Small stocks, big swagger – Small-cap stocks are on their best streak in 30 years: The Russell 2000 Index has been outperforming the large-cap S&P 500 Index so far in 2026, surpassing a previous 14-day outperformance record set in 1996. Smaller companies are currently much more attractively valued than their large-cap counterparts that had been driving recent market performance. (Source: The Wall Street Journal, as of January 29)

The dollar’s on a diet – The dollar hit a four-year low on January 27, falling 1.2% (its worst day since 2025’s Liberation Day) as trade tensions, geopolitical strains, and historically high US deficits continued to erode investor confidence. With national debt now exceeding $38 trillion and long-term rates still elevated, fiscal uncertainty remains a major drag on the currency. (Source: MarketWatch)

Another day, another meme – A YouTuber exposed a trade-in loophole at GameStop that gave customers an infinite money glitch: They could buy a new console for $414.99 and trade it in with a pre-owned game for $472.50, netting a $57 profit via store credit. The glitch came almost exactly five years after the social-media posts that first made GameStop go viral. (Source: Yahoo Finance)

Don't forget the chips with all this dip – January 20 marked the third-largest dip-buying day of the past year as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 900 points on tariff and geopolitical worries. Trading volume on one platform surged 304% year over year, with much of the cash flowing into big tech stocks. (Source: Axios)

Get ‘em where it hurts – After the British government’s most recent budget raised business taxes on the hospitality sector, more than 1,000 pubs campaigned together to ban Labour-party MPs from their premises. Last week, the government walked back some of the new taxes for pubs, offering a 15% discount on their business taxes for the next two years. (Source: BBC)

Hear me out – In a study, hearing aids reduced cognitive decline in older adults at high risk of dementia by almost 50%. Being able to hear better not only helps improve socialization via inclusion, but also helps maintain brain health by maintaining brain stimulation. (Source: AARP)

Better wear sensible shoes for all these trips to the stage – With 16 nominations, the 2025 blockbuster hit “Sinners” now holds the record for the most Oscar nominations of any film in history. Its unprecedented haul breaks a three-way tie between "All About Eve" (1950), "Titanic" (1997), and "La La Land" (2016), each of which received 14 nominations. (Source: The New York Times)

Darn right it does – According to research published by the American Psychological Association, swearing not only helps reduce frustration, but has also been shown to enhance performance in strength and endurance tasks by reducing mental restraint and increasing focus. (Source: Science Daily)

My focus really is this much of a luxury – Super Bowl 60’s 30‑second ad spots are fetching around $8 million, a far cry from the $37,500 price tag paid during the inaugural 1967 matchup. This year's demand has been so intense that NBCUniversal sold out all commercial inventory before the NFL regular season even began, marking one of the earliest sellouts in Super Bowl history. (Sources: USA Today and Fortune)

Guess the voters weren’t impressed with the hoodie – Bill Belichick, former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, didn't receive enough votes to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot. Belichick is the third-most winning coach in NFL history, with 17 divisional titles and six Super Bowls with the Patriots. The Patriots’ participation in "Spygate" may be partly to blame for Belichick's fate. (Source: ESPN)