Thirty-seven percent of US savers expect to continue working at least some of the time after entering retirement, according to T. Rowe Price research. In addition, the survey found that inflation is a major concern for global savers and that many aren't confident about their ability to absorb financial shocks in retirement.

AI may be transforming the economy, but market leadership remains extremely narrow. Read Jensen's article on how today's stock concentration stacks up against 1999, 2007, and 2021, and what that could mean for long-term investors.

Another year of stock market gains has helped mint more 401(k) millionaires, a sign of financial resilience for some. However, the milestone may hold more symbolic significance rather than practical importance. "The new dollar millionaires have broken a psychological wealth threshold, but their income and spending is that of middle class households," wrote UBS' Paul Donovan in a client note.

Almost two-thirds of Gen X investors report that they do not consider retirement to be a priority until reaching age 60 or older, according to a Nationwide study. Some in this age group are trying to make up for lost time by reducing discretionary spending, raising retirement account contributions or taking other steps.

Many companies are seeking to finance M&A activity on the bond market, well in advance of the completion of their deals. Acquisition financing has reached $113 billion globally, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, marking one of the highest totals on record.

In November, US households became more pessimistic about their current financial situations as well as their expectations for the future, according to a New York Federal Reserve report. Meanwhile, inflation expectations a year from now held at 3.2%.

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Long-term planning conversations may pick up around the holidays, when many families gather, research shows. "It's a natural moment to have those meaningful conversations about how families can support each other and plan for things like long-term care to ensure their loved ones are protected," said OneAmerica Financial's Amy Chinn. LIMRA's Karen Terry notes that there are multiple products that may help, including standalone policies and hybrid products.

Effective estate planning requires intentional communication to avoid ambiguity and potential conflict among family members, writes Shelby Anderson of Clark Capital Management Group. Anderson stresses the importance of setting expectations and assigning responsibilities through ongoing dialogue with trusted advisors and loved ones.

President Donald Trump said he will issue an executive order that could curb state-level regulation of AI. "I will be doing a ONE RULE Executive Order this week," Trump said in a social media post. "You can't expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something."