) This is a stellar stock that can be ideal for risk-averse long-term investors

COPYRIGHT 2026 THE MOTLEY FOOL, DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION, 1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106; 816-581-7500

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2026 MAR 03 (NewsRx) — By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Economics Daily Report — Investigators publish new report on Investment. According to news reporting originating in Washington, District of Columbia, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “We examined statements made by Federal Reserve leadership since the early 1950s and established there has been considerable continuity in policymakers’ perceptions of the benefits of price stability.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Federal Reserve Board, “Policymakers have consistently contended that deviations from price stability give rise to greater cyclical instability, and they have also frequently suggested that potential output is significantly lowered by inflation.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “The recurrent support for price stability that comes through in these statements implies that it is invalid to interpret deviations from price stability in the U.S. economy as an indication that policymakers seek inflation.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Continuity and Change In the Federal Reserve’s Perspective On Price Stability. Review, 2025;107(11):1-30. Review can be contacted at: Federal Reserve Bank St Louis, Box 442, St Louis, MO 63166, USA.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting David Lopez-Salido, Federal Reserve Board, Div Monetary Affairs, Washington, DC 44553, United States. Additional authors for this research include Edward Nelson and Emily J. Markowitz.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.20955/r.2025.11. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Annexus, a leading designer of innovative retirement solutions, today announced a new strategic partnership with Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company (Americo), a leading provider of insurance and annuity products. Together they launched the Americo Benchmark Flex and Americo Benchmark Flex Plus with premium bonus fixed index annuities (FIAs). This new suite of FIAs features an industry-first stable benchmark index, industry-first crediting strategies, and an unparalleled growth opportunity through a suite of benchmark indices from S&P DJI.

The Americo Benchmark Flex FIAs will include a suite of benchmark indices including the S&P 500® Index, the S&P PRISM® Index and the S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer Index.1 The first S&P DJI index utilizing a distance timer strategy, developed in collaboration with Société Générale, may on occasion adjust its exposure to the S&P 500® based upon a variance budgeting process. The structure of the S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer Index facilitates Americo Benchmark Flex FIAs ability to provide higher participation rates and more stable strategy renewal rates.

“Annexus strives to provide our distribution partners with the most innovative solutions on the market that are designed to provide greater consumer value,” said Ron Shurts, Annexus Co-founder and CEO. “Benchmark Flex FIAs are precisely that—the next evolution in FIAs designed to provide a highly competitive growth opportunity. One of the most exciting things about this new FIA suite is the S&P 500 Locked Cap Ladder Strategy, which provides higher S&P 500 cap rates and unprecedented transparency and predictability for clients.”

The Americo Benchmark Flex series introduces the S&P 500® Locked Cap Ladder Strategy, a first-of-its-kind feature that allows for higher cap rates that are guaranteed for up to 10 years. This innovative crediting strategy provides clients with long-term visibility into their potential returns, while also eliminating the concern of renewal rate uncertainty.

The FIA suite will also offer a wide variety of other index crediting strategies, including the Performance Trigger Strategy and the Blended Performance Strategy. The Performance Trigger strategy provides the opportunity to earn guaranteed interest credits every year if the S&P 500® Index performance is greater than or equal to 0% each year. The Blended Performance Strategy will provide an annual fixed interest rate of 5% on 50% of the strategy allocation, and the other 50% will benefit from up to a 200% participation rate on the S&P PRISM® Index.2 The rates are guaranteed for 5 years.

Jeremy Thornton, Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer at Americo, commented on the significance of the launch. “This partnership with Annexus represents a significant milestone for Americo as we expand our footprint in the fixed indexed annuity market. The Americo Benchmark Flex FIA suite reflects our shared commitment to putting the customer first and providing robust, flexible solutions. By offering both a competitive accumulation product and an enhanced bonus option, we are empowering individuals to tailor their retirement strategies to their specific financial objectives.”

