Things To Do In SW Florida

By ADRIANA MORGA

NEW YORK (AP) — Gen Z has seen its credit scores drop more than any other generation over the past year, largely because of student loan debt, according to a new report out this week.

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The total national average credit score dropped two points this year to 715, according to the report from credit scoring company FICO. But Gen Z’s average score dropped three points to 676, the largest year-over-year decrease among any age group since 2020.

A credit score is a mathematical formula that helps lenders determine how likely you are to pay back a loan. Credit scores are based on your credit history and range from 300 to 850. read more

By MICHAEL PHILLIS, MELINA WALLING and JOSHUA A. BICKEL

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — In the soft dirt of an indoor horseback riding ring last month, a group of farmers got ready to test drive a new piece of equipment: an electric tractor.

As they took turns climbing in — some surprised by its quick acceleration — they gave real-time feedback to the Michigan State University researchers who have been developing it for over two years.

The farmers remarked on the motor’s quiet whir. Most were intrigued, or at least open to the idea. Some were concerned that the battery on the underside of the carriage would mean a lower clearance over the field, while others worried that it would simply be too expensive.

“What we hope to do when we retire is we want to get everything electric on the farm. The tractor is the last electric implement to get,” said Don Dunklee, one of the farmers to provide feedback. He runs a small organic vegetable farm that’s relied on wind and solar for decades.

The market is fairly new, but some researchers and entrepreneurs think electric tractors will be ideal for small farmers who care about sustainability and want to market their products that way. The small cherry-red, open-cab machine is well-suited for tasks like weeding fields of specialty crops like carrots or asparagus, or squeezing between the tight rows of orchard trees. Farmers with solar panels can avoid the cost of diesel. read more

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street tacked on some more gains Friday as it glided to the finish of its latest record-setting week.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5% to close out its sixth winning week in the last seven. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 172 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.7%.

All three hit all-time highs for a second straight day. They’ve been rallying on expectations that the Federal Reserve will continue to cut interest rates in order to give the economy a boost after the central bank lowered them for the first time this year on Wednesday.

FedEx helped lift the market after delivering stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It rose 2.3%, thanks in part to strength for its domestic package business.

Newmont rallied 4.3% after the gold miner sold its investment in Canada’s Orla Mining for $439 million. It added to a stellar run, and Newmont’s stock has more than doubled so far this year as the price of gold has shot to records. read more

By FATIMA HUSSEIN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department is moving closer to making President Donald Trump’s “ no tax on tips ” promise a reality. But new guidance released Friday tends to limit the number of tipped workers who will be able to claim the benefit.

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The agency on Friday submitted proposed regulations to the Federal Register that includes greater detail on the occupations covered by the rule and who will qualify and what counts as a “qualified tip.” read more

By Karen Bennett, Bankrate.com

Artifical intelligence (AI) is likely to reshape our lives in as big a way as the internet did in the 1990s and smartphones did in the 2000s (scary or exciting as that may be). That means changes to your regular life and your banking life, too. You’re likely encountering AI in your financial life already, with or without knowing it.

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• 
  Will electric tractors gain traction? At a pilot event for farmers, researchers see possibilities

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Banks sometimes use AI to help prevent fraud, for example, and while some people may be nervous about using AI, others are largely on board. In fact, 62% of bank customers said they’d immediately try AI-driven alerts to help avoid service charges and fees, according to a 2024 J.D. Power report. read more