Comment on December's mini-retail apocalypse rounded off a rough year for US stores

Jaymes O'Pheron is an entrepreneur who moved from Aberdeen, Washington, to Fargo, North Dakota, in 2021. Courtesy of Jaymes O'PheronJaymes O'Pheron is an entrepreneur who has lived all over the world. He and his wife moved from Washington state to Fargo, North Dakota, in 2021. O'Pheron said the Midwest locale is his favorite because of its strong community.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had called on the country's central bank to make a "balanced" decision about its key interest rate. Getty ImagesRussian interest rates on deposits and loans have risen faster than its central bank's key rate. A central-bank official said lending might have slowed too quickly in the battle to lower inflation.

After Tamara Ponzo Brattoli's son Anthony died in 2018, she continued teaching but transitioned to working at Costco. Laura McDermott/BITamara Ponzo Brattoli's retirement plans changed after her son's sudden death in 2018. Brattoli took a job at Costco to pay her bills, but she worries about her financial future. Many older Americans face financial struggles after losing loved ones, which affects their retirement.

Spain's mothers are among the oldest in Europe. Antonio Hugo Photo/Getty ImagesSpain has some of the oldest moms, with 11% of women having kids post-40, compared to 4% in the US. Financial insecurity and settling down later in life play a notable role. But Spain's accessible fertility treatments and excellent public healthcare are also factors.

iStock; Rebecca Zisser/BIHurt by higher interest rates, commercial real estate should see a modest rebound in 2025. Lingering inflation, however, could complicate the recovery by pushing up long-term interest rates. Industrial warehouses, a star of the sector, are poised to stand out in 2025. The commercial property sector has had a bruising few years as rising interest rates have pushed down values, complicated refinancing deals for hundreds of billions of dollars of expiring mortgages, and stymied investment.

Richard Gadd in "Baby Reindeer" and Michelle Keegan in "Fool Me Once."NetflixNetflix has produced some of the most captivating and divisive shows of 2024. It hooked viewers with a mystery in "Fool Me Once," and stoked controversy with "Baby Reindeer."Here are the nine most talked-about shows on Netflix in 2024.2024 has been a huge year for Netflix, with the streamer's shows sparking huge conversations.