Advisors, Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs), and insurance professionals seeking access to this product should contact their Annexus-affiliated Independent Distribution Company. If you are a consumer interested in learning more about the Americo Benchmark Flex FIA suite, ask your insurance professional for more information and visit www.AmericoBenchmarkFlex.com.

About Annexus

Annexus designs solutions to help Americans grow and protect their retirement savings. As a leading independent product design and distribution company, Annexus has developed market-leading fixed indexed annuities, registered index-linked annuities, and indexed universal life insurance products. The company partners with top insurance carriers and world-renowned index designers to provide innovative solutions that deliver better client outcomes. For more information, please visit www.annexus.com.

About Americo

For over 100 years, Americo Life, Inc.’s family of insurance companies has been committed to providing the life insurance and annuity products you need to protect your mortgage, family, and future.3 We listen to what you want from an insurance policy and do our best to provide a proper solution for your individual situation. Innovative thinking has helped us build a strong financial foundation for our business. Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company (Americo) is a member of the Americo Life, Inc. family of companies. Americo Life, Inc., is one of the largest, independent, privately held insurance groups in the United States.4 For more information, visit www.americo.com.

1 The full name of the S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer Index is S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer TCA Index (USD) ER. The Index is an excess return index which reduces the performance of the S&P 500® Total Return Index by short-term interest rates. As a result, the index could generate negative returns in high-interest rate environments. In extreme prolonged volatile markets, the index could not have any exposure to the S&P 500® and could underperform, including in periods where markets are trending upwards.

2 Americo Benchmark Flex FIA with the S&P PRISM Blended Performance Strategy. Rates are effective as of publication date and are subject to change.

3 Americo Life, Inc. is a holding company and is not responsible for the financial condition or contractual obligations of its affiliate insurance companies.

4 “Admitted Assets, Top Life Writers-2026,” A.M. Best Co., as of January 2026.

Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company is authorized to conduct business in the District of Columbia and all states except NY.

Americo Benchmark Flex FIA Series (Policy Series: 426, 426-10 DP, 426-B, 426-10B DP, 2533, 2533 DP, 2547 PTP LCL, 2547 PTPC, 2547 PTPP, 2547 PTPTR, 2547 MYGIA. Forms ICC25 426, ICC25 426-10 DP, ICC25 426-B, ICC25 426-10B DP, ICC24 2533, ICC24 2533 DP, ICC25 2547 PTP LCL, ICC25 2547 PTPC, ICC25 2547 PTPP, ICC25 2547 PTPTR, ICC25 2547 MYGIA. AAA426, AAA426-10 DP, AAA426 B, AAA426-10B DP, AAA2533, AAA2533 DP, AAA2547 PTP LCL, AAA2547 PTPC, AAA2547 PTPP, AAA2547 PTPTR, AAA2547 MYGIA) is underwritten by Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company (Americo), Kansas City, MO, and may vary in accordance with state laws. Some products and benefits may not be available in all states. Certain restrictions and variations apply. Consult the contract and riders for all limitations and exclusions. Annexus and their affiliated agencies are independently contracted with Americo.

