Wealth

Amazon might be a $1.5 trillion “everything store” today. In the beginning, it was just books — and Jeff Bezos had a reason for that hyper-specificity. Bezos explained why he chose to only sell books on his website — at least, at first — in a “lost” video interview recorded at a Special Libraries Association

Six countries have earned the title of the most powerful passports in 2024 — with all of them granting visa-free travel to 194 out of 227 destinations. Four EU member states now share crown with Singapore and Japan as the number one passport in the quarterly Henley Passport Index. They are: Spain, Germany, France and

Social media posts by Maldivian officials may cost the country millions in tourism revenue, as calls by Indian travelers to boycott the island nation intensify.   “We are seeing a 40% drop in bookings over the last two days,” Ankit Chaturvedi, vice president and global head of marketing at the India-based travel software company Rategain,

A post-pandemic surge in international travelers, coupled with weak exchange rates, may have indirectly ended one of Japan’s most beloved travel deals: the Japan Rail Pass. Prices for the JR Pass, as it’s known, increased roughly 65%-75%, in October 2023. But there are still rail deals to be found — especially for those going beyond

Shapecharge | E+ | Getty Images If you’re itching to save more for retirement, there are higher 401(k) contribution limits for 2024. But there are a few things to consider before maxing out your plan, experts say. For 2024, you can defer up to $23,000 into 401(k) plans, up from $22,500 in 2023, with an

Auctioneer Victoire Gineste gestures as she adjudicates for 20 million euros ($21.9 million) a recently rediscovered drawing by Michelangelo, the artist’s first known nude, at the Christie’s auction house in Paris on May 18, 2022. Emmanuel Dunand | Afp | Getty Images Wealthy, young collectors in Asia have been fueling demand for art — particularly

The airline industry’s dramatic climb from the depths of the pandemic may be ending soon. A review of multiple reports shows stabilization across several key metrics, as rapid growth ends and a new era of normalcy begins. “2024 is expected to mark the end of the dramatic year-on-year increases that have been characteristic of the

Mark Cuban says smart businesses embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. That’s a stance at odds with some recent high-profile skepticism of the organizational framework from fellow billionaires Elon Musk and Bill Ackman. “Let me help you out and give my thoughts on DEI,” Cuban told Musk on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday. “Good

Chairperson of Indian conglomerate Adani Group, Gautam Adani, speaking at the World Congress of Accountants in Mumbai on November 19, 2022. Indranil Mukherjee | Afp | Getty Images Gautam Adani is the richest person in Asia again, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index’s updated figures Friday.  The founder and chairman of the Adani Group regained pole

Skyscrapers in the Canary Wharf financial, business and shopping district in London, UK. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The average FTSE 100 CEO will have earned more this year than the median full-time worker’s annual salary by 1 p.m. London time on Thursday, according to estimates from the High Pay Centre think tank. The

Being a millionaire businesswoman and investor comes with lots of hard work and even more responsibility. Barbara Corcoran’s calendar system helps her stay productive. The 74-year-old “Shark Tank” star says that success starts with putting pen to paper. That may seem counterintuitive, given the plethora of online scheduling websites and mobile apps available today. “Most

When Ricardo Schmitz’s brother was visiting him in Vilnius, Lithuania, the pair went for a wintertime walk at midnight — something he said they would never do back home in Brazil.   “My brother hadn’t seen snow since he was a kid, so he was super excited. We walked from midnight to 3 a.m.,” Schmitz

Skyline of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) was the top spender among global sovereign wealth funds last year, accounting for about a quarter of the $124 billion splashed by state-owned investors, according to a preliminary report by research consultancy Global SWF. The Saudi

Nothing about flying is as exasperating as getting your flight delayed, cancelled or disrupted. Arriving at or departing from a destination on time is one of the most important considerations a traveler takes before deciding whether to book a subsequent flight from the same airline. Latest results from travel data analytics firm Cirium revealed that

Student debt rose to $1.6 trillion Student loan borrowers spent the first half of the year hoping to see their balances reduced, if not erased, by the end of the summer. Many spent the second half of the year scrambling to figure out how they were going to resume making payments.  By the end of

If you have some time over the holiday break, consider taking a financial hygiene day to prepare yourself for the new year. Personally, I review my finances every year around Christmas since I’ve likely blown my budget on gifts and travel. It’s also the time of year in which I have the most downtime, so

Tired of the usual sights or craving a break from the travel herd? These five travel spots may be the getaway you’re looking for. Adventure travel company Intrepid Travel’s new “Not Hot” list is out — spotlighting overlooked travel spots around the world. The company’s annual list attempts to combat overtourism by helping travelers “beat

I wasn’t always good with money. I had to learn how to be. I grew up in an immigrant Chinese home with two very loving but frugal parents — where clipping coupons and reusing ziplock bags was the norm. It wasn’t until I began my career on Wall Street that I realized the ultra-wealthy were

I knew something was amiss when the taxi meter read 10.50 euros as we pulled away from the Roma Termini train station. While negotiating the evening rush hour traffic and typing into a translation app on his cell phone, the cab driver suggested the starting fare included a surcharge for all rides from Rome’s main

Few names exude “quiet luxury” like the ultra-luxe Aman Resorts. Its hotels bear its moniker: from Amanoi in Vietnam, to Aman Sveti Stefan in Montenegro and the hotel that started it all — Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand. Fans of the brands — known as ‘Aman Junkies’ — are accustomed to paying its top-dollar rates, which