NEW YORK: The US stock market’s hefty gains in 2023 could provide a lift for equities this year, if history is any guide. The SP 500 ended the year last Friday with an annual gain of just over 24%.... This could translate to strength in the new year. Data from LPL Research going back to 1950 showed that years following a gain of 20% or more have seen the SP 500 rise an average of 10%.... StarPicks Financial lifeline for underbanked micro-businesses That compares to an average 9.3% annual retur

He said the weather service issues a warning when the heat index climbs above 110 degrees in the afternoon, with little relief at night. The heat index measures relative humidity and air temperature, meaning it better represents how it actually feels outside, Birk said.... He noted it’s the high humidity — measured using dew point temperatures — more so than high temperatures driving Wednesday’s oppressive heat.... “ The highest that we have recorded on record is 83 for the dew point in Chicag