The S&P 500®, S&P PRISM®, and S&P 500® Distance Stabilizer TCA Index (USD) ER (“the Indices”) are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“SPDJI”), and have been licensed for use by Americo Financial Life and Annuity Insurance Company (“Americo”). S&P®, S&P 500®, US 500, The 500, S&P PRISM®, iBoxx®, iTraxx® and CDX® are trademarks of S&P Global, Inc. or its affiliates (“S&P”); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). Americo’s Products are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, “S&P Dow Jones Indices”). S&P Dow Jones Indices does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Americo’s Products or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Americo’s Products particularly or the ability of the Indices to track general market performance. Past performance of an index is not an indication or guarantee of future results. S&P Dow Jones Indices’ only relationship to Americo with respect to the Indices is the licensing of the Indices and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The Indices is determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to Americo or the Americo’s Products. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation to take the needs of Americo or the owners of Americo’s Products into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. S&P Dow Jones Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of Americo’s Products. There is no assurance that investment products based on the Indices will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an “investment adviser, commodity trading advisory, commodity pool operator, broker dealer, fiduciary, promoter” (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended), “expert” as enumerated within 15 U.S.C. § 77k(a) or tax advisor. Inclusion of a security, commodity, crypto currency or other asset within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, commodity, crypto currency or other asset, nor is it considered to be investment advice or commodity trading advice. SPDJI provides indices that use environmental, social and/or governance (ESG) indicators (including, without limit, business involvement screens, conformance to voluntary corporate standards, GHG emissions data, and ESG scores) to select, weight and/or exclude constituents. ESG indicators seek to measure a company’s, or an asset’s performance, with respect to E, S and/or G criteria. ESG indicators are derived from publicly reported data, modelled data, or a combination of reported and modelled data. ESG indicators are based on a qualitative assessment due to the absence of well-defined uniform market standards and the use of multiple methodologies to assess ESG factors. No single clear, definitive test or framework (legal, regulatory, or otherwise) exists to determine labels such as, ‘ESG’, ‘sustainable’, ‘good governance’, ‘no adverse environmental, social and/or other impacts’, or other equivalently labelled objectives. Therefore, the exercise of subjective judgment is necessary. Different persons may classify the same investment, products and/or strategy differently regarding the foregoing labels.

NEITHER S&P DOW JONES INDICES NOR THIRD PARTY LICENSOR GUARANTEES THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDICES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY AMERICO, OWNERS OF THE AMERICO’S PRODUCTS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDICES OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBLITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. S&P DOW JONES INDICES HAS NOT REVIEWED, PREPARED AND/OR CERTIFIED ANY PORTION OF, NOR DOES S&P DOW JONES INDICES HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER, THE LICENSEE PRODUCT REGISTRATION STATEMENT, PROSPECTUS OR OTHER OFFERING MATERIALS. THERE ARE NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND AMERICO, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.

25-800-22 (02/26)

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The following information was released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York:

John C. Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer

Remarks at the America’s Credit Unions Governmental Affairs Conference 2026, Washington, DC As prepared for delivery

Introduction

Im so pleased to be with you today. My parents were California state employees and lifelong credit union members. They taught me the value of saving at an early age, and I too am proud to be a lifetime credit union member. In fact, my first car loan was from a credit union. At the time, my mother admonished me that the point was to save for the future, not to borrow to buy a sports car. Alas, I was in my early 20s and had my own priorities.

Now, as president of the New York Fed, I oversee an organization that has several important responsibilitiesincluding implementing monetary policy. Today, Im going to talk about the U.S. economy and how the Federal Reserve is working to achieve its dual mandate goals of maximum employment and price stabilitywhich, for us, are two sides of the same coin. Like most coins, this one can be broken down into smaller denominations, and Ill discuss some of those, too.

Before I go further, I must give the standard Fed disclaimer that the views I express today are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) or others in the Federal Reserve System.

Importance of Credit Unions

Credit unions play a critical role in our economy. They provide banking services and credit access to communities, including those that would otherwise be underserved. Although the Fed does not regulate or supervise credit unions, their CEOs are important members of our Community Depository Institutions Advisory Councils.

Each of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks meets regularly with its Council. Their perspectives help us better understand our local economies, and they provide context and real-world examples that complement all of the other data we gather. This, in turn, helps to inform our policy decisions.

Speaking of data, lately we have been seeing some interesting and somewhat unusual dynamics in the economy, the labor market, and inflation. More on that in a moment.

Resilience

Ill start with the big picture. Despite heightened uncertainty around the impact of trade and other policies, the U.S. economy has been surprisingly resilient. Real GDP grew at a solid pace last year, and growth is poised to pick up steam this year.

An important source of this resilience has been strength in consumer spending, which, in part, has been driven by robust spending by higher-income households. Research by New York Fed economists found that over recent years, higher-income households and homeowners have experienced substantially stronger consumption growth than lower-income households and renters. A soaring stock market and rising home prices are two factors behind that. Another is the 2020-21 mortgage refinancing boom. Lower mortgage payments significantly increased homeowners disposable income and, in turn, their spending.

Meanwhile, lower-income households have shown signs of becoming more financially constrained. A recent New York Fed analysis showed that mortgage delinquency rates were higher and most pronounced among borrowers who live in lower-income zip codes and counties with rising unemployment rates.1

Mixed Signals

This leads me to the employment side of the Feds dual mandate. Despite solid economic growth in 2025, we saw a gradual softening of the labor market through much of the year. In recent months, however, there have been promising signs of stabilization.

After edging up over much of 2025, the unemployment rate has since come down some. The January reading of 4.3 percent is back to where it was in July 2025. In addition, job growth and the New York Feds Labor Market Tightness Index, which measures how difficult it is for firms to find workers, have stabilized in recent months.2

Even with these positive developments, this remains an unusual low-hire, low-fire job market. The low hiring rate, along with an increase in long-term unemployment, may be contributing to a somewhat more pessimistic perception among households than other indicators of the labor market might suggest. Were seeing this reflected in survey-based measures of the balance between labor demand and supply, such as those produced by the Conference Board and the New York Feds Survey of Consumer Expectations.3 These measures have not yet shown the same signs of stabilization in recent months that the other indicators I mentioned have, and they provide a cautionary signal that I will continue to monitor.

Some Encouraging Trends

Turning to the price stability side of our mandate, tariffs have been the big focus over the past year, and the incoming data have sharpened our understanding of their likely effects.

Based on the data in hand, we can draw a few conclusions. First, the tariffs have overwhelmingly been borne domesticallya New York Fed analysis estimates that most of the burden has fallen on U.S. firms and consumers.4 In addition, the tariffs have already meaningfully increased U.S. prices of imported goods, and the full effects have likely not yet been felt.

My current estimate is that, to date, the increase in tariffs has contributed around one half to three quarters of a percentage point to the current inflation rate of about 3 percent.5 The FOMC defines price stability as 2 percent inflation over the longer run. Owing to the effects of tariffs, progress toward that goal has temporarily stalled.

Despite this lack of headway, we are seeing some encouraging trends. First, there are no signs of significant second-round effects from tariffs. No global supply-chain bottlenecks have emerged. And wage growth has remained stable at levels consistent with price stability. Second, underlying inflation excluding imported goods has been moving in the right direction. And third, most survey- and market-based measures of inflation expectationsincluding the New York Feds Survey of Consumer Expectationsare at levels consistent with the FOMCs 2 percent goal.

Taking all of that into account, I expect we will see some additional pass-through of tariffs into consumer prices during the first half of this year. Given the lack of second-round effects and well-anchored inflation expectations, I expect the tariffs largely to have one-off effects on prices. Therefore, I anticipate inflation to start coming back down later this year when the peak effect of tariffs on the inflation rate is behind us.

Monetary Policy and the Economic Outlook

Overall, the U.S. economy appears to be on a good footing. Growth is solid, the labor market is showing signs of stabilizing, and while inflation remains above our 2 percent target, recent data have been reassuring.

Over the past year and a half, the FOMC has lowered the target range for the federal funds rate by a total of 1-3/4 percentage points in response to rising downside risks to employment and the lessening upside risks to inflation.6 With these actions, the risks to achieving our maximum employment and price stability goals are now in better balance.

In terms of my outlook, I expect real GDP to grow about 2-1/2 percent this year, supported by stimulus from fiscal policy, favorable financial conditions, and robust investments in artificial intelligence.

With real GDP poised for continued solid growth, I expect the unemployment rate to edge down over the course of this year and next year. And with the effects of tariffs on inflation waning later in the year, I expect overall inflation to come in at around 2-1/2 percent in 2026, then fall to 2 percent in 2027.

Conclusion

Monetary policy is currently well positioned to support the stabilization of the labor market and return inflation to our 2 percent goal. Looking further ahead, if inflation follows the path I expect, further reductions in the federal funds rate will eventually be warranted to prevent monetary policy from inadvertently becoming more restrictive.

In assessing the future path of monetary policy, my view, as always, will be based on the totality of the data, the economic outlook, and the balance of risks to achieving both sides of our dual mandate goals.

1 Andrew F. Haughwout, Donghoon Lee, Daniel Mangrum, Joelle W. Scally, and Wilbert van der Klaauw, Where Are Mortgage Delinquencies Rising the Most?, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Liberty Street Economics, February 10, 2026.

2 Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Heise, Pearce, Weber (HPW) Labor Market Tightness Index (December 2025).

3 Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Survey of Consumer Expectations (January 2026).

4 Mary Amiti, Chris Flanagan, Sebastian Heise, and David E. Weinstein, Who Is Paying for the 2025 U.S. Tariffs?, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Liberty Street Economics, February 12, 2026.

5 As measured by the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index (Bureau of Economic Analysis), December 2025.

6 Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement, January 28, 2026.

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The post TWO SIDES OF A COIN appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, reminds investors of a class action lawsuit against Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. (“Franklin” or “the Company”) (NYSE: FBRT) for violations of §§10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investors who purchased the Company’s securities between November 5, 2024 and February 11, 2026, inclusive (the “Class Period”), are encouraged to contact the firm before April 27, 2026.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.

We also encourage you to contact Brian Schall of the Schall Law Firm, 2049 Century Park East, Suite 2460, Los Angeles, CA 90067, at 310-301-3335, to discuss your rights free of charge. You can also reach us through the firm’s website at www.schallfirm.com, or by email at bschall@schallfirm.com.

The class, in this case, has not yet been certified, and until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. If you choose to take no action, you can remain an absent class member.

According to the Complaint, the Company made false and misleading statements to the market. Franklin misled the market about the Franklin BSP Realty Trust’s prospects for success. The Company overstated its ability to maintain a dividend of $0.355. Based on these facts, the Company’s public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Franklin, investors suffered damages.

Join the case to recover your losses

The Schall Law Firm represents investors around the world and specializes in securities class action lawsuits and shareholder rights litigation.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and rules of ethics.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260302004613/en/

The Schall Law Firm
Brian Schall, Esq.

www.schallfirm.com

Office: 310-301-3335

info@schallfirm.com

Source: The Schall Law Firm

The post FBRT Investors Have Opportunity to Lead Franklin BSP Realty Trust, Inc. Securities Fraud Lawsuit with the Schall Law Firm appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

2026 MAR 02 (NewsRx) — By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News — According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx journalists, a trademark application has been made for “NATIONAL GENERAL INSURANCE” by April L. Besl Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, representing National General Holdings, Corp. This application was made available to the public on February 13, 2026.

The serial number for this application is 85944626.

The international trademark goods and services class code for this trademark application is 036. The applicant indicates that “The color(s) blue, orange and gray is/are claimed as a feature of the mark.”

As submitted by the applicant, this trademark application relates to the following goods and services: Insurance services, namely, insurance underwriting, insurance administration, and insurance issuance in the field of automobile, casualty, accident, personal, real estate and commercial property, and health insurance; insurance claims handling in the nature of administration and processing, and adjustment of claims in the fields of automobile, casualty, accident, personal, real estate and commercial property, and health insurance; insurance brokerage of insurance products and services in the fields of automobile, casualty, accident, personal, real estate and commercial property, and health insurance.

The registrar information for this application is: April L. Besl Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, 255 East Fifth Street, Suite 1900, Cincinnati, OH 45202, United States.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)

The post An Application for the Trademark “NATIONAL GENERAL INSURANCE” Has Been Filed by National General Holdings, Corp.: National General Holdings Corp. appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

2026 MAR 02 (NewsRx) — By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News — Current study results on Managed Care have been published. According to news reporting out of Baltimore, Maryland, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Medicare Advantage (MA) covers more Medicare beneficiaries than traditional Medicare. MA plans limit the providers that beneficiaries see through provider networks.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Johns Hopkins University, “Yet, there is limited evidence examining the inclusion of surgical specialists in MA plan networks. We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective analysis of MA surgical networks across six specialties: general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, thoracic surgery, plastic surgery, vascular surgery, and neurosurgery. We linked 2022 Ideon provider network data with 2021 IQVIA OneKey provider data and 2022 MA plan enrollment information. We calculated network breadth (the share of specialists included in a network) and the total number of in-network surgeons per 100,000 county population. Measures were stratified by specialty and geography and weighted by MA enrollment to reflect the average enrollee’s plan. Among 36,584 network-counties representing 20.9 million MA enrollees, the mean enrollee’s network included 57.6% surgical specialists. The average network had more in-network surgeons than required under network adequacy criteria. Plastic surgery networks were the narrowest, with an average breadth of 47.1%, while vascular, thoracic, and orthopaedic surgery networks exceeded 60%. Over 1 million MA enrollees lived in counties with zero in-network surgeons across all six specialties. Gaps were especially severe in rural and non-core counties, where enrollees often had access to fewer than one in-network surgical specialist.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Medicare Advantage networks include over half of surgeons but may further limit access in areas where surgeons are already in limited supply.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Medicare Advantage Networks for Surgical Specialists. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 2026. Journal of the American College of Surgeons can be contacted at: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Two Commerce Sq, 2001 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA. (Elsevier – www.elsevier.com; Journal of the American College of Surgeons – http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-the-american-college-of-surgeons/)

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Elyette Lugo, Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Additional authors for this research include Mark Meiselbach and Amit Jain.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1097/xcs.0000000000001864. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of the American College of Surgeons is: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Two Commerce Sq, 2001 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)

The post Study Results from Johns Hopkins University Broaden Understanding of Managed Care (Medicare Advantage Networks for Surgical Specialists): Managed Care appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

2026 MAR 02 (NewsRx) — By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Economics Daily Report — Data detailed on Investment have been presented. According to news originating from Washington, District of Columbia, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “Recent geopolitical tensions have revived interest in understanding the economic consequences of geopolitical fragmentation. Using bilateral trade flows, portfolio investment data, and detailed records of economic policy interventions, we revisit widely used geopolitical distance metrics, specifically the ideal point distance (IPD) derived from United Nations General Assembly voting.”

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from the Board of Governors Federal Reserve, “We document substantial variability in measured fragmentation, driven significantly by methodological choices related to sample periods and vote categories, especially in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Our results show robust evidence of increasing fragmentation in both trade flows and economic policy interventions among geopolitically distant country pairs, with particularly strong effects observed in strategically important sectors and policy motives. In contrast, financial portfolio allocations exhibit weaker, more heterogeneous, and context-sensitive responses.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “These findings highlight the critical importance of methodological transparency and careful specification when assessing geopolitical realignments and their implications for international economic relations.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Measuring Geopolitical Fragmentation: Implications for Trade, Financial Flows, and Economic Policy. Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis Review, 2025;107(12). Federal Reserve Bank of St Louis Review can be contacted at: Federal Reserve Bank St Louis, Box 442, St Louis, MO 63166, USA.

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from Florencia S. Airaudo, Board of Governors Federal Reserve, Adv Foreign Econ Sect, Washington, DC 20551, United States. Additional authors for this research include Francois de Soyres, Keith Richards and Ana Maria Santacreu.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.20955/r.2025.12. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)

The post Reports from Board of Governors Federal Reserve Highlight Recent Findings in Investment (Measuring Geopolitical Fragmentation: Implications for Trade, Financial Flows, and Economic Policy): Investment appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.

Filing a personal injury claim in Charlotte isn’t just about proving fault or calculating damages. It also involves understanding how health insurers handle payments when someone else may be responsible. Insurers often pay for treatment upfront but may recover costs from your settlement, which may affect the amount you keep.

They also consider treatment patterns and future medical needs. Federal rules limit coverage denial for pre-existing conditions, but plan terms and cost-sharing still impact future care. Planning early can prevent surprises.

How Personal Injury Settlements Work with Charlotte, NC Insurance

When an injury occurs in Charlotte, resolving a claim often involves negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurer rather than going to trial. A settlement typically covers medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Under NC G.S. § 1-52, most personal injury claims must be filed within three years from the date of injury. This deadline directly affects negotiations, as insurers evaluate liability, documented damages, and the risk of litigation.

Determining the level of fault is also important for protecting your right to compensation. A Charlotte personal injury lawyer at Stewart Law Offices can provide guidance to make sure responsibility is assessed accurately. For example, if an injured party is found even slightly at fault under North Carolina’s strict contributory negligence rule, they may be barred from any recovery. This rule makes it important to have professional support when an insurance company attempts to minimize or shift liability.

What Happens to Your Health Plan

Most people in Charlotte keep their private or employer-based health insurance after a personal injury case ends. Filing a claim does not give your insurer the right to cancel your policy or reduce your benefits.

As long as you continue paying your premiums and remain eligible under your plan, your coverage usually stays the same. Your access to doctors, hospitals, and prescriptions is not affected simply because you sought compensation for your injuries.

Private Insurance Protections

Most private plans in North Carolina generally cannot claim your settlement (subrogation), though large national plans may be exceptions.

Employer-Based Coverage

Plans from very large employers may fall under ERISA rules, which may allow partial repayment. A lawyer can review your policy to clarify which rules apply.

Health Insurance Premiums

In North Carolina, your rates cannot increase just because you filed a personal injury claim. Employer-based rates are set for the whole group, and individual marketplace plans cannot charge more due to medical history or past accidents. This protects your coverage and keeps it affordable after an injury.

How Do Medical Authorities Assess Long-Term Medical Needs?

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Medical specialists look at your injuries to see what kind of help you will need in the future. They consider things like:

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Expected hospital stays or specialist visits.

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The cost of daily medications or medical tools.

If you have been injured and need legal guidance in Charlotte, the team at Stewart Law Offices, located at 2427 Tuckaseegee Rd, Suite A, NC 28208, can assist you. The firm, about a 10-minute drive from Freedom Park, can be reached at (704) 521-5000 for questions regarding personal injury cases.

Which Government Programs Impact Your Settlement

If you use Medicare or Medicaid, the rules are stricter than those of private insurance. These government programs must be repaid from any settlement to confirm that the person responsible for the injury covers the medical costs, not taxpayers. Charlotte personal injury lawyer Christian Gerencir explains, “Medicare and Medicaid can claim repayment from your settlement, so it’s important to understand which program applies before you finalize anything.”

In 2024, most people in the U.S. (92%) had health insurance. Public programs like Medicaid (17.6%) and Medicare (19.1%) can sometimes affect personal injury settlements, as these programs may seek repayment for medical bills paid during your case. Understanding which government coverage applies is important for protecting your settlement in North Carolina.

FAQs

1. Can my insurance drop me after a settlement?

No. Your coverage continues if premiums are paid, even after a claim.

2. Do I have to repay insurance?

Private plans usually cannot claim your settlement, but Medicare, Medicaid, and some ERISA plans may.

3. Does my settlement count for Medicaid?

Compensation for medical bills or pain and suffering usually isn’t income, but may affect assets. Consult a professional.

4. Will filing a personal injury claim raise my health insurance premiums?

No. In North Carolina, insurers cannot raise your premium just for filing a claim.

The post How Personal Injury Claims Affect Future Health Insurance Coverage in Charlotte, NC appeared first on Insurance News | InsuranceNewsNet.